110. Home Away From Home

Home Away From Home. Cynthia Lord. 2023. 224 pages. [Source: Library] [Middle Grade]

First sentence: "GPS says the road is coming up," I announced from the back seat of the rental car.

Premise/plot: Mia visits her Grandma most summers. This summer is slightly different, however. Mia will be staying (by herself) for a month. Her mother (and stepfather/mother's boyfriend) are preparing to sell the house. Mia didn't want to be a part of renovating, packing, etc. There have been changes since last summer. Mia meets a new neighbor, a boy around her own age, Cayman. They share an interest in birds--an eagle's nest (with baby eaglets) is on his property. They love to visit the birds. A visiting bird--a rarely sighted bird for the state of Maine--has been spotted by the pair for several days. Mia can't resist posting pictures and descriptions online at a bird-watching hobby site. But will her posts lead to disaster for the bird(s)?

My thoughts: This is a coming of age story. I loved seeing her relationship with her grandmother and with her new friend. It is a LOT about birds, however. So if bird-watching isn't your thing then perhaps parts of this one may seem a little dull. Still, I think even if you aren't a fan of watching birds for fun (or education), the coming of age aspects still offer something to readers.

I do enjoy Cynthia Lord's novels for the most part. I am glad I read this one.

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

99. Menacing Manor

Menacing Manor. (Sinister Summer #4) Kiersten White. 2023. 272 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: The Sinister-Winterbottom children had no problems. Their summer was rolling along as merrily as a summer could, endless days and warm nights perfumed with sunscreen and bug spray, drenched in fun and relaxation.

Premise/plot: The worst summer ever continues in the fourth book of the Sinister Summer series. Each book does build on the others--so don't read out of order. Mainly, characters from other books get picked up and carried along--I'm picturing a tumbling tumble weed. So the first book introduces us to three siblings--Sinister-Winterbottoms. Their parents have vanished completely. They are visiting their aunt (who turns out to be a ghost). They visit different 'sinister' locations for summer vacation. They're solving puzzles, piecing together clues, trying to make everything that is wrong in their lives, right again. So far, four books in and the kids (siblings + all other side characters caught up in this mess) are no closer--at all, not even a little bit--to solving anything. No answers, no not one. 

My thoughts: I enjoyed the first book. I didn't really enjoy books two and three. I almost enjoyed book four. I have very mixed feelings on the series. I thought the writing of the book one was fun and delightful. Silly melodrama with some cleverness. I don't know that books two through four continue that vibe. Perhaps if you were to read ALL of the books back to back to back to back, then the books would be more enjoyable. One plus, however, is at least the books aren't horribly long. Especially this one. It didn't drag, which was nice.

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

24. The Many Fortunes of Maya

The Many Fortunes of Maya. Nicole D. Collier. 2023. [January] 240 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Even though I've never seen one in person, wood thrushes are my favorite bird of all time. 

Premise/plot: Maya J. Jenkins has a vision of how she wants this summer to go. And it all begins with her winning MVP at the soccer banquet. She'll be a super-start at soccer camp. She'll prove her value and worth to everyone. She'll easily get invited to play on teams. She'll spend time with her closest friends with no friction. Her parents will quit fighting. But no matter how much she envisions this happily-ever-after or best-case-scenario version of events, reality is far, far, far different. And it all starts to fall apart over a few days. Her best friend gets MVP and, I believe, the very next day she learns that her parents will be doing a trial separation for the summer. Fortunately, she has a super-amazing-incredible Uncle to help her out. [Actually, her mother, her father, and her uncle are all really great at helping Maya or "MJ" out.]

This is the summer where Maya will begin to question who she is and what she wants....for example, does she really WANT soccer to be 'her thing'??? Does she want it be a time-consuming obsession??? Or is she merely 'friends' with soccer? What if she thinks about what she wants instead of what her parents want??? What if 'her thing' is music??? [Like her Uncle]

My thoughts: I enjoyed this coming of age middle grade novel. I love the focus on family and friendship. I think there's enough sports that those who seek out sports in their fiction will be satisfied yet for those who avoid sports won't be super-annoyed at all the sports talk. It's a hard balance between the two! I loved the level of characterization. The relationships felt so well done in this one. I particularly loved how she had a good, solid, close relationship with her parents and her uncle. It was great to see adults who clearly love her and value her work together to take care of her. 

I definitely enjoyed this one. 

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

11. Camp Creepy

Camp Creepy. (Sinister Summer Series #3) Kiersten White. 2023 [January] 288 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: When Alexander emerged from the lake, not at all upset about how many microbes and bacteria and brain-eating amoeba he might have let in through his nose and mouth, he grabbed a tie-dyed shirt. That was another weird thing. Not only was he not wearing swim-goggles--he usually refused to put his head underwater without swim goggles--but also Alexander never swam without a shirt. He was too worried about sunburns and skin cancer. He used the shirt to wipe off his face before dropping it on the ground instead of folding it and setting it carefully on a rock so it wouldn't get dirty.

