Mr. Christopher Febles Publishes Richie the Caseworker

Later this month, College Guidance Counselor Mr. Christopher Febles will release his first feature novel: Richie the Caseworker. Shaped by his own experiences and career in social work, the book tells the story of a newly graduated, home-grown, Yankees-obsessed Yonkers resident as he dives headfirst into his first adult career as a social worker at a homeless shelter.

After receiving his Master's degree in Social Work from Fordham University, Mr. Febles went on to work in the social services field from the early '90s until he began his Regis career in 2008. Reflecting on how is own education could not have prepared him for the challenges of working with the underserved, he sought to share a similar story through literature, creating a titular character who likewise finds himself overwhelmed by the demanding nature of the job. While the idea for Richie the Caseworker was hatched about 15 years ago, writing began only recently as a passion project during the COVID-19 pandemic. “There’s only so much Mario Kart and Minecraft you can play,” Mr. Febles jokingly shared.

The novel has garnered great praise, described by New York Times bestselling author Joe Drape as “a coming of age story beautifully told." Richard Samuel Sheres, author of An Imperfect Certainty, remarked that “in Richie the Caseworker, Christopher Febles has given us a coming of age protagonist who embodies the true meaning of growth—beginning at any age—into a complete, compassionate, and loving human being."

A Q&A video with insights on the book can be found below. Richie the Caseworker comes out on November 22 and can be pre-ordered on Amazon.