By Susin Nielsen

Penguin Teen Canada

May 25, 2021

Fiction

Hardcover

ThemesEmotions and Social AwarenessFamily and FriendshipHumourLove and Romance

Age / Grade 12-14 / Grades 7-8 14-18 / Grades 9+

Content Body Shaming Bullying Death & Grieving Sex Positivity

A funny and heartfelt story about learning how to rise above your most embarrassing moment while staying true to yourself–with the help of old friends, new friends, and some cheesy poetry.

At the start of ninth grade, Wilbur Nuñez-Knopf is hoping for a fresh start. But he just can’t live down a deeply humiliating moment from two years ago that’s followed him to high school. His good friend Alex has stuck by him, but Alex has started dating Fabrizio and he doesn’t have much time to hang out. Luckily, Wil can still confide in his elderly neighbor, Sal. But he longs to have a special someone of his own.

When the school band does an exchange with students from Paris, a girl named Charlie captures Wilbur’s heart. But his feelings aren’t reciprocated. So Alex, Fabrizio, and Sal join forces to build Wil’s confidence in the hope that he can impress Charlie when they go to Paris. Maybe, just maybe, Wilbur will find a new defining moment in the City of Love.

Watch On Demand – Susin shares the story of how she became a writer and gives us a preview of her latest novel, Tremendous Things from our 2021 virtual festival.