WHERE THE GIRLS WERE by Kate Schatz - Spotlight

 

They were sent away to be forgotten. This is their story.

In this electrifying historical novel about coming of age in tumultuous 1960s San Francisco, a pregnant teenager reckons with womanhood and agency after being sent to a home for unwed mothers.

It’s 1968, and the future is bright for seventeen-year-old Elizabeth “Baker” Phillips: She’s the valedictorian of her high school, with a place at Stanford in the fall and big dreams of becoming a journalist. But the seductive, free-spirited San Francisco atmosphere seeps into her carefully planned, strait-laced life in the form of a hippie named Wiley. At first, letting loose and falling in love for the first time feels incredible. But then, everything changes.

Pregnancy hits Baker with the force of whiplash—in the blink of an eye, she goes from good girl to fallen woman, from her family’s shining star to their embarrassing secret. Without any other options, Baker is sent to a home for unwed mothers and finds herself trapped in an old Victorian house packed with pregnant girls who share her shame and fear. As she grapples with her changing body, lack of choice, and uncertain future, Baker finds unexpected community and empowerment among the “girls who went away.”

Where the Girls Were is a timely unearthing of a little-known moment in American history, when the sexual revolution and feminist movement collided with the limits of reproductive rights—and society's expectations of women. As Baker finds her strength and her voice, she shows us how to step into our power, even when the world is determined to keep us silent.

KATE SCHATZ is a New York Times bestselling author, public speaker, writing teacher, and queer feminist parent who's been talking, writing, and teaching about race, gender, social justice, and equity for many years. Her books include the novel Where the Girls Were (Dial Press, 2026); Do the Work: An Anti-Racist Activity Book, with W. Kamau Bell, the comedian and Emmy-winning host of CNN’s United Shades of America; the "Rad Women" book series (including Rad American Women A-Z, Rad Women Worldwide, and Rad American History A-Z), which have sold over 300,000 copies and been translated into four languages; and Rid of Me: A Story, published in 2007 as part of the cult-favorite 33 ⅓ series.

Kate appears frequently on national media outlets and popular podcasts, including “Conan,” msnow NPR, WNYC, WBUR, and Minnesota Public Radio. She's spoken to audiences at companies like Pixar, Genentech, PayPal, and Baker Mackenzie. She has been in conversation with high-profile figures, including Margaret Atwood, Kate Hudson, gold medalist Ibtahaj Muhammad, and Black Voters Matter co-founder LaTosha Brown. Born and raised in San Jose, California, she lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her wife, their three kids, and their many pets.