“The Summer of Bitter and Sweet”, Jen Ferguson writes about the hurt of a life stuck in past tense, the hum of connections that cannot be severed, and one week in a small, snowy town that changes everything. Overachievement isn't a bad word-for Berlin, it's the goal. She's securing excellent grades, planning her future, and working a part-time job at Pink Mountain Pizza, a legendary local business. Who says she needs a best friend by her side? Dropping out of high school wasn't smart-but it was necessary for Cameron. Since his cousin Kiki's disappearance, it's hard enough to find the funny side of life, especially when the whole town has forgotten Kiki. To them, she's just another missing Native girl. People at school label Jessie a tease, a rich girl-and honestly, she's both. But Jessie knows she contains multitudes. Maybe her new job crafting pizzas will give her the high-energy outlet she desperately wants. When the weekend at Pink Mountain Pizza takes several unexpected turns, all three teens will have to acknowledge the various ways they've been hurt-and how much they need each other to hold it all together.
Four talented narrators voice a compelling story of teenagers who find community over a tumultuous week in their Canadian town. Jessie is excited to start a new job at Pink Mountain Pizza; narrator Aaliya Warbus's husky voice captures her seemingly flippant but truly thoughtful nature. Shaun Taylor-Corbett voices her co-worker Cam's dialogue with lighthearted humor but also reveals his pain over t
