Frannie and Tru

“Absorbing, electrifying, and achingly relatable. Frannie and Tru is a book with a pulse.” —Becky Albertalli, author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

Perfect for fans of Prep and The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Frannie and Tru is a dazzling YA debut about a transformative summer in the life of a girl whose idol is not what he seems.

Frannie has always idolized her cousin Tru. At seventeen, Tru is charismatic, rich, charming—everything fifteen-year-old Frannie wants to be, and everything she’s not. So when Frannie overhears her parents saying that after a bad coming-out experience Tru will be staying with them in Baltimore for the summer, Frannie is excited and desperate to impress him. But as Frannie gets swept up in Tru’s worldly way of life, she starts to worry that it may all be a mask Tru wears to hide a dark secret. And if Tru isn’t the person Frannie thought he was, what does that mean for the new life she has built with him?

Confronting issues of race, class, and sexuality, Karen Hattrup weaves a powerful coming-of-age story that’s at once timeless and immediate, sharply observed, and recognizable to anyone who has ever loved the idea of a person more than the reality.

What happens when the person you idolize isn’t who you thought they were?

• A Summer of Self-Discovery: Fifteen-year-old Frannie’s lonely summer plans are turned upside down when her charismatic, worldly cousin Tru comes to stay.
• LGBTQ Themes: Tru is magnetic and charming, but he’s also nursing the wounds from a bad coming-out experience—and hiding even bigger secrets.
• First Crush: As Frannie is drawn into Tru’s world of new friends and music, she finds herself navigating her first real romance with Devon, a boy who sees her for who she truly is.
• Exploring Race and Class: Set in Baltimore, this powerful YA novel tackles the realities of race, class, and identity as Frannie confronts a world much bigger and more complicated than she ever imagined.

“Absorbing, electrifying, and achingly relatable. Frannie and Tru is a book with a pulse.” - Becky Albertalli, author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

“Hattrup’s confrontation with white privilege and Frannie’s misguided assumptions surrounding social class and sexual orientation avoid easy platitudes, creating insights ripe for further exploration.” - Publishers Weekly

“[A] character-rich work of literary fiction…Tru is endlessly intriguing, and his evolving relationship with Frannie is wholly believable and emotionally engaging.” - Booklist

“Hattrup beautifully illustrates issues of privilege and prejudice in her debut. Thought-provoking!” - RT Book Reviews

A Junior Library Guild Selection - Booklist

“An honest, revealing, coming-of-age story...will appeal to a wide-range of readers. Frannie’s voice is an authentic mix of sincerity and naiveté as she struggles with self confidence and first love; family conflict; and, as she is educated in the politics of identity, race, class, and sexuality.” - Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)

“Fans of Lockhart’s The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks (BCCB 3/08) will appreciate the probing complexity of a working-class white girl finding her feet and her courage.” - Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“Ideal for fans of E. Lockhart and cool, atmospheric narratives.” - The Horn Book