The Best Worst Summer of Esme Sun

Chinese American 12-year-old Esme Sun yearns to make her strict single mother as proud of her as she is of her talented older sisters. For now, the start of summer marks the beginning of swim team season, when being outside and hanging out by the pool is more important than parental approval. Esme relishes the freedom and easy camaraderie she cultivates with her teammates at her beloved neighborhood pool, but upon discovering that her recent growth spurt has given her a competitive edge, she wonders if swimming might be something she could excel at. As Esme starts to focus on winning, she grapples with what it means to be both a supportive friend and a strong competitor—when her mom starts attending meets, Esme realizes that her mother’s support carries an unsportsmanlike undertone as she encourages Esme to view other swimmers as enemies despite being on the same team. Shang (The Secret Battle of Evan Pao) weaves a compelling tapestry of perennial tween anxieties, threading myriad subjects such as feeling pressured to act more mature, fear of saying the wrong thing, and the stress of familial expectations into a briskly paced tale of sports and community. Ages 8–12. Agent: Tracey Adams, Adams Literary. (June)