When Auggie Learned to Play Chess

by Meredith Rusu, Stephen Costanza (illustrator)

In this heartfelt picture book, a shy kid's dad teaches him how to play chess... and chess gives him the confidence to make a new friend.

When Auggie finds an old chessboard that once belonged to his grandfather, he decides he wants to learn how to play chess. And his dad, his Tatâ, is happy to teach him. 

They've just moved to a new town, and Auggie is struggling to make friends at his new school. In the big, busy hallways, he feels like a tiny pawn. But after every hard day at school, he can't wait to play chess with his dad. Slowly, slowly, he gets better at the game... until he can beat Tata!

Then, Auggie finds a chessboard in his classroom. When he sees that another boy looks interested in it, he knows just what to he can teach Luke how to play chess, too!

Here is a moving father-son story that shows how chess helps one boy feel at home in a new environment.

48 pages, Library Binding

Expected publication September 9, 2025

About the author

Meredith Rusu lives in New Jersey with her husband and two young sons. She is the author of more than one hundred children’s books, notably There’s a Yeti in my Tummy (the first picture book in the Mighty Moods series), Anna, Elsa, and the Enchanting Holiday, Silenzio, Bruno!, and The DATA Set series under the name Ada Hopper. She has also written for many popular licenses including LEGO, Disney/Pixar, Peppa Pig, and Star Wars. When she isn’t writing, Meredith enjoys singing karaoke, spending time with family, and going on the occasional adventure or two.