Come on Barbie, Let’s Go Party! Alex Aster Announces New Barbie YA Novel 

New York Times bestselling author Alex Aster is stepping into her pink high-heels and joining forces with Mattel Inc. for Barbie: Dreamscape, the first-ever original young adult Barbie novel, set to hit shelves this summer.

Aster is famously known for her young adult romantasy series Lightlark, as well as her adult enemies-to-lovers summer romance, Summer in the City. The news of her upcoming project was publicly announced on Jan. 15 and she couldn’t be more excited to reconnect with her childhood love of Barbie.

“Playing with Barbie dolls was one of my first forms of storytelling and creative outlets as a kid,” says Aster in a statement shared with PEOPLE. “I spent countless hours making up stories starring each of my dolls, and I still remember the excitement of opening a new box, adding another character to my tales, marveling at each accessory.”

Mattel Press shares that Barbie: Dreamscape is a coming-of-age story that follows Barbie, a resident of the made-up world of Heartland. Declared “fateless” at her enchanted school’s graduation, Barbie — who’s had her future perfectly mapped out for as long as she can remember — sets out on a mission to discover her destiny.

Throughout the novel, Barbie journeys to various magical lands to meet with the mysterious beings that control her fate, but her mission gets derailed when she’s met with some ugly, unavoidable truths. Exploring the themes of self-discovery, desire and fate, Barbie: Dreamscape is an organic next step in Aster’s writing career.

“Alex Aster and Barbie are a natural pairing, and her personal affinity and genuine love for the brand shines through in a story that resonates with today’s young adult readers,” says Ryan Ferguson, global head of publishing at Mattel.

To tease the announcement, Aster posted a picture on her Instagram story of a pink Post-It Note. The next morning, on Jan. 15, she made it official, sharing a picture of her as a little girl riding a mini Barbie bicycle. She wrote over the photo, “I’m writing the first-ever Barbie YA novel!!!,” and linked to the book’s preorder page.

Since Barbie’s creation in 1959, over 175 inclusive books have been published by Mattel in her world, but none in the young adult category. Expanding to older audiences and exploring new themes, Mattel publishing is eager to collaborate with Aster to continue growing their book community and bring new authors into the magical world of Barbie.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.  

“I’m honored to write the first YA Barbie book,” says Aster. “And can’t wait for readers to go on this journey of self-discovery with Barbie!”

Barbie: Dreamscape will hit shelves on July 28 and is available for preorder now, wherever books are sold.