Adam

Borba

Middle Grade Novelist

Author, Filmmaker, and Producer

Travels from: Los Angeles, CA

“Pittsburgh! Monsters! Pierogies! This book has all my favorite things packed into a delightful, mysterious adventure!” ― Jonathan Auxier, NYT bestselling author of The Night Gardener

ADAM BORBA is the author of the critically-acclaimed middle grade novels Outside Nowhere, The Midnight Brigade, and This Again, all from Little Brown Books for Young Readers. He is a graduate of the University of Southern California, and the William Morris Agency mailroom.

When Adam isn’t writing, he spends his time developing and producing movies, most of which have been based on beloved children’s books for Walt Disney Studios. As a producer, he oversees the development of screenplays, physical production, and post production. He walked planks and fought pirates as an executive producer on an adaptation of J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan & Wendy, directed by David Lowery, with whom Adam chased a mythical creature through the woods of New Zealand for the reimagining of Pete’s Dragon. Adam worked on the adaptations of Stephan Pastis’s Timmy Failure, Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time (which he executive produced), and Michael J. Tougias & Casey Sherman’s The Finest Hours. He also worked on upcoming adaptations of Megan Whalen Turner’s Newbery Honor winning The Thief and Jonathan Auxier’s The Night Gardener. His work has appeared in movie theaters worldwide, on Disney+, online, in print, and in local and national media.

Adam lives in California with his wife and two young children (for whom he packs amazing school lunches). His speaking style is warm, conversational, fun, funny, and honest.

Adam's Featured Titles

This Again?

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers |

April 16, 2024

Children’s/Middle Grade

How far would you go to have the best day of your life? This funny and thrilling time travel adventure tackles questions of fate and free will.

Noah Nicholson has plenty to be grateful for. He has solid grades and great friends, he’s finally becoming closer with Lucy Martinez—his crush since second grade—and he just might have a chance to be elected class president next week. But despite all that, Noah fixates on the should’ve-beens and could’ve-beens and the belief that he can make his life perfect. Then Noah comes upon an opportunity to do just that.

At the local bowling alley, Noah runs into someone most unexpected: himself. The look-alike is him from nine days in the future, and he insists that if Noah does every ridiculous thing he says—from quacking like a duck in science class to painting himself green—they can achieve their dream of perfection. However, fate may have other plans, and Future Noah may not be entirely honest about what he’s doing there.…

Perfect for fans of Rebecca Stead and Louis Sachar, This Again? takes readers on an incredible journey through time, mind, and middle school.

Fiction, Kid-Lit: Middle Grade, Kid-Lit: Picture Books & Early Readers

Outside Nowhere

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers |

October 18, 2022

Middle Grade

Charming and funny, Parker Kelbrook can wriggle out of anything he doesn’t want to do. So when he’s forced to take a job at the local pool—a threat to his beach-filled summer plans—he comes up with the perfect prank to get himself fired.

Once Parker’s father catches wind of his latest scheme, he decides enough is enough, and Parker is sent halfway across the country to work on a farm alongside five other kids who aren’t his biggest fans. As Parker learns to roll up his sleeves and keep his head down, strange things start happening. And after he awakens one morning to find a seventeen-hundred-pound dairy cow on the roof of a barn, he suspects that something magical and mysterious is growing in the farm’s fields.

Adam Borba presents a whimsical new story about a boy’s discovery that mistakes and miracles can have serious consequences.

Fiction, Kid-Lit: Middle Grade, Kid-Lit: Picture Books & Early Readers

The Midnight Brigade

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers |

September 7, 2021

Middle Grade

Harkening to classics such as Roald Dahl’s The BFG, this heartwarming story highlights the power of friendship and the importance of finding your voice.

Carl Chesterfield wishes he could speak up—whether that means being honest with his father about the family’s new (and failing) food truck, reaching out to a potential friend, or alerting others to the fact that monsters might be secretly overrunning his hometown of Pittsburgh. There’s plenty to fret over. And plenty to question.