Premise/plot: Theo, Alexander, and Wil are back for their third adventure. Their parents are still missing. Their aunt has dropped them off at summer camp--well close to summer camp--before vanishing quickly and mysteriously. They've had two misadventures this summer already. They are prepared (as much as they can be) to face danger, danger, and more danger. But this summer camp isn't what they expected it to be at all. In some ways it's passive-passive-passive-passive-aggressive approach is even more dangerous. 

Can Theo, Alexander, Wil (and Edgar and Quincy) survive summer camp?

My thoughts: I really enjoyed the first book in the series. The second book in the series was a little more slippery. I found it confusing in places. I maintained a grasp on the plot and characters, but my comprehension was not 100%. Picking up the third one, well, I'm not sure I had everything I needed to fully understand/grasp/comprehend. It's like when you miss a few scenes from a movie because you took a much-needed bathroom break.

But I did like it more than the second book. I really do have a fondness for these characters--especially Alexander and Theo.

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

69. Summer of the Gypsy Moths

Summer of the Gypsy Moths. Sara Pennypacker. 2012. 275 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: The earth spins at a thousand miles an hour. Sometimes when I remember this, it's all I can do to stay upright--the urge to flatten myself to the ground and clutch hold is that strong. 

Premise/plot: I hope YOU do not judge books by their covers. Sometimes covers lie. They don't truly capture the truth, the whole truth, of a book. (Probably rarely do cover the whole truth). But I do think books should capture the tone/essence of a book. This book looks whimsical, sweet, wholesome, adorable, light-hearted, feel-good, delightful. It is anything but. 

Stella lives with her great-aunt Louise. Louise has not only taken in her great-niece, Stella, but has also taken another foster child into her home. Angel and Stella don't always see things eye to eye, but, they will through the course of this book when circumstances change.

Stella is hoping that her mother (who abandoned her) will return by the end of the summer. Stella (and Angel) just have to hold on until the end of summer, right? How hard can it be???

My thoughts: Summer of the Gypsy Moths probably is in my top five books of MOST DISTURBING BOOKS WRITTEN AND PUBLISHED FOR CHILDREN list. Emphasis, MY list. I am sure there are PLENTY of books that I have yet to discover that could make this list. I don't seek out disturbing books. Well, I guess that could be debated. I do read some books with heavy, weighty subjects. 

What makes Summer of Gypsy Moths disturbing???? Well. Let's just say their guardian, Louise, doesn't survive the first few chapters. (Perhaps even dying in chapter one? maybe, maybe chapter two?) Plenty of children's books deal with death and dying. But not many go the direction this one does....

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Angel and Stella (two eleven year olds) decide NOT to report Louise's death. And it takes them a while (perhaps days, maybe even a week? a little longer?) to decide WHAT to do with her body. In the meanwhile, as they are debating betwixt themselves, just grab the Febreze and spray, spray, spray. Eventually, they agree to bury her in the garden--by themselves--still not alerting anyone about her death. The girls will go on living in their home and tending to themselves. If adults should ask questions about Louise (and they do), just lie, lie, lie, lie, lie. 

It isn't until Stella comes to the hard realization that her mother may not return anytime soon--at the end of summer--that she thoughtfully considers putting an end to this game.And I do think the girls almost think of it as a game--playing grown-up and seeing how long they can go on without getting caught. So MONTHS go by essentially.

Eventually, the girls will need to face consequences, BUT, those consequences are essentially non-existent. Angel finds an aunt to take her in. And Stella enters the foster care system. But no adult or community of adults--not police officers, not social workers, not mental health professionals, not journalists--seem to care at all--even a little bit--about what the girls have done. Covering up a death, burying a body, and telling hundreds of lies. Maybe you think the girls haven't done anything criminal exactly--maybe you do--but let's take a moment or two to think MENTAL HEALTH. Don't these girls need some help or intervention???? Even if it is just to work through the trauma of it all??? But NOPE, everything is 100% okay. 

I had some issues with George. George seems to be the only human being in this town that even ventures forth to ask the occasional question about Louise. And he even admits later that the girls lies shouldn't have been convincing, that he was a fool to believe them for a second. Yet this man, this man who essentially believed those lies--no matter how silly and stupid--is capable of taking Stella in as a foster child????? I have questions.

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

144. Out of My Heart

Out of My Heart. (Out of My Mind #2) Sharon Draper. 2021. [November] 352 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: The firefly hovered over the back of my hand, then landed--slowly, effortlessly.

Premise/plot: Melody returns in Sharon Draper's Out of My Heart. In this sequel, Melody, our heroine, goes to camp. That's it. All of it. She. Goes. To. Camp. Three-hundred-and-fifty-two pages of Melody at camp. 

My thoughts: I remembered Out of My Mind fondly. I remember finding it super compelling. Melody was a great character I felt a connection with. I cared about her story--every minute of it. Never bored, always engaged. Not so with this [unnecessary] sequel. Out of My Heart reminded me of Race For Your Life Charlie Brown. I jest. Mostly. Those that know me know that is my code for BORING, boring, super-boring. Both are set at camp. Both are incredibly boring. It isn't that I am so opposed to the book having a sequel. It's just that I think that everything I loved about the first book was missing in the sequel. The book read like a brochure--maybe. I haven't read that many brochures about camp to be honest. 

