June is a typical, if angsty, teenager. She loves her friends and her hobbies. And she even likes school (though she might not ever tell you that). But there is one thing that she is not terribly fond of: her looks. June cannot help but criticize herself every chance she gets, particularly when she can see her reflection. She is all but convinced that her looks are the sole reason that boys are not interested in her. Enter even MORE self-doubt.

One night, June and her friends go out to a local café bookstore for a poetry slam. As usual, June is nervous and antsy about her appearance—until she forgets all about how she looks when she, quite literally, bumps into Micha at the event. Micha is tall, attractive, and very friendly. And to June’s surprise, he spends a lot of the evening talking to HER!

While affable and fun, Micha is also nervous and shy around girls. He is pretty new at all of this kind of socialization, too, mostly because Micha is relatively new at being Micha, never mind that he’s 15 and a little awkward. But when he crashes into June at the open-mic night, he falls pretty hard—almost immediately—for June.

The two teens happily carry their newfound friendship to the next level (Snapchat, of course), and they even make plans to meet up the following week. At least that is the plan until, well, COVID. Undeterred, the two carry on virtually, getting to know one another better. June is astonished that such a great guy would be interested in her—and Micha feels the same about June.

But all is not rosy in COVID-landia, with the pandemic only serving as a backdrop to even more teenage trauma, the kind that is not fixed by a pint of Ben & Jerry’s. The pandemic wreaks havoc in so many ways… Will truths come out? Will June and Micha figure it out? And really, will they, or anyone, ever be able to go out again?

Level 3
Unique Words: 408
Total Words: 6,500
Tense(s): présent, passé composé, imparfait
Glossary: no

©2021. French. Level 3. High school. 5 x 8 inches. Softcover, 189 pages.

About the Author

Jennifer Degenhardt taught middle and high school Spanish for 24 years. She decided to combine her language skills with storytelling, specifically involving kids and culture. Her books highlight cultural, social, economic, and political themes necessary for continued conversation, both inside and outside the classroom. She hopes her stories will provide a platform for discussion, as anything can be solved—to some degree—with a conversation.