Description

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Two kids from two different worlds form an unexpected friendship in this lens into the interworking of empathy. Told in alternating narratives, The Other Side of Perfect is infused with themes of identity, belonging, and compassion, reminding us that we are all more than our circumstances, and we are all more connected than we think.

Cody’s home life is a messy, too-often terrifying story of neglect and abuse. Cody himself is a smart kid, a survivor with a great sense of humor that helps him see past his circumstances and begin to try to get himself out. Autumn is a wealthy girl from an indigenous family, who has found herself in with the popular crowd even though it’s hard for her to want to keep up.

But one night, while returning home from a movie, Autumn comes across Cody, face down in the laneway behind her house. All Cody knows is that he can’t take another encounter with his father like the one he just narrowly escaped. He can’t go home. But he doesn’t have anywhere else to go. When Autumn agrees to let him hide out in her dad’s art studio, Cody’s story begins to come out, and so does hers.

About the Author

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MELANIE FLORENCE is an award-winning writer of Cree and Scottish heritage based in Toronto, Ontario. She is the author of Missing Nimâmâ, which won the 2016 TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award, the 2017 Forest of Reading Golden Oak Award and was a finalist for the 2017 First Nation Communities READ award. Her most recent picture book, Stolen Words, won the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Award and was a finalist for the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award. Her other books include Righting Canada’s Wrongs: Residential Schools and the teen novels Just Lucky, He Who Dreams, The Missing, One Night, and Rez Runaway. Visit her at https://www.melanieflorence.com/.

RICHARD SCRIMGER has written more than twenty books for children and adults, including Zomboy and Downside Up, many of which have won or been nominated for major awards and been published internationally. His novel Irresistible is part of the Almost Epic Squad series. Richard is also a popular presenter in schools. His latest novel, a collaboration with Melanie Florence, is Autumn Bird and the Runaway. Richard lives in Toronto, Ontario. Visit him at http://www.scrimger.ca/.

Praise For…

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* "An evocative narrative about identity, community, and the power of nurturing relationships." -- Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)

"Dual perspectives illuminate cultural and class differences in this thought-provoking novel by Cree and Scottish author Florence (Legends of Funland) and Scrimger (Weerdest Day Ever!)" -- Publisher's Weekly