Co-authored by Alix Sloan and Jennie Willink, The Peonies: Summer in the City is an inclusive middle-grade novel about found family and true friendship. It’s available in Paperback, eBook, Audiobook, and a special Augmented Reality edition.
The Peonies: Summer in the City
Two determined best friends. Three unpredictable dogs. A page-turning adventure for kids 8-12 that the entire family will enjoy.
What happens when two eleven-year-old best friends find out this is their last summer together? They turn the worst news ever into the time of their lives!
Join Poppy and Esme as they navigate the ups and downs of real-world subjects like friendship, family, and finances in this surprising and heart-warming story filled with loyalty, laughs, and lots of dogs!
Praise for The Peonies
★★★★★
“I loved this story with all my heart. This is a book that truly understands the intensity, the joy, and the challenges of childhood friendships. To me, Poppy and Esme are more than characters in a book; they feel like real girls — spirited and sensitive and flawed — whose humanity shines forth out of every page. Willink and Sloan have painted a vivid portrait of two resourceful, independent-minded city kids, who refuse to let the heartbreaking decisions of their parents stop them from having the best summer of their lives. In a world where girls and women are all too often taught to compete against each other, THE PEONIES: SUMMER IN THE CITY offers a more true and nuanced story about female friendships — teaching that these bonds are foundational and essential, and that best friends may not always get along, but they will always come back home to each other in the end. Simply a treasure.”
Elizabeth Gilbert
#1 New York Times Best-Selling Author of “Eat, Pray, Love”
★★★★★
“Alix Sloan and Jennie Willink have written a truly inspiring book with their new release of THE PEONIES: SUMMER IN THE CITY. They take the everyday life of two girls living in the East Village of New York City and turn it into a shining example of what teachers are looking for in children’s literature today. The colorful vocabulary, brilliant figurative language, and real-life lessons come together in a charming way as you get to know the two main characters – Poppy and Esme. Sloan and Willink weave essential lessons of life into the adventures of Poppy and Esme. Readers will come away with intentional guidance on topics such as: responsibility, time management, friendships, how to treat others, and coping with difficult situations. Lastly, one of my favorite elements of the entire book is the role modeling of positive relationships among parents and their children, neighbors, and friends. You are guaranteed to fall in love with Esme and Poppy, and you will find yourself yearning for their next adventures.”
Julie McClellan
Reading Specialist & 5th Grade Teacher