The Best Worst Summer of Esme Sun

by Wendy Wan-Long Shang

Author Wendy Wan-Long Shang dives in to the deep end of sportsmanship, prejudice, and the power of friendship in this story about two very different girls and one shared love of swimming.

Esme Sun absolutely does not care about winning shiny trophies or finally receiving some of the praise her mother bestows so lavishly on her three older, brilliant sisters. But, actually... it would be nice to be good at something. So when Esme discovers on the first day of summer, opening day at the community pool, that her growth spurt over the winter has made her a really fast swimmer, she wonders if she just might have found that thing.

After Esme has an uncomfortable encounter at the pool with a new girl, Kaya, Esme worries she may have hurt Kaya's feelings. Then, embarrassed by Esme's awkwardness, her friend Tegan, the cool girl at school who seems to do everything perfectly, makes Esme promise that from now on, she'll be chill, not act so babyish and intense about things--especially not swim team.

But when their swim competitions begin, and Esme starts winning, she finds that she actually cares a lot. In fact, she wants to break the pool's freestyle record. That doesn't mesh so well with her promise to Tegan. And as Esme tries to navigate swimming and her friendships, she searches for a way to apologize and make things right with Kaya.

Esme's mom's focus on winning confuses her, though, and she begins to Is winning really as important as she thinks, even if it means being unkind to your friends and teammates? Or is there another way to compete, to be a good sport and a good friend?

Genres: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Sports, Summer, Fiction, Juvenile, Friendship

224 pages, Hardcover

First published June 3, 2025

About the author

My parents, who grew up in China, had no favorite books from their childhood to share with me, which left me to my own devices in the library. When I mentioned this to a friend, she was a bit stunned, and I understood this reaction. I certainly never felt deprived as a child, but as a parent, it's hard to imagine not having that link.

My own book is about finding the stories we discover about our families and how we are changed by them. I hope my book inspires its readers to find the powerful stories, both great and small, in their own families.

Reviews

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of, The Best Worst Summer of Esme Sun, by Wendy Wan-Long Shang, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Esme Sun has three older sisters who are great at excelling. Esme has never cared for winning, until she starts swimming and winning swim trials. Esme mom puts way to much emphasis on winning, when Esme just wants to enjoy swimming. Esme mom is wrong and racist. This was a good read, I enjoyed reading about Esme.

[Rachel Hogan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this sweet book. Very abrupt ending though.

[Pam Page · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had so much potential...summer, swim team, forming friendships, supporting your teammates. But the mom in this story really is a negative. The author created a mother who is a stereotype of an Asian mom pushing her kids to get ahead but then adds in bullying, racism, and pitting her children against each other. I was really shocked at the formation of this character without any resolution at all.

[Cleanbooks4ever · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Best Worst Summer of Esme Sun was AMAZING. I loved how Esme learned to stand up for herself, even against the toughest one of all—HER MOM. The Best Worst Summer of Esme Sun is essentially a story about learning to stand up for yourself. I'm going to dive a little deeper into the story.
Esme Sun's summer isn't going exactly as planned. Esme, a sixth grader who feels overshadowed by her older sisters, discovers she has a talent for swimming after a sudden growth spurt. What starts as an exciting discovery quickly turns into a whirlwind of challenges. Between intense swim team practices, navigating tricky friendships, and trying to live up to her mom's high expectations, her summer is anything BUT ordinary.
The content touches on racism and subtly suggests what people do alone in a tennis yard, though nothing is described or directly stated. Overall, this was a really enjoyable book; however, I didn't like the ending, which is open-ended. To me, it felt like a cliffhanger. But overall, this was a good book—I give it 4.8 stars out of 5.

[Manon the Malicious · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4.25 Stars*

