A Constellation of Minor Bears

Everything for white and Métis 17-year-old Molly Norris-Norquay changes when her older half brother Hank, who is white, falls in a climbing accident that puts him in a coma. When he awakens after three weeks, Molly learns that he’s sustained a traumatic brain injury that will affect every part of his life, including his personality and their future plans. It also delays his graduation. Hank chooses not to attend the celebratory trip hiking the Pacific Crest Trail that he, Molly, and their mutual best friend, Métis 18-year-old Traylor, put together. Traveling without Hank, tensions rise between Tray and Molly, who blames Tray for the accident, as he was the one who unknowingly gave Hank faulty equipment. The hike was meant to kick off the trio’s long-awaited future, but between navigating new friendships, surprise visitors, and emotional revelations, it’s clear that this trip will catalyze even more drastic changes for Molly and Tray. With a rhythm and tone that reads like poetry, Ferguson (Those Pink Mountain Nights) delivers an emotionally resonant tale in which profound interpersonal conflict unfolds against the lushly described natural backdrop of an adrenaline-inducing outdoor environment. Ages 13–up. (Sept.)