Tahira in Bloom

Gr 9 Up–A fresh YA novel that includes a ton of representation, friendship, romance, determination, and a whole lot of coming-of-age. Tahira is 17 and living in Toronto. Her dedication to her blooming fashion career is only second to her parents’ desire to see her succeed and get into FIT in New York City. After a fluke accident, her summer internship is canceled and she opts to work at her aunt’s shop a few hours outside of Toronto in small-town Canada for the summer. The town, Bakewell, is obsessed with flowers, which is definitely not Tahira’s aesthetic—but is it the next trend? Filled with current teen slang, Instagram posts, awkward relationships, broken friendships, and a lot of growth all summer, the novel follows Tahira as she comes to realize what matters most isn’t the branding and networking opportunities, but the art behind her passion—or the passion behind her art. Indian Canadian, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA+ representation is seamlessly woven into this coming-of-age story that has authentic and realistic experiences captured in an age appropriate manner.