When Aroostook teacher Sara McQuarrie was a kid, she was always drawn to survival stories. But when she wrote a young adult novel, she wanted it to be more than that.
She wanted kids to know they could do hard things.
“I especially wanted the story to speak to young people who may have experienced difficult circumstances or have been made to feel that somehow they weren’t enough,” McQuarrie said. “Sometimes children carry burdens that were never theirs to carry, and I wanted to convey that those experiences don’t diminish who they are.”
Rooted in a lifelong love of the outdoors, McQuarrie’s debut novel, “Strength Hidden,” is set in the rugged Maine woods, weaving the details of Maine’s natural history with themes of wilderness survival and personal resilience. As kids struggle with personal challenges, internet-created isolation and a tumultuous world, such lessons can be helpful, she said.
McQuarrie, a certified interpretive guide with the National Association for Interpretation, a Maine master naturalist and a Houlton middle school teacher, took five years to write the book. The story details the survival story of Andromeda, better known to young readers as Andy.
She worked to give the tale layers so kids could learn about why survival was important to Andy. She wanted readers to care about her and to have an emotional response to what they were reading, she said.
Andy’s harrowing story of surviving in the deep wilderness after running from an abusive foster home lets kids know that the strength, courage and worth they need are already within them, even if they haven’t discovered it yet, McQuarrie said.
Throughout the story, Andy learns that she has more strength and courage than she thinks and that she was treated poorly because of the people who were doing it, not because she deserved it, she said.
“I think in situations where children are abandoned, they often take it to heart and assume it was their fault,” McQuarrie said. “I wanted kids who were reading it to start thinking, ‘Maybe it wasn’t my fault. Maybe I can do hard things.’”
After many edits over the years, McQuarrie showed the story to a small group of family and friends who encouraged her to publish it, she said.
Published by Maine Authors Publishing in September 2025, “Strength Hidden” was just honored with the Gold Medal in Young Adult Fiction at the Independent Publisher Book Awards and the Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards Outstanding Book of the Year.
The Independent Publisher Book Awards were created to bring increased recognition to exemplary independent, university, and self-published books. A panel of judges — including librarians, booksellers, reviewers and designers — evaluated thousands of entries from around the world. The awards, known as IPPYs, spotlight books that break new ground and make meaningful contributions to literature and culture, according to a release.
The Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards honor exceptional new titles that ignite imagination, promote a love for reading and celebrate artistry and innovation in children’s literature. The awards showcase books that serve as invaluable resources for fostering creativity, empathy, and critical thinking, the release stated.
“I was wicked excited,” McQuarrie said when she first heard about the awards, never expecting to win.
At the time, the McQuarries were on vacation this summer and she ran down the hall to her daughter, saying, “Guess what?”
“Strength Hidden” is available online through major retailers and select local booksellers. To learn more about Sara McQuarrie, her books, or upcoming local events, visit saramcquarrie.com.
Beyond writing and teaching, McQuarrie shares her passion for nature through the Twin Ponds
Nature and Discovery Center on her property in Hodgdon, where she hosts hands-on nature
programs for local youth.
“Nature has always been a central part of my life, and sharing that connection to the outdoors through story is wonderfully rewarding,” she said. “I hope ‘Strength Hidden’ encourages readers to step outside, embrace challenges and discover their own inner resilience.”
