A Constellation of Minor Bears

by Jen Ferguson

A USA Today Bestseller

Award-winning author Jen Ferguson has written a powerful story about teens grappling with balancing resentment with enduring friendship—and how to move forward with a life that’s not what they’d imagined.

Before that awful Saturday, Molly used to be inseparable from her brother, Hank, and his best friend, Tray. The indoor climbing accident that left Hank with a traumatic brain injury filled Molly with anger.

While she knows the accident wasn’t Tray’s fault, she will never forgive him for being there and failing to stop the damage. But she can’t forgive herself for not being there either.

Determined to go on the trio’s postgraduation hike of the Pacific Crest Trail, even without Hank, Molly packs her bag. But when her parents put Tray in charge of looking out for her, she is stuck backpacking with the person who incites her easy anger.

Despite all her planning, the trail she’ll walk has a few more twists and turns ahead. . . .

Discover the evocative storytelling and emotion from the author of The Summer of Bitter and Sweet, winner of the Governor General's Award, a Stonewall Award honor book, and a Morris Award finalist, as well as Those Pink Mountain Nights, a Kirkus Best Book of the Year!

Genres: Young Adult, Queer, Contemporary, Indigenous, Fiction, LGBT, Disability

Audible Audio

First published September 24, 2024

About the author

Jen Ferguson (she/her/hers) Métis (on her father's side) and Canadian settler (on her mother's side) is an activist, a feminist, an auntie, and an accomplice armed with a PhD. She believes writing, teaching and beading are political acts. She is represented by Patricia Nelson at Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.

Her debut young adult novel, THE SUMMER OF BITTER AND SWEET, is forthcoming from Heartdrum / Harper Collins in the summer of 2022. Her first book for adults, Border Markers, a collection of interrelated flash fiction stories, is out now with NeWest Press.

She lives and works in Los Angeles.

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Visit her website to subscribe to News from the Michif Creamery, an occasional (seasonally or less) newsletter, for a chance to win The Summer of Bitter and Sweet themed prizes!

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Reviews

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A queer coming of age summer hiking story featuring a group of mixed race Indigenous teens who have planned a trip to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. This had great fat and disability rep and was full of a relatable cast of authentic characters. Good on audio and perfect for fans of authors like Cherie Dimaline, David Robertson or Christine Day. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

[Bethe · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars. She’s my pinecone :)
Traylor gave up hockey to stay in Edmonton with Hank and Molly, hiking PCT was dream after high school graduation but Hank was in climbing accident she blames Traylor for, Hank in coma for weeks, now has issues
Tray musical, full Métis, Molly half, her half brother full white
Hank to Tray: You’re always running after her, don’t you get tired when she doesn’t run towards you?
Excellent author note - where was this when I was growing up pudgy, and throughout my adult years? she’s a “small fat”, very body positive
Fat positive diet culture thigh gaps body ideals also effect men and enby (non binary)
Disordered eating
3 excellent audio narrators: Julie Lumsden, Jesse Nobess, and Shaun Taylor-Corbett

[Bailey · Rating 1 out of 5]

Kind of confused on what the whole story line was supposed to be.
Not my favorite by far and just glad that it is over.

[Jen (Fae_Princess_in_Space) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book and finished it in a day - I couldn’t put it down! As with a lot of YA coming-of-age novels it deals with that difficult crossover into adulthood as well as heavier topics such as grief, guilt and belonging.

There were so many philosophical threads to this book - the way the world treats fat people and disabled people, the challenges faced by queer folk, seemingly impossible to meet parental expectations and what it means to be Native in a world that is happy to erase your existence.

It is at its heart a backpack novel - we follow our main characters as they traverse the Pacific Crest Trail and as they find themselves out in the wilderness. There is Traylor, a Native Métis boy who gave up a future in the NHL to pursue music and stay with his friends, Molly a half white, half Métis girl who is struggling with her parents’ dreams for her and grieving over a life-altering injury sustained by her brother, all whilst living in a fat body in a world designed for thin people. Her brother Hank is gay, white and recovering from a traumatic fall that left him in a coma for almost a month. They, along with a group of beautifully written side characters are determined to walk the PTC and end up doing a lot of healing on the way.