© 2021 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

114. When Zachary Beaver Came To Town

When Zachary Beaver Came to Town. Kimberly Willis Holt. 1999/2003. 256 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Nothing ever happens in Antler, Texas. Nothing much at all. Until this afternoon, when an old blue Thunderbird pulls a trailer decorated with Christmas lights into the Dairy Maid parking lot. The red words painted on the trailer cause quite a buzz around town, and before an hour is up, half of Antler is standing in line with two dollars clutched in hand to see the fattest boy in the world.Since it’s too late in the summer for firecrackers and too early for the Ladybug Waltz, Cal and I join Miss Myrtie Mae and the First Baptist Quilting Bee at the back of the line. Miss Myrtie Mae wears a wide-brimmed straw hat. She claims that she’s never exposed her skin to sun. Even so, wrinkles fold into her face like an unironed shirt. She takes her job as town historian and librarian seriously, and as usual, her camera hangs around her neck.

Premise/plot: In the summer of 1971, Zachary Beaver came to town; he came to Antler, Texas, a super small town. For better or worse, he came as a sideshow act--an act labeling him the fattest BOY in the world. Toby Wilson, Cal McKnight, and Tara Stalling are just a few among the many that have gathered together and payed a few bucks to see this 'fattest boy in the world' with their very own eyes. Days later it appears that Zachary has been abandoned there in town in his trailer...and thus begins an unforgettable summer.

My thoughts: I really loved When Zachary Beaver Came to Town. The characterization was amazing. We get to know what feels like the whole town. The characters have depth and substance. I cared about them all. It's not unusual to care about the main characters--but to care about all the characters, to feel that they are all "real" "breathing" "living" human beings...that is much rarer. The book is sad without drowning in sadness. I guess what I'm trying to say (and probably failing) is that the weight of the sadness is balanced with light, hope, and even humor. It is a book that celebrates FRIENDSHIP. And specifically how friends forgive each other and support each other. 

I also loved the writing.

Quotes:

Scarlett Stalling walks toward the line, holding her bratty sister Tara’s hand. Scarlett looks cool wearing a bikini top underneath an open white blouse and hip huggers that hit right below her belly button. With her golden tan and long, silky blond hair, she could do a commercial for Coppertone.

Scarlett doesn’t go to the back of the line. She walks over to me. To me. Smiling, flashing that Ultra Brite sex appeal smile and the tiny gap between her two front teeth. Cal grins, giving her the tooth, but I lower my eyelids half-mast and jerk my head back a little as if to say, “Hey.”

Then she speaks. “Hey, Toby, would ya’ll do me a favor?”

Sheriff Levi Fetterman drives by, making his afternoon rounds. He slows down and looks our way. His riding dog, Duke, sits in the passenger seat. Duke is Sheriff Levi’s favorite adoptee. Anytime someone in Antler finds a stray cat or dog, they call the sheriff to pick up the animal and take it to the pound. Sheriff Levi can’t bear to dump a dog, and because of that he has a couple dozen living on his one-acre place a mile out of town. However, cats are a different story. They go straight to the pound.

 

It seems weird, standing here, staring at someone because they look different. Wylie Womack is the strangest-looking person in Antler, but I’m so used to seeing his crooked body riding around town in his beat-up golf cart that I don’t think about him looking weird.

 

Dad might as well be from Pluto as from Dallas. People in Antler see it as the same thing. The funny thing is, now it seems like Dad belongs here more than Mom. I don’t think she ever counted on him settling in Antler when he passed through years ago, looking for a place to raise worms.

 

Mom is known as the singing waitress. She makes up songs for the customers, and if they’re a pain, she makes up songs about them. Her voice is high and strong with just the right twang. She may sing songs about honky-tonk angels while serving Bowl-a-Rama specials, but in her mind she’s probably on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry.

In the cafe, next to the picture of the Lord’s Supper, Ferris hung a huge banner above the soda fountain counter—Good Luck, Opalina!

Ferris comes out from behind the counter, limping to the door and turning the Open sign around to face the front. The talk around town is his limp was a self-inflicted wound so he didn’t have to serve in the Korean War. Ferris claims it was a pure coincidence that he was cleaning his gun the day before he was to report for active duty.

Before that happened, Ferris wanted to be a preacher. He even went a semester to a Bible college in Oklahoma. Now he never goes to church, but Mom says he knows the Bible from Genesis to Revelation.

 

Ferris’s chalkboard hangs near the kitchen window behind the counter. Today’s Special: Honey Fried Chicken, Corn Fritters, and Mustard Greens. Beneath the menu is the daily Bible verse. “It is an honor for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.” Proverbs 20:3. Mom says some people wear their religion on their sleeves. Ferris posts his on the chalkboard.

Southern gospel music plays from the jukebox, but the sound of bowling balls hitting pins in the next room can still be heard. From the kitchen window, Ima Jean stares at us through her steamed-up cat-eyed glasses. With the back of her hand, she wipes them in a circular motion.

