August or Forever

August or Forever explores the complexity of sibling relationships. Ten-year-old Molly is a believable narrator whose longing to be closer to her older half-sister, Alison, rings true. As she learns to share her parents--and her bedroom--during an extended summer visit with Alison, Molly's voice remains charming despite her flaws. Filled with a cast of well-drawn characters and settings, Gritz's novel is an insightful read. --Laura Shovan, author of Takedown and, with Saadia Faruqi, A Place at the Table August and Forever tenderly conveys the dynamics of a different kind of sibling relationship, one between half siblings raised thousands of miles apart. We cheer for its endearing ten-year-old protagonist, Molly, as she navigates through uncertainties and misunderstandings to discover that family love has a patient, enduring force. --Pamela Erens, author of Matasha August Or Forever is a tender, graceful novel about sisterhood, friendship, and love. Ten-year-old Molly is a narrator in whom young readers will surely see themselves, with her longings, foibles, and authentic voice. Sweet rather than sentimental, spare but fully drawn, this book is sure to be treasured and read again. --Caren Lissner, author of Carrie Pilby Author Ona Gritz writes evocatively about sisters, families, belonging and loss in this touching middle-grade novel. Readers will enjoy following ten-year-old Molly as she witnesses the power of art and navigates the challenges of shifting families and friendships during an August she'll remember forever. A story that begs to be discussed and celebrated. --Kimberly Kenna, author of Artemis Sparke and the Sound Seekers Brigade In August or Forever, Ona Gritz has penned a beautiful novel about sisters. Ten-year-old Molly longs to spend time with her older half-sister, Alison, who has grown up in England and is finally coming to spend August with Molly's family. Sensitive, artistic Molly longs to make up for lost time with her sister and forge stronger bonds. She even schemes to find her twenty-year-old sister a job so she will stay beyond her visit and they can be a family together. However, Molly's expectations are soon met with disappointment and misunderstanding when Alison arrives with her own plans. This spare, elegant story will resonate deeply with middle grade readers in its excavation of Molly's hopes, disappointments, and inevitable growth as she reimagines her relationships in new ways. Exploring themes of friendship, family, and art, Gritz deftly captures the voice of her protagonist as this tender story unfolds, defying our notions about what it means to be a family. --Carol Dines, author of This Distance We Call Love and The Queen's Soprano What a beautiful novel about sisterhood, about art, about hearts broken and hearts mended. August or Forever will forever chime inside my own heart. --Gayle Brandeis, author of My Life with the Lincolns