Dear Universe

A wildly witty yet deeply profound chronicle of teenage anxiety and yearning, perfect for fans of Jesse Andrews and Robyn Schneider – in paperback.

It’s senior year, and Chamomile Myles has whiplash from traveling between her two universes: school (the relentless countdown to prom, torturous college applications, and the mindless march toward an uncertain future) and home, where she wrestles a slow, bitter battle with her father’s terminal illness. Enter Brendan, a man-bun-and tutu-wearing hospital volunteer with a penchant for absurdity, who strides boldly between her worlds–and helps her open up a new road between them.

Dear Universe is the dazzling follow-up to Florence Gonsalves’s debut, Love and Other Carnivorous Plants, hailed by School Library Journal as “a must-have sharp, powerful, and witty immersion into the complexities of . . . mental health.”

• "Gonsalves's witty style, diverse characters, and powerful portrait of mental health will intrigue teen and adult readers alike. Recommended for realistic fiction fans of John Green and Nicola Yoon."
  School Library Journal
• "Gonsalves' sympathetic and multidimensional portrait of a young woman facing major challenges will appeal to fans of John Green."
  Booklist
• "Cham is engaging, and her life feels real...[a] novel with an appealing protagonist that reflects life's messiness."
  Kirkus Reviews
• "Gonsalves crafts an authentic read for teens trying to create normalcy at school while struggling with issues in their personal lives."
  Publishers Weekly
• "Readers whose families have faced a loved one's illness will find Dear Universe particularly powerful, as Cham and her parents find new ways to be honest with each other."
  BookPage
• Praise for Love & Other Carnivorous Plants:
  Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth 2018
  A 2019 Rainbow Book List Selection
  
  *"A pitch-perfect take on what happens when the future you imagined doesn't live up to expectations.... This genuinely funny novel about some harrowing topics manages to balance humor and pathos perfectly. Readers who connected with J.J. Johnson's Believarexic or Sam J. Miller's The Art of Starving will want this book, as well as the many John Green fans who crave intelligent stories that occupy both shadow and light."--- Booklist, starred review
  
  "Fans of Sarah Dessen will appreciate Danny's relatable and realistic journey. A must-have sharp, powerful, and witty immersion into the complexities of sexual identity and mental health." --- SchoolLibraryJournal
  
  "Gonsalves juggles multiple serious adolescent challenges with operatic verve--eating disorders, substance abuse, sexual awakening and orientation, mental health, grief.... A feel-good debut sure to interest teens looking to feel better about not feeling so great." --- Kirkus Reviews
  
  "Gonsalves realistically conveys Danny's wide range of emotions.... Her most profound realization comes through accepting that she can live her life on her own terms and that she need not have it all figured out quite yet." --- Publishers Weekly
  
  "Self-deprecating, witty.... As funny as it is painful." --- VOYA
  
  "A hilarious, thoughtful novel of trying to figure out loving other people when it hurts, and loving yourself when it's impossible." --- Teenreads.com
  
  "Will appeal to students who deal with anxiety and the pressures of life that many teens face." --- School Library Connection