The Carnival at Bray

This remarkable novel, a Printz Honor winner and William C. Morris Award finalist, follows a teen during her life-changing move to Ireland. A searing exploration of grief, first love, and the transformative power of music, the book—now with a new letter from the author—is perfect for fans of Emergency Contact, We Are Okay, and I’ll Give You the Sun.

Sixteen-year-old Maggie Lynch’s heart pulses to the beat of Pearl Jam and the Smashing Pumpkins, but when her mother uproots them from Chicago to a tiny town in Ireland, Maggie struggles to adjust. Her uncle Kevin, who happens to be a grunge musician, is her only connection to home. Though he keeps Maggie supplied with the latest issues of Spin, she still feels totally isolated.

When a visit from Kevin goes wrong and tragedy strikes, Maggie knows that she can’t let the world pass her by a moment longer. To fulfill a dying wish, she breaks her mother’s rules by traveling to Rome for a concert. The journey is harder than she ever guessed, but maybe, along the way, Maggie will learn to live her life to the fullest.

Set in 1993, this unforgettable YA novel is a love letter to the music that defines a generation—and the family that breaks your heart.

• 90s Grunge Soundtrack: From Chicago to a tiny town in Ireland, Maggie's life is set to the beat of Pearl Jam, the Smashing Pumpkins, and the mixtape her uncle Kevin sends her from home.
• A Poignant Story of Grief: When tragedy strikes, Maggie is left adrift. This raw and honest novel explores the messy reality of losing the one person who understood you.
• A Gentle First Love: In the misty Irish landscape, a tentative romance with a local boy named Eoin offers a glimmer of hope and a chance to feel something other than pain.
• Fish Out of Water: A Chicago teen trying to find her place among the track suits and gold necklaces of her new Irish classmates, feeling like she'll never fit in.