Summer of Brave

Kirkus Best Middle-Grade Family Stories of 2021
School Library Journal Best Middle Grade Books 2021
The Best Children's Books of the Year 2022, Bank Street College

STARRED REVIEW! "With compassion, wry humor, and pinpoint accuracy, Parks weaves the multiple challenges facing adolescent girls into a compelling, seamless narrative. Timely, insightful, and highly recommended."—Kirkus Reviews starred review

STARRED REVIEW! "A first purchase for middle grade collections as well as book clubs for this age range."—School Library Journal starred review

A heartfelt coming-of-age story set in the time of academic pressure, divorce, and the #MeToo movement.

Twelve-year-old Lilla Baxter-Willoughby doesn't lie. She's just a little bit…selective. So when Vivi dares Lilla to start telling the truth as part of their Summer of Brave, Lilla hesitates. Because if she says out loud what she really wants, her whole life might crash down around her. And she doesn't need that. Except maybe she does.