Read A Constellation of Minor Bears for:
✨ Native (Métiz) rep
✨ Queer rep (gay, bi, lesbian, NB)
✨ Disability rep (caused by injury)
✨ Fat rep, including abusive ‘treatment’
✨ Teens walking the PTC
✨ Dealing with parental expectations
✨ Dealing with grief & guilt
✨ Healing sibling relationships
✨ The intensity of first love

The reason this one didn’t get the full 5 stars from me was because I didn’t feel like I connected with the characters overly… I felt that Molly’s rage was just so excessive and she refused to listen to reason at every turn. Traylor’s possessiveness of her put me on edge. He’s decided he loves her and is going to marry her, but doesn’t really seem to care what she wants? But maybe those intense feelings are all just part of the teenage experience and I’ve forgotten them - I’m sure I was like that as a baby queer teen 💕 I just feel like I would have preferred more of the actual hike itself rather than the endless circles of angst, arguments and hurt. But that’s just me!

Thank you so much to Harper360YA for the arc of this book!

[MarshTW · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Constellation of Minor Bears is everything I wanted it to be and more. Molly is making Hank's accident all about herself and shows how people can be very self-centered when someone becomes disabled later in life. However, you normally see authors tackle this with a character who is too busy blaming the accident on themself to actually listen to the person who became disabled. Instead, you see a different type of self-pity. Molly can't stop thinking about how Hanks accident affects her, not him. I like seeing Hanks perspective as a later-in-life disabled person, especially someone with a less visible injury. You never really get back to 100, that's just not how injuries, but brain injuries in particular, work. I enjoy how Ferguson shows passive racism in different ways and uses more indigenous ways of thinking to break down ableism. As someone who loves to be outside, hiking kayaking, camping, just anything, working through and acknowledging all the different poets and authors who made beautiful quotes but were horrible people is an awful part of media. Indigenous people are often a forgotten footnote of conversation. The only times we are talked about is to discredit us, and Ferguson shows that, but they also show the good parts of being a native which is so nice. Jen Ferguson's representation of fat phobia really hit me. I don't deal with it often and it helped me break it down and understand just how badly in can affect some people.

On a lighter note, I like how Tray and Molly eventually get over their issues and get together. Bryn is such a fun character and she makes me happy with her jokes. And of course, Matteo and Hank are absolutely adorable.

[laura rounce · Rating 1 out of 5]

I kept waiting and waiting for this story to come alive but it just didn’t for me. I felt the main character Molly was just mopey, moody and mean. Tray chased after her like a puppy even when he was continually rejected. Hank was an afterthought. Brynn came out of the blue in a very unlikely scenario. Molly was so disrespectful and mean to her parents that it made me hate her. I get that she was conflicted and trying to find her way; but her actions were inexcusable to my world. This coming of age story just didn’t do it for me. The other reviews I read were mixed with some absolutely loving this book, while equal number of reviewers did not like it either.

[Rebecca (onmybookitlist)]

I love Jen Ferguson’s books !! This one explores identity, has a focus on friendships and shows the importance of standing up for yourself. Each character engages and perceives the traumatic experience Hank has endured in different ways. Molly has a lot of anger at Tray and herself throughout the book and there are moments where she must confront these feelings. The Reddit sections were interesting to read because those were the times we get to see Hank truly express his feelings about his disability and the way people around him treat him.

Brynn is a character that starts to realize what her reality is isn’t something she should accept and she starts to fight for her rights. It was tough to read about as her parents are abusive. I love the friendships between each of the characters and how a found family was formed.

I love a friends to lovers story and this has so many sweet moments between Molly and Tray especially towards the end. There are times when I wanted them to communicate better because I could see both characters were hurting but I loved that by the end they started to realize that they truly loved each other. Overall the found family and love these characters experience were some of the sweetest moments.

Thank you @FrenzyBooks and NetGalley for the e-ARC.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

more like 3.5 but not 4 Stars

[Jude (NovelReader13) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[Tara West · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're on the fence about reading this one, please give it a chance! It's worth it.

It's rare for me to read for fun and sit with what is going on in a novel, but Ferguson had me researching as I read because there's so much I don't know about hiking, the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail), or experiencing this world in a fat body or an Indigenous identity.