Ferris does a double take when he sees Dad. “How ya doing, Otto? Haven’t seen you in a long time.”

Dad nods toward Ferris. “Doing fine. Yourself?”

Ferris strokes his beard stubble. “Couldn’t be better. Sure do miss your woman, though.”

Dad glances at the Good Luck, Opalina! sign hanging over the counter.  

While we wait, Malcolm’s little brother, Mason, and four other chubby third graders show up with sticks in their hands. Unlike Malcolm, Mason is tough and the leader of his bully pack. Each kid takes a side of the trailer and starts hitting it with sticks. Over their pounding, Mason yells, “Hey, fat boy! Show your face!”

Something boils inside me. I remember when kids like them beat up on me just because they could. I wouldn’t snitch, and since Dad was against it, I wouldn’t fight back either. But today is different. Today we’re soldiers, fighting for Zachary.

 

 

© 2021 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

The Penderwicks at Point Mouette

The Penderwicks at Point Mouette. Jeanne Birdsall. 2011. 295 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: The Penderwick family was being torn apart. The tearing wouldn't last long--only two weeks--but still it was uncomfortable.

The first book in the series: The Penderwicks.
The second book in the series: The Penderwicks on Gardam Street.  

Premise/plot: Mr. Penderwick and his his new bride are off on their honeymoon; the oldest Penderwick daughter, Rosalind, is vacationing with a friend; the remaining Penderwicks (Skye, Jane, and Batty) will be vacationing with Aunt Claire and their friend, Jeffrey. It will be a summer they never forget--for many reasons. For example, Jane, the writer of the family, is determined that her newest Sabrina Starr novel will feature LOVE. So she's asking just about anyone and everyone personal questions about love. But it may be Jane--not Sabrina--that has her first taste of "love" this summer. Skye, let's be honest, is a bit nervous about being the oldest available Penderwick sister. Especially when Aunt Claire has a bit of an accident. But she is stronger and braver then she believes herself to be. Batty--lovely Batty--discovers a new love: MUSIC.

My thoughts: I really enjoyed this one! I loved meeting Alec, a new musically inclined neighbor. I loved how he fits in with their group in a natural way. It was also fun to meet Mercedes--even if she does have a brother who's TROUBLE with a capital T. It was just a joy to spend time with all of Birdsall's characters.

This was a perfect book to read while recovering from having my wisdom teeth out.



© 2019 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

The Rest of the Story

The Rest of the Story. Sarah Dessen. 2019. 440 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: The wedding was over. But the party had just begun.

Premise/plot: While her father and new step-mother are on their honeymoon in Greece, Emma Saylor Payne goes to visit her maternal grandmother (and extended family). She has no memories of her grandmother, Mimi, or her cousins. (Though she knows that she visited there when she was four.) It's a bit of an adjustment. It's a tourist-y town by a lake. Her grandmother owns and runs a motel. Her cousins--including a very pregnant one named Trinity--do a lot of the work. At first, Mimi thinks of SAYLOR as a guest. Saylor is not to do any work whatsoever. But lines between family and guest are blurred as she becomes more at home. She's hanging out with her cousins and their friends, including ROO, and working alongside them too.

Much of this one revolves around the question Who is she really??? Is she "Emma" or is she "Saylor"? Is she more like her father? Is she more like her mother?

My thoughts: Love YA romance? Love Sarah Dessen? There is much to love in her newest book. Dessen does an excellent job of developing heroes and heroines who fall in love. In the case of The Rest of the Story that would be Emma Saylor and Roo. I also enjoyed seeing relationships develop between Emma, Bailey, Trinity, and Gordon. (There's another cousin, Jack, who isn't all that developed. Not really). Not all the characters are fully developed. (Mimi and Nana come to mind. As well as Emma's dad and stepmom.) Quite a few are flat. (I'm thinking of Blake and Colin). The characters we spend the most time with are oh-so-human.

The Rest of the Story while it isn't an issue-driven novel does handle some big issues. Emma has to deal with the good, the bad, the ugly of her mother's past. Her mom was an addict. Her life was a big, big mess. Her mom hurt a lot of people--including herself. By letting herself really get to know her mom's side of the family, she's opening up the past and getting new and different glimpses of who her mom was and what she meant to other people. Does her mom's addiction mean that she's more likely to become an addict herself? Is she fated to make the same mistakes as her mom? Could she hurt others in the same way as her mom?

I enjoyed this one. It was nice to have a heroine who was anxious and had OCD. 

© 2019 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Beverly, Right Here

Beverly, Right Here. Kate DiCamillo. 2019. Candlewick Press. 256 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Buddy died, and Beverly buried him, and then she set off toward Lake Clara.

Premise/plot: The heroine of Beverly, Right Here is Beverly Tapinski who was first introduced in Kate DiCamillo's Raymie Nightingale. (Readers should also make a point of reading Louisiana's Way Home. All three books are set in the late 1970s.)

After the death of her dog, Buddy, Beverly runs away from home. She thinks of herself as an independent loner: someone who doesn't need--or want--anyone. But is that really true? Though Beverly's family has been less than ideal (an absentee dad, an alcoholic mother, countless boyfriends of her mother that have come and gone) she may just piece together a perfect-for-her family.

