Summer Bird Blue

Rumi and her sister, Lea, are best friends and share a single soul that is made of music and song writing. This will be the focus of their future.

But when Lea dies in a car accident, that future is wiped out leaving Rumi friendless, soulless and with no means to navigate her life going forward. When she is sent to live with her aunt in Hawaii, Rumi struggles with her feelings of anger and abandonment and the achingly painful absence of music.

Despite her aunt’s efforts to support her, it is the lack of pity and compassion shown by surfer-boy Kai and the detached indifference of old Mr Watanabe that allow Rumi the time and space to come to terms with the past, to accept the reality of insurmountable grief and to find her way back to music.

The rawness of Rumi’s loss is brutally depicted as crushing and overwhelming, existing alongside the normal teenage experiences of self-doubt and emerging sexuality. But Rumi’s story also celebrates forgiveness, love and the healing power of time and true friendship. A stunning read for teens and young adults.