The Carnival at Bray (Paperback)
Chicago Weekly Best Books of 2014
A Michael L. Printz Honor Award Winner
Winner, 2014 Helen Sheehan YA Book Prize
Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2014
Finalist, William C. Morris Award
It's 1993, and Generation X pulses to the beat of Kurt Cobain and the grunge movement. Sixteen-year-old Maggie Lynch is uprooted from big-city Chicago to a windswept town on the Irish Sea. Surviving on care packages of Spin magazine and Twizzlers from her rocker uncle Kevin, she wonders if she'll ever find her place in this new world. When first love and sudden death simultaneously strike, a naive but determined Maggie embarks on a forbidden pilgrimage that will take her to a seedy part of Dublin and on to a life- altering night in Rome to fulfill a dying wish. Through it all, Maggie discovers an untapped inner strength to do the most difficult but rewarding thing of all, live.
The Carnival at Bray is an evocative ode to the Smells Like Teen Spirit Generation and a heartfelt exploration of tragedy, first love, and the transformative power of music. The book won the 2014 Helen Sheehan YA Book Prize.
"The story, writing and talent of Jessie Ann Foley are strong." —Louise Brueggemann, children’s services supervisor, Naperville Public Library
“Foley’s young adult debut offers readers a wonderful, unique picture of adolescence from a fresh new voice.” —Emil Ostrovski, author, The Paradox of Vertical Flight
"I really fell in love with The Carnival at Bray!" —Becky Quiroga Curtis, former YA buyer, Books & Books, Miami, FL
“The narrative subtly and carefully interweaves peer and family drama . . . Every character, every place comes alive with crisp, precise detail. Powerfully evocative.” —Kirkus, Starred Review
“Promising debut, set in the heyday of grunge . . . The narrative voice is clear and compelling . . . the secondary characters are complex and sympathetic: Foley has also populated Bray with a host of quirky, loving, and memorable background characters, which enriches the story.” —School Library Journal
“Sweet is the wrong word for The Carnival at Bray, but tender works just fine.” —New City, Recommended Review
“The Carnival at Bray is a complex, eloquent, and deep look at one teen’s journey . . . I sense many more awards to come – it’s that good. Highly recommended!” —Wandering Educator
“Beautifully-done coming of age story . . . as bittersweet as a first love and just as unforgettable.” —Forever Young Adult
“This romantic and original book will be long remembered by its readers.” —Ann Cummins, VOYA
“This romantic and original book will be long remembered by its readers.” —Ann Cummins, VOYA