Pasta Girls

Tracy (Murray Out of Water) strikes a playful balance between star-crossed romance and self-discovery in this joyful middle grade riff on Romeo & Juliet. Anxious, autistic 13-year-old Jules is determined to face her fear of crowds by attending the San Gennaro festival in New York City’s Little Italy, where her parents own an Italian restaurant. At the celebration’s opening night party, she meets 14-year-old Romea, who manages her ADHD via structured Eagle Scout activities, and whose family owns a rival eatery. The girls instantly connect, choosing to pursue their new friendship and growing mutual attraction despite their families’ enmity. Bonding over their shared neurodivergence, queerness, and love of food, they date in secret as the festival progresses. And as they face uncertainty stemming from recently starting high school, both Ro and Jules see their developing relationship as an opportunity to challenge their limitations, assert themselves with their parents, and pursue their passions. While mouthwatering descriptions of food handily conjure the atmosphere of the festival season, the earnest leads’ sweetly satisfying romance eschews tragic Shakespearean conventions. Ages 8–12. Agent: Maria Vicente, P.S. Literary. (Sept.)