I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really short middle grade novel about Esme Sun and her summer.
I really liked this one. Esme was a great main character, she wasn't perfect, she was very layered and I loved getting to know her and seeing her grow (even for just one summer!). I loved seeing her form friendships and interact with her family. Her relation to swimming was really interesting too.
Basically, this was short but it packed in a lot and I would definitely recommend it.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 5 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Esme is glad that the school year is over, even though she has to suffer through an awards assembly at the end of the year. Her older sisters Bea, Claire, and Delaney all excel in various fields, but Esme is not particularly great at any one thing, so never brings home any awards to make her mother happy. Her father left the family three years ago, and now lives in Shanghai, so her mother struggles a bit to take the girls to all of their activities and pay the bills. Esme loves spending her summer at the Deep Woods pool, and starts the season off by visiting with Tegen. The pool tradition has all of the kids lining up and jumping in at the same time, and the legend is that whoever hits the water first will get a wish. Esme is trying to think of the best wording, but a new girl, Kaya, gets in her way and hits the water first after being pushed. Esme notices her struggling, and alerts the life guard, which is a little embarassing, especially since Esme's friends from the swim team, Cat and Marissa, comment that maybe Kaya can't swim. Esme has grown a lot over the year, and has gotten much faster. She does well in the time trials, and even excels at the difficult butterfly stroke. She hopes to do well and make her mother proud, but struggles with her friend Tegen's approach to the swim season. Tegen doesn't want to be intense or goofy about anything, and prefers to talk about boys and clothes. Esme even goes to the mall with her to try on bikinis, and doesn't understand why Tegen and Marissa are so hard on themselves about their bodies. Esme enjoys hanging out at the pool all morning long and competing at meets. Her friends' mothers all come and help out with snacks and timing events, but her own mother is always too busy working or driving her sisters to events. When Esme wins an event, her sisters tell her not to let her mother know, because she will ruin swimming for Esme. After Tegen's moms tell Ms. Sun how well Esme did, she shows up at a meet, and Esme finds out how much pressure her sisters must be under. Not only does her mother insist that Esme do well, she also thinks she should consider all of her teammates her adversaries. Esme would rather have fun, and struggles to figure out how she can be true to herself but also make her mother happy. She helps Kaya practice flip turns, even though this means that Kaya comes close to beating her, and is appalled when her mother refers to Kaya as "that Black girl". Her mother also isn't happy that Esme is getting tan because it makes her look like she "works in a field", and Esme has to process the fact that her mother has racist tendencies. When Tegen quits the team because she no longer finds swimming fun, Esme realizes that she has to decide for herself how she will live her life, even if it is in a way that doesn't mesh with her mother's.

This really is the perfect summer read. Most of the book is fun and upbeat, with snacks and games at the pool, and an overwhelming feeling of belonging to a place that just feels right. I loved the inclusion of Joe, the "world's oldest life guard" who has been coming to Deep Woods since he was Esme's age in the 1960s. He offers Esme a perfect description of what the pool means to him, and I'm not at all surprised that Ms. Shang spent time on the swim team during her teen years. My house backs up to the local community pool, so my children spent a LOT of time there. It's definitely a cool experience to have, and I love that there is a book to share that experience with others.

For swimmers, there are plenty of details about practice, meets, and techniques, as well as some excellent discussion of how to mentally prepare for races and how to deal with competition with your friends. When I coached cross country, this was a frequent conversation, and I loved seeing how Esme learned to balance having fun with wanting to be competitive. The fact that she is also dealing with Tegen's more mature ways and deciding that they aren't for her quite yet perfectly encapsulated the middle grade experience.

While many middle grade books deal with grieving parents who have passed away, it is so much more realistic and productive to portray difficult parents whose values are problematic. Esme's mom isn't mean or abusive, but she isn't supportive, either. Esme loves her, but wants her approval, even though her mother has an outlook on life that Esme doesn't wish to embrace. I always wondered about my runners whose parents never came to meets, and worried when I couldn't be at my older daughter's races because I was coaching her younger sister. Esme's older sisters are supportive, and help her work through some of her issues with her mother in productive ways. Seeing different family dynamics is fascinating, and so much more interesting than yet another book about grief.

I'm always glad to see more books about sports, and swimming is certainly something that will interest a lot of young readers. Add this to Ahn's 2024 Swimming Into Trouble (Julia on the Go #1), Agarwal and Durfey-Lavoie's Sink or Swim, Sumner's Deep Water, Morrison's Up for Air, Fipps' Starfish, and the book that made me the most jealous about how someone else spent their summer, Holm's Sunny Makes a Splash, for a perfect tsunami of swimtastic titles.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not every author has the bravery to describe a parent acting badly, and allow the young person at the center of the story to create her own solution, sort out her own way, and let the parent fade into the background. In most children's books, the author rescues the parent at the last minute - after they have served their purpose of forging the "overcoming adverse circumstances" plot, they are then also invited to be part of the "families are supportive" worldview. The parent in those stories also grows, changes, or at least reaches one small milestone of self-realization.

The beauty of not doing that is that it provides solace and an example of how children cope with difficult parents...and even though this book does not go very far down that path, there are significant suggestions, from Esme's older sisters' responses, from her friends' choices in their own families, and in Esme's final actions, taken with her own clarity, confidence, and joy.

