“So they’re prejudiced?” Bug asked.
“Everyone is prejudiced, Bug,” Mama said. “It’s what you do with the prejudice that matters.”
“What do you mean?”
Mama shrugged. “You can either give in to the prejudice and treat people badly just because they’re different from you. Or you can shine a light on it, to understand how arbitrary it all is and judge people for who they are, not what they are.”
What an unusual read this turned out to be. I don’t think I’ve ever read a middle grade about two children investigating a serial killer but somehow, Gayle Forman made it work. In Frankie & Bug, we follow ten-year-old Bug who finds herself facing a boring summer alone. Since her brother wants ‘space’ from her, she’s resigned to having the worst summer ever instead of spending it at the beach like the years before. When her neighbour Philip’s nephew Frankie comes to stay with him, Bug’s not too excited about having another kid around. Frankie is quiet and withdrawn and doesn’t want to go to the beach or have sleepovers or do any of the things Bug likes. As the summer unfolds however, the two of them bond through shared interests and their love for Philip and find truths about themselves and the world at large they’ve never considered.
Frankie and Bug as a team were something else, that’s for sure. While they investigate the Midnight Marauder, they learn much more about themselves than the serial killer. As Frankie slowly opens up to Bug, they both realise what it means to be a true friend and to help each other even when it’s not exactly how they envisioned their summer.
The secondary cast of characters also shined. From Philip, the single upstairs neighbour that is always there for Bug and treats her like his own, to Bug’s brother Daniel who changes everything about himself after a fateful interaction with some less-than-stellar people, everyone moved in this sort of constellation of one step forward, three steps back that made for a relatable reading experience.
On top of that, Forman really transports you back to 1987. From the absence of smartphones to the presence of jukeboxes and lemonade stands, this story is super immersive. Though the LGBTQ+ aspect is hidden for quite some time from the reader—and for good reason—I fond myself entranced in the nostalgia of the writing and the feeling of going back in time and living through this very unsafe world because of racism and homophobia. Evidently, that is still an issue today but it was jarring to read about the late eighties where being attacked in the streets was something you expected if you were open about your sexuality. When Bug’s aunt comes to stay for a few days, you really see the vast difference in acceptance and prejudice that I’m sure younger readers will pick up on as well and hopefully realize that discrimination is never the right choice. One thing’s for sure, this book will definitely stay with you once you’ve finished reading.
Forman’s middle-grade debut Frankie and Bug is melancholic and bittersweet with an uplifting conclusion that shows readers, young and old, that while ignorance may breed ignorance, the same can also be said for acceptance and love. Illustrating how far we have come in terms of equality, this look back will certainly take readers by surprise.
Frankie & Bug is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as October 12th 2021.
Will you be picking up Frankie & Bug? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
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.
