A review by bibliobrandie
Frankie & Bug by Gayle Forman

5.0

I loved this book so much! Bug is such a fabulous character who I think many students will identify with. She is sad that her brother, Danny, is growing up and no longer wants to hang out with her. Then Frankie shows up and changes her life. Set in 1987, Forman gets everything right in the details (song references, mentioning Bugs fear of Russia, Aunt Terry's fear of AIDS) and I loved living in that time again through Bug. The side characters are fully developed and the adults in this novel are not throw away characters. This is a story about identity and belonging and found families. I just can't say enough about this book. I haven't read other books by Forman but I hope she'll continue to write for middle grade.

Added bonus: Stockard Channing narrates the audiobook and she does a phenomenal job.