If the book was written by anyone outside of the characters' identity group, I would be very uncomfortable with the parent's persistent stereotypical behavior, despite the fact that the stereotype is based on a pattern that seems to be present in documented sources. Nevertheless, it is not flattering, and it takes courage for an author to show these unflattering aspects.

The most important thing, however, is that Esme's inner dialogue, and some conversations as well, explore all the benefits of the negative, stereotypical behavior, and valid reasons why a person might repeat those patterns. AND it also explores the potential results of the behavior, and weighs them as valid responses while exploring alternatives approaches that could achieve the benefits and avoid the negative consequences.

All of this is done in 213 short pages! - I say "short" because there is plenty of space between the lines of text, making it less dense than is usual for middle-school readers, so it's just right for readers who want to focus on the social-emotional aspects AND/OR the sports-action aspects, and do not want to get bogged down in analysis. Surprise! The analysis is in there, succinctly laid out between a few pivot points of action.

Many authors try to tackle this period of life - growing into your own opinions and interests, just as pressures mount to demonstrate your skills and at the same time to fit in rather than sticking out. So much tension! And yet, this book moves forward, not repeating ad nauseum like so many other tween/young-teen books might do. (I can't overstate how much this brevity is appreciated by this adult reader.)

The cover art matches the content and is likely to appeal to the right reader.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love that my indie bookstore, The Bookworm, has a program for ARC. they are wrapped in brown bag with a few hints. You never know what you will get. the minimal charge is donated to charity.

this was a fun read with all the summer vibes but also packed a punch. Plenty of important subject matter for young readers.

Esme is one of four sisters. Unfortunately for her, she has three high achieving siblings and one mom with laser focus on success. Esme's mom also has limited time for each of the girls as she is raising them independently. This means Esme is free to navigate her summer fairly independently. Esme really wants to be good at something and to get her mom's attention. she is part of her local pool's swim team and has several friends from school. this summer, there is a new girl, Kaya. Esme and Kaya do not hit it off initially, but over the course of the novel warm to each other. All while learning some important lessons.

The atmosphere was so well done. I could feel the sunshine and smell the chlorine. Brought back happy memories of summers spent at my local pool largely unsupervised. The author also realistically portrayed the desire to succeed and have a parent's attention. While working to improve her individual score's Esme learns the value of teamwork. Helping another person can payoff in so many ways. In addition to navigating this new tenuous friendship, Esme also must deal with a friend who is growing up faster than she is. Esme isn't ready for bikinis and boys. I'm sure this will resonate with many young readers. Lots of discussion about value of winning. There is more to life than winning. Hardwork, personal bests and teamwork are all key points. There is even a small discussion about racism and the color of one's skin. Esme's mom wants her girls to be lighter skinned.

Enjoyable read that had all the summer vibes. Recommend to old and young readers.

[Maura · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 12 year old son and I both LOVED The Best Worst Summer of Esme Sun, both as an audiobook and in chapter book format. He has been a summer swim team kid since he was 6 years old, and he was amazed how Wendy Shang so perfectly captured summer swim team culture in Northern Virginia, from the laid-back fun of Monday night B meets to the pressure of the Saturday morning A-meet. My swimmer even legitimately learned some tips about improving his flip turn from Shang's perfectly articulated description of the main character's work to improve hers!

The interpersonal dynamics are authentic and ring true both to me as a grown-up reader and to my son as an adolescent reader, from the self-induced pressure to downplay a talent to maintain a precarious friendship to the struggle to earn the approval of a parent whose values and priorities ultimately do not always serve the child.

The only debate we had when thinking of this review was the final star rating, as we had a viscerally negative reaction to the abrupt ending of the book...we were both highly emotionally invested in the outcome of the dramatic final race, and while we imagine the same happy ending, we found ourselves really disappointed that we didn't get that final scene in its full glory and detail, after all the emotional investment that preceded it. And yet neither of us wanted to mark a star down for that, since we still both recommend the book so enthusiastically.

Highly recommended for all elementary and middle school library collections, with a special shout-out to Northern Virginia schools and libraries.

[Patchree Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're looking for a fun, relatable read this summer, THE BEST WORST SUMMER OF ESME SUN is it! I received an ARC through NetGalley and devoured this in one sitting! This book touches on so many core challenges for middle grade readers dealing with issues revolving around growing up. From fights with friends, sibling rivalry, and competitive swimming, Esme is put through the wringer in this book.

