Michelle Infante McNiff

Novelist · Journalist · Food Blogger

Michelle
Infante
McNiff

Stories for the underdog in all of us.

Stories rooted in resilience, adventure, romance, and the courage to find home.

Michelle Infante McNiff speaking at a Pedro Pan book event
Striker King·Pedro Pan·The Piano Lady·New: The Crooked Forest · May 2027

Works

Featured Works

Adventures for brave readers.

Pedro Pan: One Boy's Journey to America

Middle Grade · Historical Fiction

Pedro Pan: One Boy's Journey to America

Operation Pedro Pan·Ages 8–12

Havana, 1961. Twelve-year-old Pedro Infante boards a plane with his pet lizard Pepe and one suitcase. An immigration story based on the author's mother's real journey to America — dedicated to all the Pedro Pans, some 14,000 children who left their homes and families in search of freedom. From the heat of Cuba to an Iowa farm in winter, he must learn a new language and adapt to a new culture.

Striker King

Graphic Novel · Ancient Rome Adventure

Striker King

Series Starter·Coming May 2027

Lupo, a young wolf, chases his dream to play soccer for the mighty Golden Gladiators. Forced to leave his village under a dark curse cast by a malevolent count, Lupo must find the Great Oracle of Rome — or never return home. Set in Ancient Rome, an ode to the Hero's Journey. Illustrated by New York Times best-selling comic artist Kurt Huggins.

The Piano Lady

Adult Romance · Music & Memory

The Piano Lady

Romance Novel·For adult readers

A stunning French woman cloaked in mystery dazzles her audience at Hotel Paris Rivoli every Saturday night. Playing on an antique Steinway grand, her memories come alive — unraveling a time capsule of her life during the four-year Nazi occupation in France. A fateful encounter reveals her identity as Clarissa, a name she has not been called for many years.

New: The Crooked Forest

Middle Grade · Mystery & Adventure

New: The Crooked Forest

New · May 2027·Coming May 2027

Poland, 1942. A 12-year-old war orphan flees Nazis with her mother's last words: Run into the forest and find the old hunting lodge. Lost in the crooked forest, she learns to disappear, meets a mysterious old woman, joins partisan fighters, and finds a Polish boy her age. When Nazi soldiers take over the lodge for a hunting game, she and the boy must hide again. Then a wounded American soldier arrives — will she ever see her family again?

Striker King Coloring Book

Activity Book · Ages 4–8

Striker King Coloring Book

Activity Book·All ages

Bring the Golden Gladiators to life! Featuring Lupo the wolf pup and all your favorite characters from Striker King — perfect for young artists and fans of the series.

View All Books

The Author

Novelist, journalist, food blogger, mother — telling stories where food, family, and courage sit at the table.

I'm Michelle Infante McNiff — novelist, journalist, and food blogger. I write for the kid who feels out of place and finds strength in the most unlikely places. My work lives at the intersection of adventure, family, and resilience.

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Events

Meet me in the wild.

Pedro Pan display at Barnes & Noble Plantation

Barnes & Noble — Broward Mall

Pedro Pan read-alouds and book signing — stories of courage, Cuba, and finding home.

Local Author Day at Barnes & Noble Plantation — Pedro Pan on display

Local Author Day — Plantation

Sold out at the event — every single book found a home. Thank you to everyone who came out and made it such a special day.

Striker King poster display at Barnes & Noble

Striker King — Barnes & Noble

GOOOOAL! Read-alouds, soccer drills, wolf howls, and Golden Gladiator training for young readers. Check calendar for next Saturday storytime.

Classroom Kit — Guides + maps + recipesBook Clubs — Q&A via Zoom

Get early pages + recipes.

Join readers who get first chapters of The Crooked Forest, kitchen stories from Havana to Rome, and classroom extras. No spam — just stories.

No spam — just stories.