COVER REVEAL: TRIAL AND ERROR by Robin Newman

March 04

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Posted by CBethM on March 4, 2025 in Author Posts |

Nerdy Book Club Readers, I bet you’re wondering how my latest book, TRIAL AND ERROR, came about. I’m so glad you asked. Nerdy Book Club Readers always ask the best questions.  

As a lawyer, albeit currently retired, I’ve always wanted to write a book that would introduce kids to the kind of work lawyers do. So, I started writing about animals who got themselves into a bit of legal trouble—snails who got speeding tickets, squirrels fighting over a ginormous acorn, pig brothers having a problem sharing a pen, and of course, how could I forget the chicken crossing the road and getting ticketed for jaywalking? And like my detectives in the Wilcox & Griswold Mystery Series, I gave a lot of thought to who would be the lawyer. I’ve always loved the idea of the smallest animals being the enforcers or crusaders of justice, so naturally Sawyer, the Critter Lawyer, is an ant. 

One huge problem that I had was trying to figure out what it actually was that I was writing. Should each legal scenario be a book unto itself? Was it a chapter book? 

As luck would have it, my husband, who also happens to be a lawyer, an international tax lawyer in case you’re curious (tax lawyers are another kind of super cool nerd, but I digress), had a conference in San Francisco. I love crashing his trips, especially to San Francisco because that is where my AMAZING editor and publisher, Marissa Moss at Creston Books, is based. I was beyond eager (understatement of the year!) to get her thoughts on my manuscript that I literally plopped my laptop in front of her when we finally met. (This is probably not the recommended method for showing your editor what you’re working on. But hey! It worked for me!) 

While Marissa was reading, with a chuckle here and there, I knew that this story had potential. And then she mentioned it would be terrific as an early graphic chapter book. As soon as she said those words—that eureka moment—I knew it was the right format for the book. 

Now, without further ado, I would like to share with you the super adorable cover for TRIAL AND ERROR. 

TRIAL AND ERROR is the first book in the Sawyer, the Critter Lawyer Series. It marches into bookstores, libraries, and ant hills on October 7th and is currently available for pre-order EVERYWHERE!

Raised in New York and Paris, Robin Newman is a graduate of Bryn Mawr College and City University of New York School of Law at Queens College. She was a practicing attorney and legal editor, but now prefers to write about witches, ants, mice, and peacocks. Author of the award-winning Wilcox & Griswold Mystery Series and several picture books, she lives in New York with two spoiled spaniels. To learn more, please visit www.robinnewmanbooks.com.