A Celebration of Books,
Writers & LIterary Excellence

Save the Date


Gaithersburg
Book Festival

May 16, 2026

10am – 6pm

Bohrer Park


Katie Cotugno

Featured Title: Penelope Positano Sees It All
Penelope Positano Sees It All

From bestselling author Katie Cotugno and illustrator Amy Jindra Hodgson comes a charming new chapter-book series about a plucky seven-year-old who can see things other people miss, perfect for fans of Ivy & Bean

For two hours every day, seven-year-old Penelope Positano wears an eye patch. Her eye muscles don’t quite match, and wearing the patch on her strong eye helps her less-strong eye catch up. And whenever she wears her eye patch, Penelope notices things that other people overlook.

The Positanos are getting a dog, and it’s Penelope’s job to find the perfect pup for her family. Her mom thinks they should pick the most obedient dog, and her dad wants the dog that likes his music the best, but Penelope’s not sure. Her best friend Gus said she would know which dog was meant to be hers, but the more Penelope looks, the more she worries that her dog isn’t out there.

It’s only with the encouragement of her grandma—and the help of her trusty eye patch—that Penelope realizes the perfect dog might be closer than she thinks.

About Katie Cotugno

Katie Cotugno is the author of more than a dozen books for readers of all ages. She is also the co-author, with Candace Bushnell, of “Rules for Being a Girl.” Her books have been honored by the Junior Library Guild, the Bank Street Children’s Book Committee, and the Kentucky Association of School Librarians, among others, and translated into more than 15 languages. Katie is a Pushcart Prize nominee whose work has appeared in The Iowa Review, the Mississippi Review, and Argestes, as well as many other literary magazines. She studied Writing, Literature and Publishing at Emerson College and received her M.F.A. in fiction at Lesley University. She lives in Boston with her family.

Katie will be presenting “Penelope Positano Sees It All.”

Instagram: @katiecotugno