This book hits hard when the characters share their stories. I love Molly. I've felt like Molly striving to be some twisted version of perfect. I love Tray whose love for music and stories transcends my ability to hum a tune. I love Hank, who is grappling with a new way of life and of himself and realizing how tricky memories are. With all of the conplexitoies of existing in a world that doesn't fit for your identity or way of life, anger can be easy. It can make things easy or easier. It can simplify. But, like a good trail, easy isn't always the best option.

[Abigail · Rating 2 out of 5]

This started well, hooking me in an evening, and then became a slog. There were many good themes and representations here…and then the actual story got lost in the heavy-handed, hit-you-over-the-head-with-it shoehorning of them into the book. Lots of implausible resolutions to very complicated problems.
This was a miss for me.

[Kaitlyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Chi Miigwetch, Thank you to NetGalley and Heartdrum for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!*

This is my third Jen Ferguson read who always delivers on queer Native representation and this book is no different. Most of the main characters are queer and our two main-main characters, Traylor and Molly, are both Métis teenagers. The representation is highlighted in a way that does best suit a YA audience. There is explanation into some Indigenous issues and queer issues that might not be fully understood for younger or more sheltered audiences which is really beneficial to the story and understanding these characters.

This book also tackles fatphobia and ableism that comes from a traumatic injury as well as all the ways they can manifest and impact different people. I loved that contrast because even people who face similar issues will experience them differently and there is no holding back that messaging in this novel. They are also extremely important topics, again, for a younger or more sheltered audience because it poses a lot of questions and lays out how those differences manifest in ways they might not have previously considered. I personally enjoyed how Jen tackles the way a disabling event for one person can also impact the people who love them. While keeping in focus the importance of listening to the needs of that specific person above all. Whether that be more or less care and how they are still their own person even if some things have changed.

As for the rest of the story, I didn’t rate higher because I do wish some aspects were a little more subtle and not repeated constantly. Native storytelling often has a lot of repetition that is beneficial, and I do see that here in this book, but there are parts that just got a little frustrating and I think it is because what is repeated so often is a heavy subject. There is a huge emphasis on what happened with Hank, Molly’s brother, and how she is dealing with it and it is stated over and over and over and over through the whole novel. Start to finish. I think this could have been done without spelling it outright again and again when they are having these conversations or interacting. It personally did not work for me but I do think that is an area that is subjective. This is a heartfelt, heavy story and I think not holding back punches will serve this novel well.

Overall, I do think that although this is YA, it would work for a mature middle grade audience too. There is a lot of crossover here with different age ranges that I think it could be suitable for and that in itself is good storytelling.

Rep: fat queer Métis MC, Métis MC, gay SC w/ post concussive syndrome, plus size queer SC, wlw SC, and nonbinary SC.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to be an early reader of this novel and it blew me away. I usually don’t read contemporary novels as a die hard fantasy fan, but this book captivated me from page one with its honesty, quirkiness, and genuinely flawed and visceral characters. I couldn’t put it down.

In the wake of Hank’s death, Molly and Tray end up on the hiking trip that should have been for three. Molly is clearly in the anger piece of her grief journey and Tray is trying to heal what was broken. This is the ultimate find-yourself journey novel with a host of feels and amazing side characters. There is one side character I am particularly attached to and I have confirmation from the author that they ARE in the final edit.

Huzzah!

If you want to meet them, you’ll just have to read it for yourself.

[Leah M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to HarperCollins, Heartdrum, and Jenny Lu for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I received a gorgeous hard copy of this book from the publisher, and let me tell you, this book will be gracing my shelves. You know how you just hear about or see a book and can’t wait to read it and love it? That’s exactly what happened to me with this one. Let me list all the reasons I loved this book and everything about it.

For starters, the cover is what caught my attention. It features visibly indigenous characters, and two fat female characters, all sitting around a tent. I’m always especially intrigued by books that don’t have the typical covers, even though I do love my cartoon-style romance covers, intricate designs for fantasy, and other pretty covers. This cover spoke to me, as a fat, bisexual, disabled woman, the same way that the cover for The Life and Crimes of Hoodie Rosen spoke to my experience of being associated with an Orthodox Jewish temple, featuring a visibly Orthodox Jewish character with a kosher supermarket in the background, right on the cover.

