1987. There’s only one person who has ever truly understood
fourteen-year-old June Elbus, and that’s her uncle, the renowned painter, Finn
Weiss. Shy at school and distant from her once inseparable older sister, June
can only be herself in Finn’s company; he is her godfather, confidant, and best
friend. So when he dies far too young of an illness her mother can barely name, June’s world is turned upside down.
At Finn’s funeral, June notices a strange man
lingering just beyond the crowd. A few days later, she receives a package in
the mail. Inside is a beautiful teapot she recognizes from Finn’s apartment,
and a note from Toby, the stranger, asking for an opportunity to meet. It doesn't take long for June to realize she’s not the only one who
desperately misses Finn, and if she can bring herself to trust him, this unexpected friend
might just be the one she needs the most.
Tell the Wolves I'm Home is a literary coming-of-age story about the strange and tense friendship that evolves between June and Toby---a secret and forbidden friendship wrapped around their love for Finn. It's also about ways to leave New York without leaving New York, a mean older sister who used to be a best friend, a high school production of South Pacific and an artist's final portrait. It's about what happens when you accidentally fall in love with someone you're not supposed to fall in love with and how jealousy and shame can destroy even the sweetest of friendships and sometimes lead to the most tragic consequences.
Read the first chapter HERE.