Frankie & Bug - by Gayle Forman

Book Synopsis

"Joyful, occasionally heartbreaking, deeply moving." --R. J. Palacio, bestselling author of Wonder

In the debut middle grade novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Gayle Forman comes a poignant and powerful coming-of-age story that follows a young girl and her new friend as they learn about family, friendship, allyship, and finding your way in a complicated world.

It's the summer of 1987, and all ten-year-old Bug wants to do is go to the beach with her older brother and hang out with the locals on the boardwalk. But Danny wants to be with his own friends, and Bug's mom is too busy, so Bug is stuck with their neighbor Philip's nephew, Frankie.

Bug's not too excited about hanging out with a kid she's never met, but they soon find some common ground. And as the summer unfolds, they find themselves learning some important lessons about each other, and the world.

Like what it means to be your true self and how to be a good ally for others. That family can be the people you're related to, but also the people you choose to have around you. And that even though life isn't always fair, we can all do our part to make it more just.

Review Quotes

* "Realistic and heartbreaking. . . . Forman has crafted a beautiful and important coming-of-age tale with just a bit of mystery thrown in. A ­must-have for middle grade ­libraries."-- "School Library Journal, starred review"

"Gayle Forman . . . takes her first swing at writing for a middle grade audience. And she knocks it out of the park."--Jennifer Holm "New York Times Book Review"

"Readers interested in complex emotional development and relationships will appreciate each character's subtle nuances. Superb storytelling."-- "Kirkus Reviews"

About the Author

Award-winning author and journalist Gayle Forman has written several bestselling novels, including those in the Just One Day series, Where She Went, and the #1 New York Times bestseller If I Stay, which has been translated into more than forty languages and was adapted into a major motion picture. Her first middle grade novel, Frankie & Bug, was a New York Times Best Children's Book of 2021. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her family.