(2) YA Emily Chen-Sanchez, a Taiwanese and Panamanian American sixteen-year-old living in South Carolina, feels out of place with her wild hair, artistic passion, and too-tall body in a "tri-country" family that praises her quiet, "perfect" sister. Emily takes an unconventional summer job as an aide to an elderly woman, Mrs. Granucci, whose own wild hair and wacky life appeal to Emily. At last, the teen finds solace from home stress (Mom has been diagnosed with thyroid cancer) and from awkwardness with her friends. Her duties for Mrs. Granucci—some practical (turning off appliances) and some more unusual (wearing a particular pair of blue leather shoes)—become a familiar routine, along with the chief assignment of helping her employer preserve her memories. But soon, she starts to see concerning behaviors—harmful microaggressions, a car accident—that make her question her promise to Mrs. Granucci's grandnephew to stay silent. Con Morse's immersive novel is steeped in the quotidian moments of life: drinking sour lemonade at Mrs. Granucci's, the way drawing with chalk pastels can bring Emily joy. These moments add up to a summer of transformation in which the protagonist finds her voice and self-acceptance.

Reviewer: J. Elizabeth Mills | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2025