Death, Dickinson, and the Demented Life of Frenchie Garcia

In Sanchez's multi-layered follow-up YA to The Downside of Being Charlie, Frenchie Garcia recreates the night she had with Andy Cooper right before he committed suicide.

TAYSHAS 2014 Reading list Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Books of 2013 It is the summer after Frenchie Garcia's senior year, and she can't come to grips with the death of Andy Cooper. Her friends don't know that she had a secret crush on her classmate, and they especially don't know that she was with Andy right before he committed suicide. The only person who does know is Frenchie's imaginary pal Em (a.k.a. Emily Dickinson), who she hangs out with at the cemetery down the street. When Frenchie's guilt and confusion come to a head, she decides there is only one way to truly figure out why Andy chose to be with her during his last hours. While exploring the emotional depth of loss and transition to adulthood, Sanchez's sharp humour and clever observations bring forth a richly developed voice.