A Constellation of Minor Bears

Award-winning author Jen Ferguson has written a powerful story about teens grappling with balancing resentment with enduring friendship—and how to move forward with a life that’s not what they’d imagined.          

Before that awful Saturday, Molly used to be inseparable from her brother, Hank, and his best friend, Tray. The indoor climbing accident that left Hank with a traumatic brain injury filled Molly with anger.

While she knows the accident wasn’t Tray’s fault, she will never forgive him for being there and failing to stop the damage. But she can’t forgive herself for not being there either.

Determined to go on the trio’s postgraduation hike of the Pacific Crest Trail, even without Hank, Molly packs her bag. But when her parents put Tray in charge of looking out for her, she is stuck backpacking with the person who incites her easy anger.

Despite all her planning, the trail she’ll walk has a few more twists and turns ahead. . . .

Discover the evocative storytelling and emotion from the author of The Summer of Bitter and Sweet, which was the winner of the Governor General's Award, a Stonewall Award honor book, and a Morris Award finalist, as well as Those Pink Mountain Nights, a Kirkus Best Book of the Year!

ISBN: 9780063334229
Format: Hardback
Pages: 352
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: September 24, 2024

With a rhythm and tone that reads like poetry, Ferguson delivers an emotionally resonant tale in which profound interpersonal conflict unfolds against the lushly described natural backdrop of an adrenaline-inducing outdoor environment. — Publishers WeeklyExplores disability and fat activism and fatphobia, with a side of romance. — Kirkus ReviewsNo matter who reads this book, they will find something in each character that will ring true. A must-buy for YA collections.
— School Library JournalConversations around love and intersectional analysis of Indigeneity, fatness, disability, queerness, blended families, and human interactions with nature are sure to pique the interest of readers also exploring the many facets of what makes them whole. — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books A great read for all teenagers, and especially those who've graduated and are wondering what comes next. — Booklist