Publishers Weekly
03/25/2024
Twelve-year-old spitfire Winnifred Maude Nash feels that she’s under a lot of pressure. She must save up her smiles for her depressed mother, who is currently undergoing a high-risk pregnancy after several miscarriages. Winnie is simultaneously compelled to keep her feelings bottled up inside and not share them with the world, and to hide her attraction to girls from her grandmother, with whom she’s staying for the summer at the Jersey Shore. What Winnie really wants is to attend N.Y.C. Pride and be among people she believes will understand her. Despite her best efforts to stay aloof, she befriends gregarious, pretty Pippa Lai and “chubby,” easygoing Lucia Delgado. Now, Winnie must balance her desire for companionship and inclusion with the secrets churning within her. In this summery, heartfelt tale of change and transformation, Melleby (Camp QUILTBAG) tackles themes of family dynamics, queer identity, and quiet trauma. It’s also a nuanced depiction of emotions writ large—Winnie is anything but subtle in her approach to big feelings, an element of her personality that shines brightly and informs how she experiences the world, cementing herself as an indomitable tween protagonist. Winnie reads as white; supporting characters are intersectionally diverse. Ages 9–12. Agent: Jim McCarthy, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret. (Apr.)
From the Publisher
* "Melleby’s latest expertly captures the tumultuousness of tween emotions through its dialogue and third-person narration. While many in Winnie’s generation are so confident in their queerness, the story importantly touches on how it’s not always safe to be out. Multiple queer characters—peers, adults, and elders alike—contribute to an exceptional sense of community that shows the many ways support can manifest…. A powerful, emotional look at queerness, pride, and what it truly means to feel held."
—Kirkus Reviews
"Melleby's latest is a tearjerker with heart—a triumphant exploration of lesbianism, extended family, and miscarriage from the eyes of a young, would-be sibling. Hand to middle-grade fans of Kate DiCamillo or Ashley Herring Blake."—Booklist
"It’s not a perfect summer at the beach, but Winnie’s feelings are perfectly real, and the resolution is satisfying and hopeful."—School Library Journal
Praise for Nicole Melleby: “Moments of madcap humor and familial warmth characterize this emotionally generous summer tale from Melleby, which showcases the author’s command of fully realized characterization and distinct relationship dynamics.” —Publishers Weekly (Sam Makes a Splash) “It captures that camp feeling of getting away from home, meeting different people, and growing as a person, all over the course of just two weeks. At its heart, an enjoyable summer camp story.” —Kirkus Reviews (Camp QUILTBAG) * “This emotional read shows the power of friendship and family without omitting the work that goes into loving someone.” —Booklist, starred review (The Science of Being Angry) * “A raw yet honest portrayal of a young person’s experience with depression, this is a must-read for both middle grade readers and the teachers, counselors, parents, and other adults who interact daily with youth undergoing similar experiences.” —School Library Journal, starred review (How to Become a Planet) * “This funny, tender, and heart-wrenching story will have readers calling for an encore.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review (In the Role of Brie Hutchens. . .) * “Melleby deftly tackles weighty topics—mental illness, child protective services, single parenting, sexuality—while effortlessly weaving in elements of the life and works of Vincent van Gogh, creating a thoughtful, age-appropriate and impressive novel.” —Shelf Awareness, starred review (Hurricane Season)
School Library Journal
★ 05/01/2024
Gr 3–7—No one asked Winnie, 12, but she's spending the summer with her grandma while her parents work; her mom is pregnant again after several miscarriages and bouts of depression, and no one is talking about it. Winnie's parents have told her not to tell her grandma that she's gay, which she's known since she was four. Being sent away and forced into the closet makes upsets Winnie, but she acquiesces because she wants her mom to be happy. She makes friends with talkative Pippa Lai and quiet Lucía Delgado. Winnie wants to "feel held" by those closest to her, but her parents and grandma are unpracticed at having honest conversations. Bottling up her fears drives Winnie to seek escape, which finally precipitates some frank family conversations and support. The effect of miscarriages on (potential) siblings is rarely addressed in fiction, and Melleby handles it with great sensitivity. Winnie herself is a tangle, but readers will understand how her actions stem from her feelings of sadness, frustration, fear, and her idea that there is a limited number of smiles to go around. She's placed in an unusual situation and given uncomfortable instructions; though no reference to friends from home is made, readers might infer that Winnie would interact with Pippa and Lucía differently if she were allowed to be herself instead of having to hide. VERDICT It's not a perfect summer at the beach, but Winnie's feelings are perfectly real, and the resolution is satisfying and hopeful. Highly recommended.—Jenny Arch
MAY 2024 - AudioFile
Listeners will find an honest coming-of-age story in this vivid performance by Krysta Gonzales. Twelve-year-old Winnie is staying at her grandmother's in New York City for the summer. She has always known she's a lesbian, but she still hides it from her family, and that makes her plans to attend Pride celebrations a lot harder. Gonzales's performance is focused heavily on Winnie as she struggles to come out and connect with her family. Gonzales captures her somewhat jaded voice as she makes sarcastic, entertaining comments about her boring summer plans--other than Pride. Listening to Gonzales jump between usually annoyed Winnie and her sunny, upbeat neighborhood friends is amusing. Gonzales makes Winnie's moments of clarity and joy satisfying for listeners. G.M. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2024-02-17
A gay tween struggles to go back into the closet while temporarily living with her grandma.
Between her dad’s new job and her mom’s post-miscarriage pregnancy, Winnie’s family has a lot going on. They send Winnie to stay with her grandma for a “summer at the shore” in New Jersey. Winnie’s angry. With a name like Winnifred Maude Nash, the 12-year-old fits right in at her grandma’s book club for seniors. The problem: She can’t quite be her true self, because her parents asked her not to tell her grandma she’s gay. Winnie eventually makes friends her own age—Pippa Lai and Lucía Delgado—who let her be her authentic self. But what she really needs is to feel “held” by going to Pride in New York City. Trouble is, Pride is the same day as Pippa’s annual family party, which Winnie agreed to go to. What’s a girl to do? Melleby’s latest expertly captures the tumultuousness of tween emotions through its dialogue and third-person narration. While many in Winnie’s generation are so confident in their queerness, the story importantly touches on how it’s not always safe to be out. Multiple queer characters—peers, adults, and elders alike—contribute to an exceptional sense of community that shows the many ways support can manifest. Winnie and her family read white; Pippa’s surname cues Chinese ancestry, and Lucía is implied Latine.
A powerful, emotional look at queerness, pride, and what it truly means to feel held. (Fiction. 9-12)
