The Summer of Bitter and Sweet is a novel written by Canadian author Jen Ferguson, and published in 2022 by Heartdrum. It won the 2022 Governor General's Literary Award 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.
.png) | |
| Author | Jen Ferguson |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Young adult fiction |
| Set in | Canadian Prairies |
| Published | May 10, 2022 |
| Publisher | Heartdrum |
| Publication place | Canada |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 384 |
| Award | Governor General’s Literary Award |
| ISBN | 9780063086166 |
| Website | jenfergusonwrites |
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.[1][2] The book was selected by a three-person peer assessment committee, and the award was granted by the Canada Council for the Arts, which is normally presented by the Governor General of Canada at a ceremony held at Rideau Hall.[3]
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,[4] BookPage,[5] Kirkus Reviews,[6] and School Library Journal.[7]
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."[4] 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."[4]
Kirkus Reviews called the novel "heart-rending and healing; a winning blend that will leave readers satisfied."[6] Tamara Saarinen writes in the School Library Journal, "The honesty and complexity of this book make it a gripping read."[7] 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."[5]
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."[8]