''The Summer of Bitter and Sweet'' is a novel written by Canadian author Jen Ferguson, and published in 2022 by

Heartdrum Heartdrum is a publishing imprint of the English-language publishing house HarperCollins that specializes in children's books by North American Indigenous authors. Audience Heartdrum was launched in 2019 and is an imprint of the American publi ...

. It won the 2022

Governor General's Literary Award The Governor General's Awards are a collection of annual awards presented by the Governor General of Canada, recognizing distinction in numerous academic, artistic, and social fields. The first award was conceived and inaugurated in 1937 by the ...

for young people's literature — text. It is a coming of age story that explores anger, secrets, and many aspects of what makes up a person.

Synopsis

''The Summer of Bitter and Sweet'' is about Lou, a Métis girl living with family and spending time with friends on the Canadian prairies, who plans on working at her uncle's ice cream shack during the summer. It is a coming of age story about anger, secrets, and all the facets of what makes up a person, as well as a tenderness that can coexist within a painful reality.

Awards

''The Summer of Bitter and Sweet'' won the Governor General's Award for young people's literature – text at the 2022 Governor General's Awards. The book was selected by a three-person peer assessment committee, and the award was granted by the

Canada Council for the Arts The Canada Council for the Arts (french: Conseil des arts du Canada), commonly called the Canada Council, is a Crown corporation established in 1957 as an arts council of the Government of Canada. It acts as the federal government's principal in ...

, which is normally presented by the

Governor General of Canada The governor general of Canada (french: gouverneure générale du Canada) is the federal viceregal representative of the . The is head of state of Canada and the 14 other Commonwealth realms, but resides in oldest and most populous realm, t ...

at a ceremony held at

Rideau Hall Rideau Hall (officially Government House) is the official residence in Ottawa of both the Canadian monarch and their representative, the governor general of Canada. It stands in Canada's capital on a estate at 1 Sussex Drive, with the main b ...

Reception

''The Summer of Bitter and Sweet'' was well received by critics and peers, winning the Governor General's Award and receiving starred reviews from ''

Booklist ''Booklist'' is a publication of the American Library Association that provides critical reviews of books and audiovisual materials for all ages. ''Booklist''s primary audience consists of libraries, educators, and booksellers. The magazine is av ...

'', ''BookPage,'' ''

Kirkus Reviews ''Kirkus Reviews'' (or ''Kirkus Media'') is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus (1893–1980). The magazine is headquartered in New York City. ''Kirkus Reviews'' confers the annual Kirkus Prize to authors of fic ...

'', and ''

School Library Journal ''School Library Journal'' (''SLJ'') is an American monthly magazine containing reviews and other articles for school librarians, media specialists, and public librarians who work with young people. Articles cover a wide variety of topics, with ...

''. ''Booklist'''s Jeanne Fredriksen writes, "Ferguson’s frank and powerful debut opens readers’ eyes to the multiplicity of daily traumas faced by people of color, especially Indigenous women and girls." She further highlghts that the novel's main character "Lou is complex, smart, and honest, and a narrator readers will trust, love, and learn from as she works to repair friendships and gain security for her treasured family." ''Kirkus Reviews'' called the novel "heart-rending and healing; a winning blend that will leave readers satisfied." Tamara Saarinen writes in the ''School Library Journal'', "The honesty and complexity of this book make it a gripping read." At the ''BookPage'', Sarah Welch stated, "Readers will appreciate that Lou’s journey toward strength and self-acceptance is not neat or linear; instead, it’s messy and filled with as many stumbles as steps forward." The Governor General's Literary Award peer assessment committee members Michael Hutchinson, Sharon Jennings, and Wesley King called it, "A timely novel that flows from the author’s Métis and Canadian roots."

External links

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Summer of Bitter and Sweet, The 2022 children's books Canadian children's books 2022 Canadian novels Governor General's Award-winning children's books Children's books set in Canada Books about Indigenous people in Canada Children's books about Indigenous people in Canada