Book overview
In her remarkable second novel following her Governor General's Award-winning debut, The Summer of Bitter and Sweet, Jen Ferguson writes about the hurt of a life stuck in past tense, the hum of connections that cannot be severed, and one week in a small, snowy town that changes everything.
Overachievement isn't a bad word--for Berlin, it's the goal. She's securing excellent grades, planning her future, and working a part-time job at Pink Mountain Pizza, a legendary local business. Who says she needs a best friend by her side?
Dropping out of high school wasn't smart--but it was necessary for Cameron. Since his cousin Kiki's disappearance, it's hard enough to find the funny side of life, especially when the whole town has forgotten Kiki. To them, she's just another missing Native girl.
People at school label Jessie a tease, a rich girl--and honestly, she's both. But Jessie knows she contains multitudes. Maybe her new job crafting pizzas will give her the high-energy outlet she desperately wants.
When the weekend at Pink Mountain Pizza takes several unexpected turns, all three teens will have to acknowledge the various ways they've been hurt--and how much they need each other to hold it all together.
Jen Ferguson burst onto the YA scene with her first novel, which was a William C. Morris Award Finalist and a Stonewall Award Honor Book, and this second novel fulfills her promise as one of the most thoughtful and exciting YA writers today.
At Pink Mountain Pizza, three lonely teens find more than just a paycheck.
- Found Family: Over one chaotic weekend at a small-town pizza shop, overachiever Berlin, grieving Cameron, and newcomer Jessie forge a bond strong enough to face their secrets.
- Indigenous Voices: A vital and unflinching look at the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People, as Cameron grapples with a town that has forgotten his cousin, Kiki.
- Mental Health Representation: An honest portrayal of a teen perfectionist silently struggling with depression and the slow, difficult path toward asking for help.
- Multiple Perspectives: Told from the alternating points of view of three authentic, flawed, and unforgettable teens, each fighting their own battles while learning to lean on each other.