Iola Jenkins is an old woman who has lost her driving privileges. But she is not done living life on her own terms even if her son thinks she should be. Beverly, though not technically old enough to drive, becomes Iola's driver and "niece." Beverly is hesitant about this new relationship. Why is Iola willing to open up her home to a perfect stranger? But Iola has a lot of lessons to pass along to Beverly. Lessons about trust, friendship, attitude. ALSO how to dance.

Doris and Charles. Beverly buses tables at a local fish restaurant. Doris is the sole cook and Charles the sole dish washer. These two become a little protective of Beverly. Freddie, the sole waitress, talks big, but wouldn't hesitate to cheat Beverly from her fair share of tips.

Elmer. He works at a convenience store. His nose is always in a book. But he's aware of everyone that comes into the shop and has their interests in mind. He must protect little ones from the hand-made comics of hell fire and brimstone that one of the local ladies draws because she is so concerned about being God's Messenger. He also gives the occasional dime so that children can ride the horse in front of the store. He's hesitant--especially at first--to let Beverly into his life. But soon Iola, Beverly, and Elmer are fast friends.

My thoughts: I really LOVED this one. It's a great read, just what you'd expect from a new book by Kate DiCamillo. I loved the relationships of this one. It was just a joy to spend time with Beverly and Iola and Beverly and Elmer. I honestly don't know which character I love more--Iola or Elmer. Both were just WONDERFUL. There is something oh-so-human about this one. Not all the characters are lovely and genuine.

It's a great coming-of-age novel. It has a lot of heart and soul in it.

Quotes (from an ARC):

• “You don’t even know me,” said Beverly. “I do not,” said Iola. “I could be a criminal.” “Are you?” said Iola. Beverly shrugged. “My husband always did say that I was a fool for trusting people. He said, ‘Iola, you would trust the devil to sell you a pair of dancing shoes.’” 
• “You can stay with me,” said Iola. She reached over and patted Beverly’s arm. “We will help each other out. We’ll trust each other.” 
• Iola gave Beverly a nightgown to sleep in—one with pink flowers and lace at the collar. Beverly thought that she would rather die than put it on. And then she put it on. She was making all kinds of questionable decisions: working at a fish restaurant, eating tuna melts, wearing flowered nightgowns.
• “I never said I would trust you,” said Beverly. “You didn’t say you wouldn’t,” said Iola. She smiled. And that was how they left things. 
• She didn’t want to ride a horse to nowhere; she wasn’t going to let herself get fooled. 
• “Just because you can’t stand to think about something don’t mean it ain’t happening, that it ain’t true. People wait on other people. People rely on other people.” 
• “Imagine if you hadn’t found my trailer. Imagine if I didn’t need someone to drive the Pontiac. Then me and you wouldn’t’ve become friends, and you wouldn’t know how to dance. Oh, I’m glad I needed you. I’m glad you needed me.” “I didn’t really need you,” said Beverly. “Yes, you did, honey,” said Iola. “Yes, you did,” said Elmer from the back seat. “Okay,” said Beverly. “Whatever you people say.”

© 2019 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

The Summer of Broken Things

The Summer of Broken Things. Margaret Peterson Haddix. 2018. Simon & Schuster. 393 pages. [Source: Review copy]
First sentence: "We need to talk," Dad says.

Premise/plot: The Summer of Broken Things is set in Spain and stars two very different heroines: Avery and Kayla.

Avery Armisted will--like it or not--be accompanying her father on his extended business trip in Spain. When she's told a friend can come, she assumes--for better or worse--that she'll get to pick the friend. That won't be the case. The 'friend' he has in mind is Kayla Butts. These two played together often when Avery was a toddler, but, Kayla has been out of sight and out of mind for practically forever--to Avery's reckoning!

Kayla Butts is nervously excited about this opportunity. On the one hand: she'll actually be leaving her small hometown and going somewhere--out of the country somewhere: Spain. This is an opportunity that is more likely than not once in a lifetime. On the other hand, she'll be living with strangers. Will they get along? Will she be treated like a friend? or like hired help? Will Avery be nice or mean? You see, Kayla is so far from popular. She's used to being treated as less than by her peers. Her friends tend to be decades older. As in living in nursing homes older. Everything will be new-to-her. She doesn't know yet how well she'll adapt to all the new.

The trip doesn't get off to the best of starts. Problems at the airport--both in the U.S. and Spain--make for a rocky start. And Kayla's worst fears are confirmed: Avery looks down upon her and doesn't hide the fact. Avery is so not subtle with hiding her contempt for Kayla. OR for her father for that matter. Avery is argumentative with her father and incredibly disrespectful. Kayla hasn't seen such a messy family this close-up.

What will the summer bring Kayla and Avery?

My thoughts: The Summer of Broken Things kept me reading. I won't say I 'enjoyed' it because can you really enjoy watching someone else's life crumble into a million pieces? But I can say that I found it compelling and well-written.

