A READ WITH JENNA BOOK CLUB PICK

A vibrant, profoundly moving novel about the interlocking lives at an adult daycare centre in southern California.

‘Wonderfully inspirational’ Paul Beatty

‘Moving and funny and ringing with life’ Guardian

‘A complicated joy’ Roddy Doyle

Among the clients and staff are Carlos, a charismatic aide who lost his mother as a boy, and Jorge, who is gentle, nonspeaking and prone to escape despite Carlos’s best efforts. Tom, a beautiful young man with cerebral palsy, pines for Ann, the lifeguard for the summer who feels out of her depth. Then there’s Dave, the centre’s director. He wanted to be an actor, but finds himself on a very different path.

At the heart of Upward Bound is Walter, a recent college student returning to the company of his peers after a family tragedy. Around him, a story unfolds of friendships forged, connections missed and the dreams – some new, others almost forgotten – that shape us. With his wit, empathy and astonishing gifts as a storyteller, Woody Brown immerses us in life as we have never experienced it before.

‘Deeply funny and eye-opening’ Maria Semple

‘It will open hearts and change minds’ Jenna Bush Hager

‘A singular debut’ New York Times

‘A luminous novel of human connection and hope’ Cecile Pin

‘It will change the way you look at the world’ Angie Kim

‘A story of friendship, dreams and rich inner worlds’ Seán Hewitt

‘A tender and important novel’ Service95

‘A moving, illuminating glimpse into a world we rarely have access to’ Good Housekeeping

CENTER FOR FICTION FIRST NOVEL PRIZE LONGLIST 2026

A BOOK FOR THE YEAR IN THE NEW YORK TIMES, TIME, HARPER’S BAZAAR, GOOD HOUSEKEEPING AND LITERARY HUB