I love the honest interpretation of growing up as an Asian American kid in the US. We often feel isolated from others and don't always know where to turn for support. Shang captures this conflict beautifully and highlights the challenges of never truly feeling "good enough" at anything!

The story felt very authentic and realistic. I especially loved the competitive yet protective nature of Esme's sibling relationships. One can experience subtle triggers if you grew up in this type of household, but the candid exploration of family - blood related and found - is refreshing.

Overall, this is a must read for audiences looking for a fast-paced story about discovering yourself and your passions. Esme is an all-around average girl looking to become extraordinary while everything around her changes faster than she's trying to. Facing your own challenges and finding your own path is the main lesson readers will discover with this heart-warming book!

[TheNextGenLibrarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A relatable MG book that’s perfect for summer.
🏊‍♂️
Esme Sun is the least impressive of all her sisters so her mom tends to ignore her most of the time, but Esme does wish she was good at something. After a growth spurt has her breaking records and PRs, she realizes that good thing she could be good at just might be swimming. Esme’s mom starts paying attention to her when she realizes that her daughter is placing first and beating her competition consistently, but Esme wonders if her mother’s praise is conditional on Esme winning. Add in some new and old friend drama and Esme is having the best and worst summer ever!
🏊🏼
I really enjoyed this novel mainly because it addressed topics that we don’t always get to see in middle grade books such as prejudice, not great parenting that doesn’t always get fixed and Esme finding contentment in being herself without needing approval from others. Bravo!

CW: prejudice, racism, bullying, parental abandonment, emotional trauma, emotional abuse, colorism

[Sue.the.very.busy.reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read The Best Worst Summer of Esme Sun with Patti @mamadaughterbookclub as part of the #NewberyContenderChallenge — and it’s a perfect ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️pick for your summer reading list!
This book brought me right back to those awkward summer days: early mornings, feeling weird in a swimsuit, and navigating big expectations from parents. Esme’s story is full of heart, humor, and growth.
✨ What I loved:
💫 Everyone has a talent — sometimes it just takes time (and courage) to find yours.
🤝 Being part of a team matters more than personal glory.
💬 True friends respect each other's differences — and it’s okay not to agree on everything.
💖 Esme learns that kindness and standing up for her values matter more than winning. That message stuck with me. If you're looking for a summer read that blends fun with thoughtful life lessons, this one’s a win. ☀️

[Jordan Zehr · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first 150 pages of this book was going to be a definite 4 stars, maybe even 5. The friendship aspects were easily relatable to my own experiences & I enjoyed the arc of each friends character development, I thought they felt impressively mature for their age, at times.

However then we get to the last bit of the book where without any warning what unfolds from Esme's mother is absolutely horrible behaviour, racist remarks, and over all just being a bully. This plot line gets introduced so late into the book that there isn't any time to successfully wrap up. I think having a mother that full of hate is too dark of a topic for a middle grade novel, especially if the author isn't going to write in any progress of awareness (on the mothers behalf) and healing (on Esme's behalf).

[Afoma (Reading Middle Grade) · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️ A Reading Middle Grade 2025 Summer Reading Guide Pick!

The Best Worst Summer of Esme Sun is a hugely relatable story about balancing friendships with competition — especially in competitive sports. Young readers, especially high performers, will appreciate the lessons Esme learns about the value of teamwork and mutual respect in sports if they want to succeed. I also loved Esme’s friend group and the way they uplift each other throughout the story. A summery splash of a story with compelling themes.

Read my full review - https://readingmiddlegrade.com/the-be...

[Yapha · Rating 4 out of 5]

There can never be enough middle grade books about figuring out your place with your friends and family and this is an excellent one! Esme feels awkward at school and at home, where her sisters each excel at something, earning their mother's praise and attention. She wants to find her thing, but feels that she will always be mediocre at best. She starts to hang out with a more supportive group of girls at the community pool and summer swim league. With her recent growth spurt and new friends cheering her on, she realizes that she is much better at swimming than she has been in the past. Will this be the summer that her mother really sees her? Highly recommended for grades 4 & up.

eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a middle grade novel but I was drawn to it for the description/content and it did not disappoint. From the very first chapter "The Best Worst Summer of Esme Sun" captivated me with the dialog and interpersonal connections between Esme and her sisters + classmates/teachers. I could literally feel this girl shrinking. Although this is meant for teens/tweens, it was well-written and held my attention. I also really appreciated the diverse character representation. Content warnings for racism and mental abuse (at least, I would classify it that way with the mom). A solid 4 star read for me. **I received a complimentary ARC from the author/publishing company via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

[Sara Hudson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wendy Shang does it again - following in the footsteps of The Great Wall of Lucy Wu and Not Your All-American Girl, this book rings with an authentic voice, filled with all of the everyday concerns of a middle school girl. Esme's struggle with trying to be friends with the popular girl but finding real friendship with the new girl will feel familiar to young readers. The overbearing mom and the overachieving sisters give some tension to the family story line. And Esme's tendency to let her mouth out run her common sense is spot on.