Once I got started reading, it became clear that this would be a book that featured diverse representation. The story is told through the perspective of the three main characters in the story, Molly, Traylor, and Hank. Personally, I thought that this was the best possible way to tell this story, since it allows readers to see inside the heads of each of the characters during their first-person chapters, and they all sounded very different.

The story delves into some heavy topics, and it speaks to Ferguson’s talent at addressing themes like ableism, guilt, fatphobia, sexuality, grief, and learning to find acceptance of ourselves no matter what others think or say. The dramatic and difficult hike of the Pacific Coast Trail sets the background for this story. It adds a level of unpredictability, since the hike involves traveling through wilderness where they can encounter bears, characters that gave me the creeps, and some surprisingly new friends. In addition, these hikes force people together in physically and mentally challenging terrain, often leading to an opening to discuss deeper topics.

Molly is filled with anger—she’s angry at the accident that left her brother with a traumatic brain injury, she’s angry at Tray because he was with Hank at the time, and she’s angry with herself for not being there on that one day that changed everything for the three of them. It was hard to like her at times because she was such an angry character for a good portion of the story, and while I could understand why she feels the way she does. However, she grew a lot over the course of the journey, both as an individual and as part of what becomes a found family.

In addition to all of this, the experience of racism and other prejudices that each main character perceives is different. Tray’s experience as a visibly indigenous teenager (Métis) is different from Molly’s as bisexual, biracial (Métis/Caucasian) teenager, which is different from Hank’s experience as a gay, Caucasian man with a disability. I could easily picture the three of them before Hank’s accident as the Three Musketeers: all for one and one for all. But Hank’s accident put a fracture in their relationship than none of them seem to know how to mend, even though none of them has given up on any others.

Overall, I was incredibly impressed with this book, and have already recommended it to at least one friend. The incorporation of Métis culture and heritage into the story, the difficult relationships and emotions that gradually build, explode, and reform into something new over the course of the story. I found the juxtaposition of the changing points in their lives (this was their postgraduation plan) with the changing bonds between them all, and their individual discovery of who they are not that everything has changed. I can’t say enough good things about this book, but I have the feeling that if I rave any more, I’ll just be repeating myself. I’d recommend this to readers who like diverse books, busy plots set against a dramatic natural setting, learning about the experiences of people who might look, think, or believe differently than them, and reading YA contemporary books featuring diverse characters.

[Katy Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible. 10/10. Must read!

A Constellation of Minor Bears
(Jen Ferguson)
A Constellation of Minor Bears is about Molly, her brother, Hank, and their best friend, Traylor. All of their lives changed when Hank’s climbing equipment failed and he fell way too far, Traylor helpless to stop his best friend from breaking his body and seriously injuring his brain. Hank spends weeks in a coma and then months in rehab. While his life hung in the balance Molly made a promise to the universe she doesn’t know if she can keep anymore: If he wakes up, she’ll continue on the path her parents set for her to become a doctor but when he wakes up she starts to realize medicine might not be right for her. The plans they all made for their futures suddenly change, especially their plan to hike the Pacific Crest Trail together the summer after graduation. As the book opens, Molly and Traylor graduate while Hank is stuck at home in summer school. Molly and Traylor head off on their dream hike without Hank and Molly can’t contain her anger towards Traylor: she can’t help but feel he should have been able to save her brother from falling—but little does she know that Traylor is in love with her, imagines a future for them. Can Molly move on and figure out what she wants next? Or will she continue to carry her anger? As Hank decides to join Traylor and Molly the tension builds between the characters who are all struggling with life that looks different from how they thoughts it would.

Ferguson’s strategic and artful storytelling bring this story to life. From switching perspectives between the main characters—Molly, Hank, and Traylor—to going back and forth in time, to developing metaphors around song making and bears, to writing about characters who are on a journey while also on a hiking adventure, Ferguson brings many plot lines, themes, ad important conversations together in an engaging and natural way. Reminiscent of Nic Stone, Aiden Thomas, and Angie Thomas, Jen Ferguson uses a character driven story to help readers think about privilege, intersectionality, advocacy, body image, racism, native land, and more. Every library that serves secondary students needs a copy of this book.

