The Melancholy of Summer

After her parents go on the run following charges of fraud, a Nigerian Canadian 17-year-old finds herself suddenly without adult support in this tenderhearted novel of family and trust by Onomé (Twice as Perfect). Thanks to her friends, Summer Uzoma always has a couch to crash on, but internalized shame surrounding her parents’ crime follows her wherever she goes. Unbeknownst to her friends, Summer has been visiting her old house, searching for clues about her parents’ whereabouts. She’s certain all her problems will be solved when she comes of age in a few weeks, but after a social worker intervenes, Summer is placed in the care of her 20-year-old cousin Olu, a famous musician from Japan who is currently living in Port Credit and hiding struggles of her own. Now Summer must face the reality of her parents’ actions and learn how to move forward with her life. Summer’s visceral wrestling with guilt and shame, her trauma-informed abandonment issues, and her wariness to open up to others coalesces into a pacey, well-crafted character study that explores one teenager’s pursuit of safety and home amid life-changing circumstances. Ages 14–up. Agent: Claire Friedman, InkWell Management. (May)