Frankie & Bug

Written by Gayle Forman

Narrated by Stockard Channing

A 2022 Audie Award Finalist

“Joyful, occasionally heartbreaking, deeply moving.” —R. J. Palacio, bestselling author of Wonder

In the debut middle grade novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Gayle Forman comes a poignant and powerful coming-of-age story that follows a young girl and her new friend as they learn about family, friendship, allyship, and finding your way in a complicated world.

It’s the summer of 1987, and all ten-year-old Bug wants to do is go to the beach with her older brother and hang out with the locals on the boardwalk. But Danny wants to be with his own friends, and Bug’s mom is too busy, so Bug is stuck with their neighbor Philip’s nephew, Frankie.

Bug’s not too excited about hanging out with a kid she’s never met, but they soon find some common ground. And as the summer unfolds, they find themselves learning some important lessons about each other, and the world.

Like what it means to be your true self and how to be a good ally for others. That family can be the people you’re related to, but also the people you choose to have around you. And that even though life isn’t always fair, we can all do our part to make it more just.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
• Release date: Oct 12, 2021
• ISBN: 9781797129563

Gayle Forman

Award-winning author and journalist Gayle Forman has written several bestselling novels for children and adults, including Not Nothing, the Just One series, and the number one New York Times bestseller If I Stay, which has been translated into more than forty languages and in 2014 was adapted into a major motion picture. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her family.

Reviews for Frankie & Bug

[Ray · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

"Frankie & Bug" discusses a lot of profound social themes, which arise organically as part of the story. I thought all of it was very well done.

This book doesn't just present the moral of "prejudice is bad." The main character goes on a journey of learning about how people and relationships are more complicated than they seem. Through this, she learns about the world's injustices as they impact her and those around her.

I'm an adult (supposedly) and I loved this book. I wish there had been something like it when I was growing up!