There are so many reasons to love this book: It’s a great conversation starter for so many important topics. It also has something that can appeal to so many kinds of readers—those who love hiking, the outdoors, and the wilderness; those who love a romance; and those that love books that are strong on character development, show characters overcoming their grief, or coming of age tales. There is something for everyone! This would be a fantastic addition to any secondary library and would be a great choice for any program, book club, or required or choice reading. Five stars - Can’t recommend enough!

[Olivia S · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started out loving this book, but felt like it just kind of lost momentum for me as it went on. Agree with many of the comments above, and I particularly liked the exploration of Molly and Hank's changing relationship around their complicated reactions to his accident and resulting disability. I loved the PCT aspect of the book (I loved Wild so already knew a bit about the trail. I'm curious if those who weren't familiar with it had any difficulty following along with the concept of it and terms like "trail angels", or if it was self-explanatory). I loved Those Pink Mountain Nights a few years ago, and do agree with Diana that I thought that one was a little stronger, although this one feels more YA to me.

Generally I love Ferguson's writing, but I noticed in Pink Mountain Nights as well that sometimes I find this author's writing a bit hard to follow. I'm able to figure out what she means, but there are definitely sentences and paragraphs that I re-read several times, and just couldn't really parse her phrasing or what exactly she was saying. This might be a writing style or language use/dialect type of thing, and maybe others don't have this issue. I do find it distracting though and quite frequent.

I found the jumping between perspectives, particularly Molly to Tray to be a bit jarring. I think this is partly because I was getting very engaged in the storylines, which is a good thing, but sometimes I would be several paragraphs into a new chapter before I remembered that it was a different perspective and had to go back and re-read. I also found the changing dynamics of the relationship between Molly and Tray to get a bit old. I appreciate that the story explored the ways that romance and love are not mutually exclusive and that romantic love isn't perfect, but I started feeling confused and annoyed by the end of it in terms of what they were doing and what they each thought they were doing, which rarely felt clear or aligned to me. The nicknames for Molly also felt overdone.

The interludes about song were a cool idea, but just didn't land for me, and again, felt like I couldn't fully understand the writing. Similarly the bear references felt a bit heavy-handed and never really came full circle for me.

I think the end just felt a bit like it was just playing out things that had already been discussed to death or thought about to death in the characters' minds, so I kind of lost the interest I felt at the beginning. I still enjoyed reading it, and thought there were really important things covered, I just feel like it kind of fizzled out for me.

[Tonja Drecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emotions slice and stab in a tale not only about forgiving others but learning to find ones' own place in the mess called life.

Molly was excited about the graduation trip, but after the accident, which left her brother injured and pushed him behind schedule, she's bordering on bitter. He could have come along but refused, since he hasn't graduated yet. So, she's stuck with their best friend Tray, who she can't help but blame for letting her brother get injured in the first place. To make things worse, her parents expect Tray to watch out for her—insulting and irritating. Somehow, she'll have to force herself to make it through the trip without letting her anger explode. But there is more coming her way than she thought.

The writing in these pages flows extremely well. The characters come across with tons of personality and a raw naturalness, which makes it easy to read and sink into. There are tons of emotions at play, and this slides in nicely with the age group. Some are understandable, while others are over-the-top. All have things they are bottling up, and each believes they can handle everything themselves, despite knowing that they truly can't. The back-and-forths carry snark edged with hints of naked truth, which hits with a personal note for readers to connect with.

An entire kettle full of problems and baggage stew in these pages, and many of the themes fit well with the audience. The first pages head right into this turmoil as Molly prepares for her graduation and trip, and that with a begrudging attitude carrying bite. Her anger is clear, and it hits everyone around her. The reader, however, remains in the dark concerning most of the reason until later in the novel...which does build tension and hold curiosity but isn't quite my thing. This brewing negativity clings to Molly like a second skin, and while she forces herself to be pleasant and deal with things, it makes her hard to like, at times. The other characters harbor their own issues to add to a thick weave of subplots and keep the tale intriguing. It mishes together to create a rich, emotional read, which hits upon more than a few social issues and personal battles on the path to finding balance.

