Frankie & Bug – Gayle Forman (2021)

Frankie & Bug by Gayle Forman, published in 2021, is a poignant middle-grade novel set in Venice, California, during the summer of 1987. A beloved entry in Forman’s body of work, this novel marks her first foray into writing for younger readers, weaving a warm and powerful coming-of-age story about identity, friendship, and justice. As Bug navigates a summer unlike any other, her unexpected bond with a new friend named Frankie reshapes her understanding of the world and herself.

Plot Summary

In the summer of 1987, ten-year-old Bug Contreras believed she had her life figured out. Venice Beach was her playground, her escape, and her promise of freedom after months of strict school rules and long bus rides. Every summer, she and her older brother Danny made a pact with their mother – follow the rules, check in with Kip the lifeguard, never swim alone, always stick together. But this year, everything changed. Danny wanted space, insisted on being called Daniel, and no longer had time for sand and surf. And just like that, summer was canceled.

Her mother, overworked at the mayor’s office and distracted by a string of serial killings shaking Southern California, had a plan to redeem Bug’s summer. Phillip, their kind and cultured upstairs neighbor, was bringing in his nephew from Ohio – an eleven-year-old named Frankie. At first, Bug imagined a kindred spirit, someone who would love the beach, eat fish and chips with her, maybe even build castles in the sand. But when Frankie stepped off the plane with a small backpack and a stiff demeanor, it became clear that he wasn’t at all what she expected.

Frankie didn’t like the beach. He didn’t even own a bathing suit. He wasn’t from the kind of place where people roller-skated or danced with boomboxes down the boardwalk. He spent his time mapping the movements of the Midnight Marauder, the serial killer whose crimes were making front page news. Bug, who’d only wanted a companion to chase waves with, found herself increasingly frustrated. But Phillip insisted they give each other a chance. Bug, determined not to let her summer be ruined, tried – and failed – to find common ground.

Their worlds collided and clashed like the Pacific tide. Frankie was cautious, reserved, and oddly obsessed with justice. Bug was impulsive, bold, and couldn’t understand why anyone would choose mystery over a day in the sun. But when Frankie shared his hand-drawn map – covered in dots marking each attack by the Midnight Marauder – something shifted. Bug saw not just dots and patterns, but a glimpse into who Frankie was. Behind the thick layers of mystery, there was pain and purpose.

Daniel, meanwhile, drifted further from Bug. Once her partner in beachside adventures, he now spent his time at Muscle Beach, drawn to older teens and weight benches. When he agreed to take Bug and Frankie out for a day, he left them almost immediately. Bug, longing for connection, felt more alone than ever. She tried to draw Frankie into her world – into the waves, into her circle of summer friends – but he remained on the fringe, observant and guarded.

Still, there were cracks in the wall between them. At dinner parties in their backyard lanai, in the warmth of their makeshift family with Phillip and Hedvig, the eccentric Hungarian landlady, Bug began to see that Frankie wasn’t just another bored kid from Ohio. He had come with a secret, one too heavy for someone his age to carry alone. And Bug, despite her temper and her longing for her brother, began to understand that this summer wasn’t about the beach at all.

Frankie was searching for someone – not the Midnight Marauder, but his own truth. As the summer days passed, he and Bug started piecing together more than just the case. Through late-night conversations, secret stakeouts, and one tense encounter with a neighbor who wasn’t who she seemed, Frankie opened up. He shared the reason he was here, hundreds of miles from his parents – they couldn’t accept that Frankie wasn’t the girl they thought they were raising.

Bug listened, her mind stretching past what she thought she knew about people, about gender, about identity. Frankie’s courage, though quiet, struck her in a way no wave ever could. She realized that justice wasn’t only about catching criminals – it was about seeing people, loving them as they are, and standing beside them even when it’s hard.

A moment of danger brought everything to a head. When a mix-up led them to suspect their own landlady Hedvig of harboring secrets about the Midnight Marauder, Bug and Frankie followed the thread with both fear and excitement. What they found wasn’t a killer, but a woman who had also survived cruelty and prejudice in her own past. Hedvig’s story, woven with loss, resilience, and reinvention, mirrored Frankie’s in ways that neither of them had expected. That encounter became a mirror, showing both kids the complexity of adulthood and the many faces of courage.

