I Won't Feel This Way Forever - by Kim Spencer (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

★ "Explores adolescence, grief, and intergenerational relationships. Spencer draws readers into Mia's world and family life...Both Indigenous and non-Indigenous readers will enjoy reading about Mia's life and are likely to come away wanting more." -- Quill & Quire, starred review

It's the summer of 1989, and Mia is on her own--adjusting to life without her ex-best friend, Lara.

Summer vacation starts off well enough as Mia binges MuchMusic and learns how to jar fish with her aunty and uncle. Then her grandma starts feeling unwell. At first, Mia isn't too worried, but when a call comes in from the clinic to say her grandmother has to go to the hospital in Vancouver, everyone realizes this is serious.

Mia and her mom and aunties head to the city to be by her grandmother's side. Mia mostly ping-pongs from the hospital to the motel, but she also gets to see some of the city and eat (too much) takeout. She even joins a basketball camp at the Friendship Centre, where she meets a teen coach who inspires her to get back into the game she loves and delve deeper into what it means to be Indigenous. As time passes, Mia's grandmother's health doesn't improve, and she has to face the fact that her beloved grandma might not get better.

The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

Praise for Kim Spencer's Weird Rules to Follow

★"Readers will be left with a rich image of Mia's world and the family and people that surround her as well as a strong sense of how culture and class impact people's experiences. A touching exploration of identity and culture."--Kirkus Reviews

Review Quotes

★ "Spencer draws readers into Mia's world and family life. Small moments, such as the way Mia revels in sunny days in Prince Rupert because they're few and far between, or the recitation of menu items from the Chinese restaurant her grandmother loves, give the story great immediacy and life...Both Indigenous and non-Indigenous readers will enjoy reading about Mia's life and are likely to come away wanting more."

"In so many ways, Spencer has given us a book that...West Coasters will immediately recognize as part of us. [And] any adult who remembers how hard early teen transition years were will have sympathy for the emotional confusion and sadness Mia goes through. "

About the Author

Kim Spencer is an award-winning, bestselling author. Her debut novel, Weird Rules to Follow, received a Kirkus starred review and was a 2023 Governor General's Literary Award finalist. The book won multiple awards, including a 2023 TD Canadian Children's Literature Award, a 2023 Jean Little First-Novel Award and a 2024 Pacific Northwest Book Award. It was also on the IBBY 2024 Honour List and the USBBY Outstanding International Books List in 2023. Kim is from the Gitxaala Nation and lives in northwest BC.