HI everyone!
Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.
Today, I am thrilled to be hosting a spot
on the FRANKIE & BUG Blog Tour featuring the first Middle Grade release from author Gayle Forman, hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. It's a book that has been a long time coming, and really seems to be something the world could really use just about now. Check out my review and make sure to enter the giveaway before you skate off into the sunset!
Title: FRANKIE & BUG
Author: Gayle Forman
Pub. Date: October 12, 2021
Publisher: Aladdin
Formats: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook
Pages: 288
EXCERPT
Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, Audible, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD, Bookshop.org
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.
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Praise
for FRANKIE & BUG...
"I knew I would like Frankie and Bug from the moment I started reading it.
What I didn’t know is how much I would end up loving it (a realization that hit
me about halfway through the book, when it took a turn I didn't see coming).
This joyful, occasionally heartbreaking, deeply moving thrill ride through the
80s has it all: a mystery to solve, boy bands, and the tender surprise of new
friendships. I didn’t want it to end.” (R. J. Palacio,
bestselling author of WONDER )
"This wonderful, bighearted book has everything a bored eleven-year-old
could ask for: from ice cream and roller-skating to tabloid murders and family
secrets. After you spend the summer with Frankie and Bug and their colorful
costars, you'll want to go back to Venice Beach every year. Gayle Forman,
please make me another!" (Raphael Simon, a/k/a NYT
Bestelling author Pseudonymous Bosch )
"A beautiful and tender story about the discovery of a powerful
friendship, starring two fantastic kids and one extraordinary family."
(Newbery Award-winning author Rebecca Stead)
* "Through Bug’s innocent perspective, Forman illuminates the pains and
injustices suffered by so many, and readers will avidly watch this young girl
stand up to skinheads and relatives, discovering that “family” are those who
have your back, loving you without conditions, and allowing you to be who you are.
The characterizations, setting, and messaging are genuine and heart-tugging,
making this a must-read." (BOOKLIST, starred
review)
"During a summer of change and big realizations, Bug learns vital and
sometimes painful lessons about the power of embracing her true self and
meeting people where they are. Forman (We Are Inevitable) tenderly
depicts a girl whose understanding—of identity, sexuality, and prejudice—is
rapidly expanding, and whose chosen family provides a safe, loving space in
which to navigate her experiences and learn to show up as an ally." (Publishers Weekly)
"Readers interested in complex emotional development and relationships
will appreciate each character's subtle nuances. Superb
storytelling." (Kirkus Reviews)
This was such a touching and heartfelt book that not only explores what it means to be a true family, but digs a little deeper into the tougher topics that can be hard for adults, let alone kiddos, to breach. I loved how the author didn't hold any punches, but was gentle for the sake of being so. I love how when the big reveals happen, Bug was just so open, so clear minded, so filled with love that the choice of hatred or fear really didn't have a hope of survival. I love that different cultures were explored, different lifestyles were revealed, and prejudices exposed, all while reminding us how so many of those feelings and at the very least what we do with them is entirely up to us. We can let our fear, or distaste rule our thoughts, or we can ask questions, seek understanding, and realize that everyone should feel safe BEING WHO THEY ARE. No one deserves to be treated as less than because of their skin color, heritage, lifestyle, or any other arbitrary reason. Bug's mom said it best...
"Life isn't fair...the most you can hope for is that it's just..."
Will YOU be that voice for justice? Will YOU take a stand for those that can't? Will YOU stand tall when someone you know and love is at risk? All hard choices, but all things that can lead to the change in the world we need to see.
Frankie & Bug is an amazing story perfect for Middle Grade readers and beyond. You'll fall in love with the characters, want to be a part of their unorthodox family, and you know what? I believe if we showed up in Venice out of the blue, any of this fabulous crew would be waiting with open arms. Though Bug stole my heart for all she was worth, Frankie was definitely a soul to know as well. He had a tough time of things, and yet not an unrealistic outlook on life. He knew times were hard, but he also came to know that he wasn't alone and better times were ahead. When the summer ended, they knew they may have to part ways, but how it all came to pass both broke and rebuilt my heart. I had tears streaming down my face, and yet I was able to feel content knowing that these friends had something that would last thanks to a small glimpse ahead in time.
Read it for yourself. Read it for those in your tribe. Read it for the wonderful story it is and the messages it contains. Read it to get outside your head and into the hearts of others, and then spread that understanding, that openness, that acceptance to all within your reach. Read it because you hope for a better tomorrow and are willing to reach for it today.
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About Gayle Forman:
Gayle Forman
is an award-winning author and journalist whose articles have appeared in
numerous publications, including Seventeen, Cosmopolitan,
and Elle in the US. Gayle Forman’s novel, If I Stay,
was released as a blockbuster movie starring Chloë Grace Moretz in 2014. Her
most recent YA novel is We Are Inevitable. Gayle lives in Brooklyn,
New York with her family.
Website | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub
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YOUR CHANCE TO WIN...
1 of 3 finished copies of FRANKIE & BUG!
(US Only)
Tour Schedule:
Week One:
Week Two:
Week Three:
Week Four:
Week Five:
Week Six:
Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!
I'm so excited to read this book by this talented author. I adore the cover!
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