Wrapping the story in summer swim team will be a quick hook for lots of young readers, but you don't have to be a swimmer to love Esme's story.

[Tricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

What seems at first like a simple summer read turns out to be a compelling look at things like ambition, teamwork, sense of self, shifting friendships, and mother-daughter tensions. While never losing its sense of joy and playfulness, BEST WORST SUMMER gives readers lots to think about. Esme herself is a delight, a flawed character who, over the course of one summer, begins to discover who she is and who she wants to become. Shang does an especially authentic job describing Esme's friction with her mother, which is painful and never fully resolved. Read this poolside or curled up by the winter fire--you won't be disappointed!

[Brandi Rae Fong]

Pressure to be the best at something, changing friendships, learning to not make assumptions...all good universal things kids can relate to. Plus, I appreciate that it's a book on the shorter side.

That mom though...oooof.

Some kids might find there's too many swimming details, but as a grown-up reader who likes swimming, I didn't mind (and I do have a few readers in my library whose main sport is swimming).

I also wanted to know a little more about Joe The Oldest Lifeguard in the World's story.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first two-thirds of this book was great! I enjoyed learning about swim team culture and seeing Esme navigate new friendships. But, I was surprised by the abrupt ending -- it felt like there were many unresolved character issues.

I think that this book could be a good conversation starter for SEL lessons:
* Why do you think [character] acted the way they did?
* What would you do if you were [character]?


(I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)

[Janet Sims · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book captures the heart and soul of the Northern Virginia Swim League. The story interweaves swim rules and what it takes to run a swim meet. The competition among friends and the emotions evoked is timeless. The swimmers may change over the years but the drama stays the same. Summer swim is one of the few sports that involves all ages. The older competitors teach the younger ones how to win or lose gracefully.

[Meg Eden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wendy Wan-Long Shang knocks it out of the park once again! Loved this read. Great for younger MG but also older. The way it talks about competition, and holding onto friendships and the joy of the activities we love, is essential for all ages. Going to be coming back to this book again and again, I predict.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summer is for reading books about swimming and swimmers and this is another great middle grade novel about a young Asian American tween who joins the summer swim team and tries to manage her friendships with her competitive drive and having a mom who seems to only care about winning. Good on audio and perfect for fans of books like Barely floating, Star fish or Swim team.

[Carie Hayworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Why couldn’t we just enjoy each other’s amazingness, without jealousy or comparison?” The transition from elementary to middle school can be difficult, especially for girls. Some are ready to be older and not so babyish, while others are not. And I won’t even get started on body image. Esme’s mom pushed her girls to be the best no matter what. I love how Esme stays true to herself. #BookPosse

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This middle grade book about swimming and friendship portrays a mom that is not so nice or supportive of her daughter. While I didn’t like the mom, I feel that many students have a parent in their life like this…one that maybe isn’t on their side. I think this book will help some of my students see themselves in a book. Plus, the book is a quick read, which is a bonus for many of my students.

[Random Author · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked 'The Best Worst Summer of Esme Song', but it felt unfinished. The whole drama with her mother felt abrupt and incomplete, Bea and Delaney felt absent, the whole Cat and Tegan drama felt off, and there's a best friend mentioned that disappeared after chapter 4 or 5. This could've been longer, honestly, but it was still an alright story. 3 stars

[Becca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Middle grade novel. Really does a good job explaining the feelings of confusion during the middle school years. Of wanting to have fun and be a kid yet have friends who want to be older. The cultural issues could have been discussed better, but again appropriate for the age.

[Sammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. The characters were good. A lot of growing for the main character. I haven't read a book with a bad parent in a while, so that took some getting used to. It was hard, but I'm sure true for many. I of course loved the swimming component.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid middle grade. I loved the lessons Esme learned- about being part of a team, about supporting other people and being happy for their accomplishments

[Amelia]

This is an amazing book I love at the end when she stands up to her mom and does not take the swimsuit I could not do that as a 12 year old.