With the summer drawing to a close, Bug finally found peace with the things she couldn’t control. Daniel was growing up, yes, but he wasn’t gone. They still shared the sea, even if they no longer swam in it together. Bug and Frankie, once strangers forced into proximity, were now something more – co-conspirators, truth-seekers, and true friends.

On their last beach day, Bug didn’t need to beg anyone to go swimming. She walked to the edge, knowing Frankie would be watching from the shore. And that was enough. Her summer had changed, and so had she. No longer the girl whose world ended at the tide’s edge, Bug had stepped into deeper water. And beside her – not behind, not ahead – stood Frankie, finally seen, finally known.

Main Characters

• Beatrice “Bug” Contreras – A spirited and observant ten-year-old girl of Salvadoran descent, Bug is deeply attached to her routines, especially summers spent at the beach with her older brother. When this tradition is disrupted, Bug’s discomfort grows, but so does her curiosity. Her emotional arc centers on grappling with change, learning empathy, and opening her heart to new perspectives and people.

• Frankie – Eleven years old and newly arrived from Ohio, Frankie is reserved, analytical, and driven by a mysterious personal mission. As Bug’s summer companion, Frankie’s guarded nature slowly unfolds to reveal a deeply personal reason for his stay, culminating in his brave assertion of his transgender identity. His journey is one of quiet strength, truth, and resilience.

• Daniel (formerly Danny) – Bug’s older brother, Daniel is fourteen and growing distant as he seeks space and maturity. Once Bug’s best summer companion, his transformation from “Danny” to “Daniel” symbolizes the painful but necessary shifts that come with growing up.

• Phillip – Bug’s upstairs neighbor and Frankie’s uncle, Phillip is warm, artistic, and supportive. He provides stability and encouragement, especially for Frankie, and exemplifies chosen family and non-traditional parenthood.

• Hedvig – The eccentric downstairs neighbor, Hedvig is known for her unorthodox cooking and big personality. Her home becomes a haven of unexpected wisdom and kindness, especially as Bug begins to understand the deeper stories people carry.

Theme

• Identity and Self-Discovery – At the heart of the novel lies the theme of discovering who you truly are. Both Bug and Frankie embark on internal journeys that lead them to define themselves more honestly and fully. Frankie’s quiet courage in expressing his transgender identity is a powerful anchor of this theme.

• Prejudice and Acceptance – The novel addresses various forms of prejudice—racism, transphobia, and homophobia—subtly but firmly. Through Frankie’s experiences, and Bug’s gradual awareness of the world’s injustices, the narrative becomes a call to empathy and allyship.

• Found Family and Friendship – Strong emotional connections form the basis of family in Frankie & Bug. From Phillip and Hedvig to Bug and Frankie, the story celebrates how love and loyalty, not just blood, shape our most important relationships.

• Justice and Morality – A subplot involving a serial killer, the Midnight Marauder, introduces questions of safety, crime, and the pursuit of justice. It’s a clever narrative mirror to the characters’ internal struggles—especially Bug’s growing interest in what is fair, right, and worth fighting for.

• Change and Growing Up – The story gently portrays the inevitability of change—friends grow apart, siblings mature, and personal truths demand recognition. Bug’s journey is about learning that growing up doesn’t mean giving up what matters, but redefining it.

Writing Style and Tone

Gayle Forman’s writing in Frankie & Bug is heartfelt, sincere, and accessible, with a tone that delicately balances the innocence of childhood with the sobering realizations of growing up. Her prose is rich in sensory detail—readers can smell the brine of the ocean, hear the cacophony of Venice Beach, and feel the sting of moments when truth collides with expectation. The language is tailored to a middle-grade audience, yet never condescending, allowing young readers to feel respected and understood.

Narratively, Forman uses a close third-person point of view centered on Bug, capturing her evolving thoughts with authenticity and subtle humor. Dialogue is another standout element—each character has a distinct voice, and Forman skillfully navigates conversations that range from lighthearted bickering to deeply emotional revelations. The juxtaposition of Bug’s innocence and Frankie’s quiet intensity creates a textured tone, moving fluidly between playfulness and poignancy.