Mimi

Mimi's life is off the rails since the sudden loss of her mother. What will it take to pull her and her family together? A spot-on, witty, and genuinely moving novel.

One hundred and forty-nine days ago, Mimi’s mam died. Everyone’s given up. Dad keeps burning pizzas, and he doesn’t smile anymore. Sally wears only black now and has a terrible secret. Conor plays the drums all night and keeps the neighbors awake. The dog, Sparkler, hasn’t been walked in months. And that’s not even counting how terrible things are at school. But Mimi isn’t one to give up. In his solo novel debut, John Newman has crafted a story both touching and comic— a portrait of loss, compassion, and the power that comes from sticking together.A rich cast of deftly drawn supporting characters and a couple of subplots all add up to a warm, believable, and optimistic portrait of grief and connection.
—The Horn Book

Irish author Newman's first solo effort and U.S. debut will win readers’ hearts through the conversational tone and openhearted observations of elementary school-aged narrator Mimi, whose mother died 149 days earlier (she is counting).
—Publishers WeeklyJohn Newman was born in Dublin and worked as a folklore collector, a civil servant, and an accountant before he became an elementary school teacher. He is the coauthor of eleven books for children. Mimi is his first solo novel. John Newman lives in Ireland.