When a flyer about a mysterious monster-seeking group called the Midnight Brigade catches his eye, Carl sees an opportunity to find answers. Little does he know, his curiosity will lead him to find an incredible discovery under one of his city’s magnificent bridges and to be bolder than he ever imagined. Chock-full of humor and heart, this is the quirky tale of three unexpected friends and the crankiest troll with a heart of gold.

Fiction, Kid-Lit: Middle Grade, Kid-Lit: Picture Books & Early Readers

The Arts of Making Movies and Writing Middle Grade

Adam will discuss his careers as a film producer and an author, as well as the challenges of bringing stories to life through both mediums. There are as many similarities as differences between writing for middle grade and producing all-audience films. Many lessons he’s learned in one profession are applicable to the other, particularly structure, conciseness, character arcs, and theme. Adam will share how he grew as a storyteller from childhood to now—from creating puppet shows and short stories, to developing movies, and ultimately to writing middle grade. The talk will explore how each phase provided a stronger footing for the step ahead and how you’re never too young (or too old) to get started. During the fun, interactive, and informative talk, Adam will open up for questions.

Specific Book Talks (In-Person or Virtual)

Adam can present talks on specific novels: THE MIDNIGHT BRIGADE, OUTSIDE NOWHERE, or THIS AGAIN. Each presentation runs about 20 minutes, and will include the origin of the idea and a basic talk about the story. In addition, he’ll do a deeper dive on the book’s themes and relate them to his life as a kid and how they might apply to young readers. Adam will also answer questions, like how he finds and develops ideas, approaches his writing process—from outline to final draft—and what he’s working on next.

Book Club Discussions (In-Person or Virtual)

Invite Adam Borba to your book club! Tell him how much you like his shirt (his wife picked it out!) and maybe give him some food. Roll up your sleeves and talk about story development, themes, and characters. Learn how a particular novel came together. Hear about the behind-the-scenes challenges of being an author and tackling that particular book. Ask about gossip from Adam’s experiences as a movie producer (yep, Bryce Dallas Howard really is as nice as she seems!).

Writing Workshop for Groups of Adult or Young Writers

Adam will give a short introduction about his background as a writer and film producer, then a brief talk on a topic of the host’s choosing, such as theme, structure, character, dealing with writer’s block, etc. Participants will then be invited to share some of their own writing, and Adam and the rest of the group will provide constructive notes in a roundtable format.

“We loved Adam’s easy-going nature, ability to interact with kids in a fun and engaging way, as well as the fact that Adam was extremely well preprepared for the festival and all of his presentations both at the school and at the festival site. Finally, we appreciated Adam’s willingness to be flexible and accommodating to whatever we needed. Overall, it was a pleasure to work with Adam and we would love to have him back if the circumstances ever permit!” — City of Henderson, 2024

“The roots of [a] mystery lead to experiences, mundane and decidedly otherwise, that leaf out into a magical summer for Parker and profound changes in course and spirit besides… A memorable season of mystery, mischief, and marvels.” — Kirkus, starred Review, Outside Nowhere

“Blended with a quirky, fable-like third-person narrative, the farm’s magical and mysterious elements build to an intriguing novel with a strong emotional core.” — Publishers Weekly, Outside Nowhere

“Tongue-in-cheek frolic.” — Booklist, starred review, The Midnight Brigade

“…dramatic and amusing…[a] cheering read for children ages 8-12. In Mr. Borba’s milieu, children admire and respect their parents, parents admire and respect their children, and trolls give good advice.” — The Wall Street Journal, The Midnight Brigade

“Carl’s parents are realistically flawed, and his mix of feelings around their constant fighting ring true…through Borba’s whimsical, sincere debut.” — Publishers Weekly, The Midnight Brigade

Adam’s Events Link

Honors, Awards & Recognition

Adam Borba was the executive producer for Walt Disney Studio’s PETER PAN & WENDY
and A WRINKLE IN TIME. He co-produced Disney’s reimagining of PETE’S DRAGON.