Kayla is by far my favorite character. As Kayla's coming-of-age story, the book works really well. The trip changes her...and changes her for the better. She is a stronger, more confident, happier person by the end of the book.

Avery is my least favorite character. She isn't the same Avery at the end of the story. Thank goodness! But she's still Avery. She hasn't transformed overnight into a saint. Nor should she. That wouldn't be believable. Perhaps the difference is that Kayla *is* two years older. Avery is fourteen. I appreciate Kayla's maturity and outlook. Avery has potential--but a long path ahead of her. She'll get there. She will. And perhaps she'll look back and say this trip was the start of it all.

The book is an emotional family drama. There are some intense moments. I was right there feeling them all--connected with the story and the characters.

© 2018 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

The Penderwicks

The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy. Jeanne Birdsall. 2005. Random House. 262 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: For a long time after that summer, the four Penderwick sisters still talked of Arundel. Fate drove us there, Jane would say. No, it was the greedy landlord who sold our vacation house on Cape Cod, someone else would say, probably Skye. Who knew which was right?

Premise/plot: Rosalind, Skye, Jane, and Batty are the four Penderwick sisters. They along with their widower father have come to stay in a small cottage for the summer. The cottage is part of a larger estate--Arundel. They become friends with the gardener, the two pet rabbits, the housekeeper, and perhaps most importantly with Jeffrey, the SON. But with Mrs. Tifton they cannot--will not--make friends. Or rather, she despises them.

Jeffrey becomes part of their family even if they don't become a part of his. They have marvelous adventures and misadventures together during their summer vacation. But. Of course it is a vacation. And it's just a matter of time for all of them. Jeffrey doesn't want the end to come any more than they do. Even more so really since he might have to go to military school.

This novel celebrates being yourself and finding people who like you for being you. It also celebrates the ups and downs of FAMILY.

My thoughts: I liked this one very much when I first read it. But upon second reading, I think I really love it. It has an old-fashioned, feel-good quality about it.


© 2018 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

When My Sister Started Kissing

When My Sister Started Kissing. Helen Frost. 2017. FSG. 208 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: The baby, Claire, in a sunsuit and yellow hat, sat on her father's shoulders, the great wide world spread out before them. Two egrets flew home to their nest as thunder rumbled, far off in the distance.

Premise/plot: If you read many verse novels, then chances are good you're familiar with Helen Frost. When My Sister Started Kissing is her newest verse novel; it has multiple narrators. Claire and her older sister, Abigail, have always spent the summer at the cabin with their dad. This year is the first year that the girls' stepmother, Pam, will be joining them. And this family of four is about to become a family of FIVE. Claire who is nearly eleven isn't a fan of change. Abigail is all about change. For example, she now wants to be called Abi. She doesn't want to hang out with her sister; she wants to spend time with Brock and the other teenagers. She doesn't want to spend every moment with her family; she wants to be allowed to go off with her friends and do whatever/whenever. Claire and Abigail are obvious narrators. The third narrator is the LAKE.

My thoughts: I definitely enjoyed this one. The writing is excellent. The verse aspects of this one are essential. There are at least three different poetry forms used throughout the book. Each narrator has their own poetic form that suits the story, the character, best.

This novel is set over one summer vacation. Claire's narration keeps the novel focused on the family. Abigail's narration, on the other hand, keeps the novel focused on BOYS. TJ is a family friend; the two families have vacationed near one another for years. Last summer, Abigail and TJ kissed--"for practice." This summer, Abigail thinks kissing should be reserved for someone that you really like-like. She's nervous to see TJ again. Will he be interested in her still? Does she even like-like him? Is he boyfriend material or like-a-brother? And then there is Brock. He's new. He's cute. He's got FANS. There are half a dozen girls who cling to him. Brock seems to notice HER out of the crowd. And though she doesn't know him, she likes being liked. She feels grown up with Brock, perhaps because she hasn't grown up with him. Claire doesn't get why Abi is ignoring TJ and going out of her way to avoid his family and why she's sneaking around to see Brock. This love triangle is resolved--for now--by the end of the novel.

© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Headed for Home

Headed for Home. Mary Helen Brown. 2016. 178 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Tommy Austin getting killed by the angel was the first strange thing to happen that summer, but it certainly wasn't the last.

Premise/plot: Enjoy Southern fiction? Enjoy coming of age stories? Enjoy mysteries with a touch of the supernatural? Enjoy family dramas? Headed for Home might be the best book that you've not heard of...at least not yet. Speedy is the narrator of this small-town charmer. Speedy's sister, affectionately nicknamed SISTER, is home for the summer and she's brought some college friends with her. They aren't taking the summer off, however, but are instead working collectively on a research project.

They are doing research on their hometown (Rowja, Texas), on their families, on local folklore, etc. All but one of the girls have definite connections to the town's past--for several generations. But one doesn't. She thinks there is a slight chance than a great-uncle might have visited the town based on a photograph or maybe a postcard. The background is Rowja's courthouse, I believe. But she doesn't really know anything at all about this distant relation. Just that he disappeared around the time of World War I and never communicated with the family again.

