The Nightingales

"A coming-of-age story for the ages. All ages. For anyone who has lived through loss (and who hasn’t?), The Nightingales is a blessing sung after the tears have slowed down. This book is a triumph.” —Gregory Maguire, author of Wicked

“The Nightingales radiates pathos and humanity in a manner reminiscent of another moving coming-of-age story, Alison Bechdel’s seminal memoir, Fun Home.” —NPR • “Stunning in every way…Absolutely gorgeous, visually and emotionally.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) • “An achievement in visual storytelling.” —Booklist (starred review) • “A beautiful, poignant story told with flair.” —Financial Times

Based on a true story, an exquisitely illustrated, singular graphic novel about a life-changing friendship between a seventeen-year-old girl and the dying stranger who moves into her family’s home.

It’s the spring of 1985 and Lou Miller is weeks away from graduating high school when her father, Donald, invites his coworker, Jim, and his two dogs, Henny and Penny, to move into their home. Jim has been evicted from his apartment and fallen on hard times, but there is more to the situation than Lou or her mother, Annemarie, realize.

Jim’s arrival upends the lives of this small-town Oregon family. As Annemarie grows increasingly uneasy about sharing her home with a stranger, Lou finds herself drawn to Jim’s warmth, humor, and quiet resilience. Their unlikely bond carries Jim through the most difficult months of his life and gives Lou the courage to imagine a future beyond the bounds of her hometown.

Tender, surprising, and full of hope, The Nightingales is an unforgettable story about compassion, family, and the unexpected ways one person's life can alter another's.