Those Pink Mountain Nights
When their first night working together at the local small-town pizza joint doesn’t turn out how they had expected, teenagers Berlin and Cameron, who are Métis and Cree respectively, and Jessie, who is white, have to confront the traumas, barriers, and losses they are each facing, in this sophomore novel by rising talent Jen Ferguson (Métis/Michif). Now in paperback!
In her remarkable second novel following her acclaimed debut, The Summer of Bitter and Sweet, Jen Ferguson writes about the hurt of a life stuck in past tense, the hum of connections that cannot be severed, and one week in a small snowy town that changes everything.
Over-achievement isn’t a bad word—for Berlin, it’s the goal. She’s securing excellent grades, planning her future, and working a part-time job at Pink Mountain Pizza, a legendary local business. Who says she needs a best friend by her side?
Dropping out of high school wasn’t smart—but it was necessary for Cameron. Since his cousin Kiki’s disappearance, it’s hard enough to find the funny side of life, especially when the whole town has forgotten Kiki. To them, she’s just another missing Native girl.
People at school label Jessie a tease, a rich girl—and honestly, she’s both. But Jessie knows she contains multitudes. Maybe her new job crafting pizzas will give her the high-energy outlet she desperately wants. The cherry topping? She’ll get to spend time with Berlin, too.
When the weekend at Pink Mountain Pizza takes several unexpected turns, all three teens will have to acknowledge the various ways they’ve been hurt—and how much they need each other to hold it all together.
When their first night working together at the local small-town pizza joint doesn’t turn out how they had expected, teenagers Berlin and Cameron, who are Métis and Cree respectively, and Jessie, who is white, have to confront the traumas, barriers, and losses they are each facing, in this sophomore novel by rising talent Jen Ferguson (Métis/Michif). Now in paperback!
In her remarkable second novel following her acclaimed debut, The Summer of Bitter and Sweet, Jen Ferguson writes about the hurt of a life stuck in past tense, the hum of connections that cannot be severed, and one week in a small snowy town that changes everything.
Over-achievement isn’t a bad word—for Berlin, it’s the goal. She’s securing excellent grades, planning her future, and working a part-time job at Pink Mountain Pizza, a legendary local business. Who says she needs a best friend by her side?
Dropping out of high school wasn’t smart—but it was necessary for Cameron. Since his cousin Kiki’s disappearance, it’s hard enough to find the funny side of life, especially when the whole town has forgotten Kiki. To them, she’s just another missing Native girl.
People at school label Jessie a tease, a rich girl—and honestly, she’s both. But Jessie knows she contains multitudes. Maybe her new job crafting pizzas will give her the high-energy outlet she desperately wants. The cherry topping? She’ll get to spend time with Berlin, too.
When the weekend at Pink Mountain Pizza takes several unexpected turns, all three teens will have to acknowledge the various ways they’ve been hurt—and how much they need each other to hold it all together.
When their first night working together at the local small-town pizza joint doesn’t turn out how they had expected, teenagers Berlin and Cameron, who are Métis and Cree respectively, and Jessie, who is white, have to confront the traumas, barriers, and losses they are each facing, in this sophomore novel by rising talent Jen Ferguson (Métis/Michif). Now in paperback!
In her remarkable second novel following her acclaimed debut, The Summer of Bitter and Sweet, Jen Ferguson writes about the hurt of a life stuck in past tense, the hum of connections that cannot be severed, and one week in a small snowy town that changes everything.
Over-achievement isn’t a bad word—for Berlin, it’s the goal. She’s securing excellent grades, planning her future, and working a part-time job at Pink Mountain Pizza, a legendary local business. Who says she needs a best friend by her side?
Dropping out of high school wasn’t smart—but it was necessary for Cameron. Since his cousin Kiki’s disappearance, it’s hard enough to find the funny side of life, especially when the whole town has forgotten Kiki. To them, she’s just another missing Native girl.
People at school label Jessie a tease, a rich girl—and honestly, she’s both. But Jessie knows she contains multitudes. Maybe her new job crafting pizzas will give her the high-energy outlet she desperately wants. The cherry topping? She’ll get to spend time with Berlin, too.
When the weekend at Pink Mountain Pizza takes several unexpected turns, all three teens will have to acknowledge the various ways they’ve been hurt—and how much they need each other to hold it all together.
Jen Ferguson
9780063086210
Hardcover
Young Adult Fiction / People & Places / Indigenous
Ages 13 And Up, Grades 8 And Up