Speedy will be staying with Sister and her classmates at the Big House. On their first night of "research," they have a seance of sorts and hear from a spirit identifying himself as Tom. He was murdered. He's buried. The girls--young women--think it would be compelling--good for their grade--if they used this angle to make their research more interesting. At first, no one actually believes that Tom is a disgruntled spirit--ghost--trying to communicate with them. But by the end, most everyone does believe.

My thoughts: On the one hand, I loved it. Mary Helen Brown's short novel is super-entertaining and the characters are so developed and fascinating. The little details have a just right feel to them. The way she writes--the way her characters talk--feels authentically Texan. I was drawn into the story from the very beginning. On the other hand, I really didn't love it. There were spiritual "danger, danger" signals going off now and then. I did not like the seances, or the use of Ouija boards. While I wanted Tom's story to be told, the facts to be discovered, I just wish the clues they'd followed hadn't been received the way they had. Because it is a matter of faith--and reading is subjective--I went with a full five stars. My objection to the book's content in that one area is completely subjective. Another reader may think the mystery is amazing. And the writing was so strong, so good.
© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

The Great Good Summer (2015)

The Great Good Summer. Liz Garton Scanlon. 2015. Simon & Schuster. 224 pages. [Source: Library]

God is alive and well in Loomer, Texas, so I don't know why Mama had to go all the way to The Great Good Bible Church of Panhandle Florida to find him, or to find herself, either.

The Great Good Summer reminded me, in a way, of Because of Winn Dixie. Ivy Green is almost as lovable a heroine as Opal herself. Her narrative voice is certainly strong throughout. Ivy's narration made the novel work well for me.

So Ivy's story, on the surface, is simple: her mom has recently left them (her and her dad) without a word as to where she's going and if she'll ever be back. Ivy and her Dad struggle with their new reality. Some things remain the same: Ivy's babysitting, weekly attendance at church; but some things are VERY different: her mom being gone, her never-subsiding-ache of wanting her mom back, her new friendship with a boy, Paul Dobbs, who most decidedly does NOT believe in God.

One of the book's greatest strengths is in the writing itself:

But the thing is, ideas are my talent. My only talent, really. My voice isn't right for singing, I freeze up in the spelling bee, and I can't shoot a basket to save my life. If I stop coming up with ideas, I'm not gonna have anything left to do or talk about. (5)

Personally, I think if you're an only child, you should automatically be issued a dog when you're born, as a consolation prize, but my mama and daddy disagree. (6)

"Daddy, what are we gonna say when people ask us about Mama?" I stir my bowl of milk. Daddy's right. I'm dawdling. "The truth, baby. They're church folks. Church folks understand other church folks." (23)

Paul isn't a redhead like his mama and sister, and he isn't exactly distinguished-looking either, but he is nice to look at. For a boy that I'm always getting a little mad at, I mean. (44)

I do find it interesting that faith in God is such a big part of this book. Not every character even believes in God. As I mentioned, Paul doesn't. And he challenges Ivy in several scenes, for better or worse. Why do you believe in a God you can't even see? Why do you think there is a God in the first place? How do you know he's real? Why aren't you more skeptical? But there are a handful of characters that do believe in God that do define themselves by their faith in God. And Ivy herself as emotional as she is, as angry as she becomes, does still believe in God.

Does the book get Christianity right? That's hard to say in a way. If your impression of Christianity is that it is a do religion: a do this, this, this, and that religion--a religion defined by things you do and things you don't do--I'm not sure there is enough gospel, enough grace, in The Great Good Summer to change that impression. If you (rightly) hold that Christianity is a done religion: what Christ has done for us, on our behalf, the price he paid to redeem us, to deliver us, then there aren't any passages that scream out heresy either. Though this passage makes me sad:

I hope you can forgive me sometime, Ivy. In the meantime I have to work on forgiving myself. And then it's up to God. That's the really awful thing about this whole mess--I was just trying to get closer to God, which makes it even bigger shame that I messed up as badly as I did." (183)

There were so many things I wanted to say to them both. Like it isn't about trying: trying to be better, or trying to do more. It's about trusting in what God has already done. It's about trusting that Jesus is enough. That God could not love you more than he already does. That he could not love you less either. That he really and truly has paid it all. 

I didn't quite love, love, love this one. But it certainly was worth reading.

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Return to Gone-Away (1961)

Return to Gone-Away. Elizabeth Enright. 1961/2000. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 224 pages. [Source: Library]

I really enjoyed reading Elizabeth Enright's Gone-Away Lake. I didn't enjoy reading the sequel nearly as much. Was I not in the right mood? Perhaps. I hope it was just a mood thing. It felt like the magic--the energy--was gone.

The book features many of the same characters, and tells of their further adventures in the spring and summer the following year. Their adventures AFTER they have purchased the old-and-crumbling house.

Portia, the heroine, reconnects with Julian, her cousin. Foster, Portia's younger brother, reconnects with the friends he's made in the community. All the children enjoy spending time with Mrs. Cheever and Mr. Payton. Adventures are to be had in their new house that requires fixing-up in every room and then some. Adventures also to be had outside in nature. Each chapter focuses on some mini-adventure that one of the children is having.

