Running Through Sprinklers

Sara and Nadine have been best friends as well as neighbors in their Vancouver suburb for most of their lives. Sara is sure they will always be close, but her dreams for a perfect new school year are shattered when Nadine reveals she is skipping a grade and heading to high school, something she has kept from Sara. At the same time, Daniel, a boy who plays baseball with Sara’s brother, goes missing. As the community reels, Sara is determined to help find Daniel, a quest she hopes will keep her close to Nadine. But both girls are changing and growing apart; Sara hangs out with Jen, Nadine’s sister, which makes Nadine pull away more. Kim fills this honest coming-of-age story with small yet treasured memories from Sara and Nadine’s friendship, conveying the depth of their connection and the uncertainty that change brings. Both girls are biracial; Nadine is half white, half Japanese, and Sara’s Korean identity is a particularly well-integrated part of the story. Kim’s debut deftly explores the complexities of friendship and growing up, as well as the satisfaction that comes through self-discovery. Ages 10–up. Agent: Sam Hiyate, Rights Factory. (Apr.)