[Jesaka Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of Jen Ferguson's strengths as an author is her depiction of community: the connections they offer, the way(s) they can root us, the importance to thinking beyond ourselves and how we contribute (or not) to our communities. Given that her newest novel A CONSTELLATION OF MINOR BEARS focuses on three teenagers and a postgraduation hike along the Pacific Crest Trail, it seemed like community may not play a central role--but it does. There are the communities Tray and Molly are connected to; the community along the trail (from fellow hikers to people who offer support along the way); to the community they form as they make their way to their chosen destinations. For fans of Ferguson, she offers some great glimpses and/or sly references to characters and places in her earlier novels.

The challenges facing Molly, Tray, and Hank are nuanced to each character and further complicated by their relationships with each other. Molly is understandably shaken by her bother Hank's accident and her feelings about Tray being at the site where Hank was injured. Tray's love for Molly and Hank--such deep love that he made decisions based on his friendship(s) with the siblings--both motivates and holds him back, especially when it comes to his life choices and his connection with his Indigenous community.

As these entanglements put their hike on the rocks (sometimes literally) the depth of their individual and joint pains are revealed, though not necessarily all healed. Ferguson brilliantly ties the characters' internal struggles with their external challenges along the Pacific Crest Trail. I look forward to using A CONSTELLATION OF MINOR BEARS with my creative writing students who are tackling novels this year. They're going to learn so much from this book and its author.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Representations: Native (Métiz), Mixed race, White, Latinx SC, Gay, bi, lesbian SC, nonbinary SC, disability - traumatic brain injury,
TW: parental abuse, hiking/climbing-related injuries, fat phobia (and because snakes are my personal difficulty - a couple snakes on the trail)
Swearing and Sex: "that's bear shit. No disrespect to bears" repeat, every few pages. One character has a sex-implied sleepover. Otherwise, some kissing. Lots of discussion about consent and boundaries (romantic and nonromantic).

So I don't know how to feel about this book. I read it in two days, so it had an un-put-downable factor. I loved the characters, and I enjoyed the plot, but I felt like I was being lectured about how to: be a good ally (for multiple reps), show/reciprocate romantic interest, and deal with changing relationships. I often felt like I was reading a book about psychology professors trying to explain to each other *ahem, the reader* how to be better. Occasionally, one of the characters refers to various gods as "you" and starts talking directly to the reader. Some strange phrasing and word choice didn't help here because I had to go back and reread to figure out what was actually happening.

I have two theories about this book, and I'm not sure which is correct. Possibility one: the author underwrote the story. The metaphors with bears and music and the explanations about how people aren't quite ready to see truth and accept their mistakes don't quite get to where they need to be for a fully coherent narrative. Possibility two: This is literature. The subtleties are profound and leave the reader enough room to come to a greater understanding, and I'm just missing something here.

[Bethany Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Molly grapples with anger and grief after her brother's tragic accident, embarking on a Pacific Crest Trail hike with the very friend she blames. As she confronts her emotions, unexpected challenges reveal the complexities of forgiveness and healing.

I finished this one yesterday and have been trying to come up with the right words to talk about how much I LOVED it. Truly, a top tier read. I had the privilege to meet Jen earlier this year and as soon as I got home, I preordered this book. She is the kindest, funniest, sweetest, and she is real. I loved her so much I knew I needed her book.

Anyway. This book. Molly!!!! My girl!!! I loved her. She is dealing with some incredibly hard things at 17, with her best friend taking the brunt of her frustration. She’s messy. She’s strong. She’s funny. She’s caring. She’s confident. She’s scared. She’s imperfect. And that’s why I love her.

I adored Tray and his POV was magic. I loved being inside his head and learning how he felt a lot both Hank and Molly, among other things. He is such a kind and caring soul, and he truly loves Molly with all of his heart. I loved his realizations and how much he grew. He’s not perfect either, but he’s perfect for Molly.

Hank!! His AITA posts were so great. I loved being inside his head too. I only wish we had more because he’s such a great character. Hank is dealing with some traumatic events and he does it so well and even though he struggles, he tries to find the good in things when he can. Yeah, he messes up. But that’s life.

The central conflict was so well done in this novel. I haven’t stopped thinking about it. I also loved our friends we met on the trail. I wanted to hug them.

An incredible read. The audio was fantastic.

[Stephanie Tournas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Molly has just graduated from high school and is ready for a long awaited hike of the PCT. The hike was supposed to be Molly, her brother Hank and their mutual best friend Tray, but Hank sustained a traumatic brain injury while climbing so he doesn’t come. And Molly believes that the injury was due to Tray’s negligence so she is consumed with anger for her one and only hiking partner.

Through the alternating voices of Molly and Tray, readers are treated to the story of how these young people come to terms with their present and make plans for their future. They also think about racism (Molly and Tray are Métis; Hank is white) and anti-fat bias. And the pain and glory of their 800 mile-hike is also an important part. Both teens are incredibly thoughtful and smart. Molly’s anger with the world is managed with scientific precision. Tray, a musician and one of the sweetest protagonists ever, is optimistic and in love with Molly. Much of the bike is about their relationship. And then Hank surprises them by joining them on the trail, and Molly has to figure out if she’s angry at Hank too. Such intense emotions are danced around and finally taken head on in very satisfying conversations near the end of the book. There is romance: Molly and Tray’s that unfolds gradually; Hank and Matteo, whom he meets on the way. Brynn, a 16 year old who is running away from the ‘fat camp’ her parents force her to attend, becomes a close friend of the group. I loved this group of teens searching for their truth, and how the author wove in their Native American backgrounds and discussions of important topics. Also, the cover animates the characters nicely.

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found Jen Ferguson’s writing to be powerful, moving and really thought provoking. She portrays the struggles of teenagers very convincingly and I’m sure many will relate to
much of what the characters go through.

The book deals with some pretty major topics including trauma, love-hate relationships, self-forgiveness, positive body image and also issues of race, as two of the main
characters are Metis, as is the author. I found this to be particularly interesting, coming from the UK and not knowing much about Canadian indigenous people. I really liked that Tray’s culture, music and stories are interwoven in his character and how Molly is just beginning to explore who she is. Well done to the author for allowing this to shine through the story.

I also appreciated having alternate chapters from the viewpoints of Tray, Molly and Hank as it means the reader can see multiple sides of the same story and get to know the characters more intimately- a key part to this novel. The use of very short chapters written as forum posts, or streams of consciousness were also quite clever as it helped to break up the story into different sections.

While it may not be your stereotypical action-packed adventure story, as a lot of the drama is focused on the characters internal feelings, there is still plenty of drama and unexpected twists to be found! I especially liked the character of Brynne, but won’t give any spoilers!

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am officially hooked on Jen Ferguson’s writing. This is the third book I have read of hers and I am already anxious to get my hands on another one! The writing weaves a beautiful story that is both engrossing and impactful. Molly, her brother, Hank, and their best friend, Tray were inseparable until a traumatic accident came between them all. Molly is mad it happened and can’t help but blame Tray and even herself. Now their senior hiking trip they’ve been planning together isn’t going to be the same and Hank can’t even go at all as a result of his brain injury. Setting out on the Pacific Crest Trail together, Molly falls into easy anger with Tray who is extremely understanding in his care for her. This book shines a light on the unfairness of the world, including racism against Natives nations, and trying to grapple with the aftermath. I laughed and cried my way through the themes of love, hurt, guilt, forgiveness, weight, family, and friends. I highly recommend doing yourself a favor and reading this book. Thank you HarperCollins Children's Books | Heartdrum for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Alexa Blart, Library Cop · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid audiobook. Not my favorite of Ferguson's, but I think I liked it a little better than her previous book, Those Pink Mountain Nights—the setting of this book, on a hike of the Pacific Crest Trail, was really compelling, and I wished that there were more of the teens' trail adventures included in this story. The messy, complicated, and ultimately very loving bond between Molly, Tray, and Hank was really well written; Ferguson has a gift for not only being able to understand teens deeply, but to respect them and their struggles utterly. Also, for such a short book, it manages to pack in a hell of a lot of conversations about big topics like land ownership, Indigenous identity (Tray and Molly are both Métis, but Molly, who has a white mother, struggles with a sense of disconnection from her Métis identity), fat liberation, ableism—as well as grief, guilt, shame, and trauma, as all three main characters grapple with the aftermath of a terrible climbing accident Tray inadvertently caused, which left Hank disabled, and Molly with a complicated relationship with Tray. An author I will continue to eagerly follow!

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars

This is one of the best books I have read all year, and I say that in complete seriousness. This book absolutely surprised me, because it isn't the type of book that I tend to fall in love with. But the characters here are so compelling, incredibly nuanced and incredibly real. This is the absolute best type of coming-of-age story, and I mean that as the highest of praise. I read a lot of Bildungsroman, and not a lot achieve what they set out to do.

Anyway, I've got a lot more praises to sing here, but I'm saving those for my full review which will be published at Gateway Reviews on October 18, 2024. Swing by and give it a look if you get the chance!

Note: I was provided with an ARC by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.

[Jessica Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Constellation of Minor Bears is one of those books that will speak in some way to whomever reads it. Author Jen Ferguson tackles topics ranging from racism and body image to parental expectations and differing kinds of love.

The story unfolds from Molly and Traylor’s first-person accounts and Hank’s AITA (Am I The Asshole?) posts. These three unique voices are very personal, raw and real. These are well-developed main characters that are dealing with real-life implications. Their individual struggles with what they want for themselves and their friends makes for a compelling read.

Author Jen Ferguson has crafted a novel that ebbs and flows like the Pacific Crest Trail. She captures nature’s rugged beauty, making you feel like you are right on the trail next to Molly, Traylor and Hank.

A Constellation of Minor Bears isn’t a particularly fast-moving novel, but it’s one you want to stick with. It’s a story of self-discovery and connection that will resonate with many readers.

[kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

A moving, funny, chaotic and beautifully written coming-of-age story. With nuance explorations of anger, friendship, societal and parental pressures, body diversity, Indigenous rights and grieving a life that was, this was a truly special YA read.

I do want to warn that there's some heavy instances and discussions of fatphobia, however this is all external. The internal messages of body acceptance, however, I found to be incredibly refreshing and empowering.

Overall, this was a wonderful read with a gorgeous cast of characters, an incredibly sweet romance and a beautiful focus on siblings and friendship and I loved every moment.

What to expect:

- Found family
- Indiginous rep (fmc & mmc)
- Fat rep (fmc and side character)
- Queer rep (fmc, mmc, side characters lesbian, bi, non binary, gay)
- Disability rep after a traumatic brain injury (mmc)
- Hiking hijinks
- Childhood friends-to-hate-to-love

[Lisa Berkley · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is not the book for me. I thought this book would be interesting because I liked the movie Wild, about a woman who hiked the Pacific Crest Trail and this seemed similar. Molly, Tray and Hank hiked 800 miles from start to finish and I slogged through every mile with them. Molly was portrayed as conflicted, hurt and struggling with her future. Yet I just thought she was a big brat, fighting with the others for ridiculous reasons. Her behavior made me crazy. I am not a fighter. I avoid conflict at all costs. So reading this book was torture. Each chapter was told by each character and while I usually like that type of writing, I got confused as to who was talking. The only good thing about trudging through this book is I earned the “Native Voices” badge in the reading challenge. I wish I could get back the 7 days it took me to schlep through this incredibly annoying book.⭐️

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quiet Indigenous story that picks apart many topics teens deal with and a few that they don't typically-- as Indigenous youth and in a mixed family because Molly is Indigenous but her brother Hank is not-- they grapple with identity. Hank ended up with a TBI from a climbing accident that Molly harbors anger toward her friend Trey for being somewhat responsible for. Molly deals with fatphobia especially on Trey and her hike in the Pacific Northwest. She's got pressure from her parents to move toward one trajectory while she has to decide if that's really her or not.

It's all there in a lovely mix of friendship, relationships, family, illness, identity, and hope for the future in the Jen Ferguson way.

[Jenni V. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up on a whim from a display of diverse books at a library. Saying it took 5 days to read is correct but not the full picture...the only reason it took so many days is because I would become so absorbed so quickly that I didn't want to read it unless I had time to devote to it. I would say it's a 2-3 sittings book if you have time.

It's a very very high 4 but I just couldn't get to a 5 after the second round of Brynn and how it was resolved. The plot twist before she left was outstanding and I was happy to see her again but the seriousness of the situation didn't mix with the off-camera quick resolution in my mind.

I will definitely read this author again.

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