While I found myself connecting and caring with the characters in the first book, I didn't with the second.

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Maisy Learns to Swim (2015)

Maisy Learns to Swim. Lucy Cousins. 2015. Candlewick Press. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Maisy is going swimming today. Time to get ready! Do you have everything you need, Maisy?

Premise/plot: Maisy Learns to Swim is a Maisy First Experiences Book. The book is about her taking swim lessons with her friends. The instructor's name is Poppy. Poppy appears to be a great teacher. The book focuses on the details of a swim lesson: kicking, floating, blowing bubbles, etc.

My thoughts: I liked this one. I like Maisy and her friends. I especially love Eddie the elephant.

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 6 out of 10

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Gone Crazy in Alabama (2015)

Gone Crazy in Alabama. Rita Williams-Garcia. 2015. HarperCollins. 304 pages. [Source: Library]

Vonetta, Fern, and I didn't sleep well last night or the night before. There's something about preparing for a trip that draws my sisters and me closer together than we already are. Maybe it's the planning and excitement of going places or seeing who we're going to see. 

Gone Crazy in Alabama is the third novel about the Gaither sisters. The first two are One Crazy Summer and P.S. Be Eleven. I really LOVED both previous books in the series, so my expectations for the third book were HIGH.

In the third book, the three sisters travel on their own to visit relatives in Alabama: they will be visiting their grandma, Big Ma; their great-grandmother, Ma Charles; and their Uncle Varnell, the one who stole from them in P.S. Be Eleven. (Also they will be spending time with Jimmy Trotter their older cousin).

I was not disappointed with Gone Crazy in Alabama. I loved it for much of the same reasons as I loved the previous novels in the series.

I loved the characterization. All three sisters--Delphine, Vonetta, Fern--and their extended family are wonderfully, believably flawed. The tension between the family members feels genuine and not forced. The family from the first book through the third book just feels oh-so-believably-right.

I loved the writing, the storytelling. I loved the dialogue too.

I loved the setting. Gone Crazy in Alabama is set in Alabama in the summer of 1969. Among other things, the book features the family gathering around the television and watching the Apollo 11 moon mission. But the book isn't just about that memorable moment, far from it. Most of the drama in Gone Crazy in Alabama is FAMILY DRAMA. Drama between the sisters' great-aunt and great-grandmother (a family feud) and drama between the three girls themselves. Relationships will be tested...

Gone Crazy in Alabama is a great coming-of-age novel.

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Gone-Away Lake (1957)

Gone Away Lake. Elizabeth Enright. 1957. 256 pages. [Source: Library]

I enjoyed reading Elizabeth Enright's Gone-Away Lake. I am so glad to be participating in the Newbery Through the Decades reading project. I've been motivated to read many books that I probably never would have read.

Gone-Away Lake tells the summertime adventure of two cousins: Portia and Julian. Early on in the summer these two stumble upon a muddy, dried-up lake. They discover a "ghost town" of sorts--the remnants of a lake resort community. To their great surprise, they discover that it is not as abandoned as it first appeared. Two people still live there. A brother and sister. (They live in separate houses.) Her name is Mrs. Cheever. His name is Mr. Payton. The four become friends--good friends. There are thousands of stories to be shared. Much to explore. Much to do.

I enjoyed this one very much. It's not an action-packed story (though it does have an intense scene or two--at least relatively speaking). It's definitely driven by the interesting characters. (Something I can definitely appreciate!)

Have you read Gone-Away Lake? What did you think? How do you think it compares to Thimble Summer?

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

I Kill the Mockingbird (2014)

I Kill the Mockingbird. Paul Acampora. 2014. Roaring Book Press. 176 pages. [Source: Library]

Lucy, Michael, and Elena are best friends. They have almost always been best friends. I Kill The Mockingbird is about a secret summer project these three think up and orchestrate.

It starts with the announcement of Miss Caridas' summer reading list:

• David Copperfield
• Ender's Game
• Fahrenheit 451
• War Horse
• War of the Worlds
• The Giver
• To Kill A Mockingbird

 Lucy remembers that Miss Caridas was not their only English teacher that year. She replaced another teacher, Mr. "Fat Bob" Nowak, who died of a heart attack in October. He had told the class that he would assign only one book for the summer: To Kill A Mockingbird. Lucy reminds her friends of this, and expresses how she wishes everyone would read it and WANT to read it. The friends think and consider and brainstorm. What if they could manipulate supply and demand and make people really desperate to find a copy and read it?

I Kill the Mockingbird is about that project, about their misshelving books at bookstores and libraries across the state of Connecticut, about their online campaign "I Kill the Mockingbird."

It's a quick read. It has some depth to it. Lucy is worried that her mom's cancer might come back someday. Lucy is still missing the teacher who died. Lucy and her friends are thinking about life and death and legacies. But it is in many ways a light novel about three best friends who love to read and who want others to love to read too. It would almost be impossible for me not to like--really, really like this novel about reading. I still haven't decided if I LOVED it or just really, really, really LIKED it.

© 2014 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews