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Tragedy. Friendship. First love. Midwest summer, 1976. Teen entrepreneur. Muscle cars. Muscle-y jerks. 4th of July. Hanging out at the Dairy Chef.
Mix ’em all together and you have the perfect recipe for YA coming-of-age masterpiece: Bicentennial Summer by Chris Poore.
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Bicentennial Summer Book Summary
Bicentennial Summer by Chris Poore is a YA friendship/romance/drama set in small-town Nebraska, just ahead of the big 4th of July Bicentennial celebration in 1976.
The story opens with a tragedy that shakes three lifelong friends (Cole, Tiffany, and Tanner.) As they try to make sense of the loss, Cole starts to realize his feelings for Tiffany run deeper than friendship. (Ah, the awkward magic of teen love!)
But nothing’s ever simple. A new kid named CJ shows up in Cottonwood. He’s tough, mean, and basically the worst. And unfortunately, he’s now a major obstacle in Cole’s path to both love and peace.
There’s more than just teen drama brewing. Some of the adults in town carry secrets and grudges of their own, adding layers of tension and complexity to an already emotional summer.
Fifteen-year-old Cole runs a paper delivery business with big dreams of buying a Bicentennial-edition Pontiac Firebird Trans Am. Tanner works alongside him (or maybe FOR him). Meanwhile, Tiffany slings ice cream and hamburgers at the local Dairy Chef.
As the town prepares for its patriotic party, the trio wrestles with heartbreak, shifting friendships, and the universal struggle of growing up. Though it’s set in the summer of ’76, the story’s themes (love, loss, identity) feel as fresh as ever.
Bicentennial Summer is the first installment of the Cottonwood Chronicles trilogy. Books two and three are planned for release in 2025 and 2026.
Chris Poore, author:
Debut author Chris Poore describes his recent jump into writing:
“It’s been a long and winding road…”
Chris Poore is a debut novelist with a lifelong passion for storytelling. His career has zigzagged through journalism, entrepreneurship, and technology leadership. His first novel, Bicentennial Summer, draws on that rich experience to deliver a heartfelt YA coming-of-age story set in 1976 small-town Nebraska. Inspired during a COVID-era (remember that???) dinner conversation, the book captures the joy and heartbreak of adolescence in a simpler time.
A late bloomer to publishing, Poore released his debut novel at age 53, proving it’s never too late to chase a creative dream. Me too, Chris. Me too. Although 49, not 53.
Find Chris here: Chris Poore Writes
Nuggets of Book Goodness (things I liked):
- Small-town Midwest in the 70s
- Hanging out at the Dairy Chef (Zesto’s, The Spot Drive Inn, Milky Way, Dairy King, insert your seasonal Midwest ice cream shop here. All are fantastic.)
- Cole working toward his goal of buying a Trans Am!
- Ah, young love
- Enduring friendships
- No cell phones
- Strong, supportive family influences (well, for some of the characters)
Conclusion:
I grew up in rural Midwest in the 70s and 80s. Chris Poore’s Bicentennial Summer hit so close to home in so many ways! I even dreamed of owning a Trans Am when I was little! (I suppose I’m still working toward that goal.) I can’t wait to read Chris’s continuation of the Cottonwood Chronicles!
What is your favorite coming-of-age novel?
