With her mom’s new boyfriend, her best friend’s new crush, and her dad’s interest in her gym teacher, Berry vows to never catch a crushand to show everyone how much better things would be without theirsin this stand-alone contemporary middle grade from Tanita S. Davis, author ofThe Science of FriendshipandPartly Cloudy.

Every year, Berrys mom, Ivy, visits for a three-week August Invasion. And every summer Berry hopes will be the one when Ivy will stayforever.

Which is why Ivys surprise return visit is amazinguntil Berry realizes her mom didnt come for her. Ivys back to pack the last of her things, and shes brought her new friend, Mr. Cole to help. When Berry discovers that Mr. Cole is taking a job in England, shes convinced that Ivy wants to move all the way across the ocean with him, to where an August Invasion cant reach. Even at school, messy feelings are ruining everything. Berrys best friend, Lia, rearranges her schedule to have classes with her crush, leaving Berry alone all day. Even Berrys normally boring dad is making excuses to talk to her gym teacher.

All these crushes are crushing the life out of Berry. Werent things better before these extra people came along? Why do things have to change?

Tanita S. Davisis the award-winning author of several novels for middle grade and young adult readers, includingSerena Says,Peas and Carrots,Happy Families, andMares War,which was a Coretta Scott King Honor Book and earned her a nomination for the NAACP Image Award. She grew up in California and was so chatty as a kid that her mother begged her to just write it down. Now shes back in California, doing her best to keep writing it all down. Visit her at tanitasdavis.com.

• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Publish Date: September 16, 2025
• Pages: 336
• Language: English
• Type: Hardback
• EAN/UPC: 9780063284791
• Dimensions: 8.3 X 5.5 X 1.3 inches | 0.8 pounds
  BISAC Categories: Kids