Summer of the Gypsy Moths

Nov 09, 2012 Monica Edinger added it

I started this a while ago and put it down when it seemed to be headed in a direction that didn't work for me. Then a friend on an award committee asked me to read it so now I have. I can certainly see kids who like a certain sort of realistic novel (Rules, So.B. It) enjoying this one. I did as it has some very nice touches --- the development of each girl's backstory, some very lyrical writing, and a lovely setting. But my reading was always compromised by the fact that I still found the situat...more

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Aug 12, 2012 Brandy Painter rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: middle-grade, contemporary-fiction

Basically yet another MG novel featuring a plucky slightly quirky girl who has been a abandoned by parent(s) and is searching for home and community. Sara Pennypacker is a good writer so it is well written, but nothing new is explored that hasn't already been done and done again and then done some more in the genre. The voice of the novel is extremely introspective and I found myself getting bored in several places. Also there is a serious issue with the entire concept and its plausibility that...more

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Jan 28, 2013 Barbara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: animals, cooking, community, death, families, friendship, jobs, music, ncbla2013, seasons, survival

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Although I had to keep pushing down a lot of my unanswered questions and concern that none of the adults in their Cape Code neighborhood tried very hard to talk to Louise or question what was going on, I still fell in love with the book and its characters. In the end I decided that it's possible that many folks, children and adults included, that fly beneath the radar the way that Stella, Angel, and Louise do. Still, I would have expected her good friends such as George to have made more of an e...more

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Jan 16, 2013 Michelle Isenhoff rated it 3 of 5 stars

If you’re looking for a sweet story, you probably wouldn’t consider one in which two twelve-year-old girls bury an old lady in the garden and lie about her death so they don’t have to be shipped off into foster care. But that’s just what Stella and Angel do, and sweet is just the word I’d use for this one.

Stella has spent her whole life searching for threads to tie her to the earth. She’s always felt she’s spinning out of control, ever since her mom left her. Grams’ house was well-grounded, but...more If you’re looking for a sweet story, you probably wouldn’t consider one in which two twelve-year-old girls bury an old lady in the garden and lie about her death so they don’t have to be shipped off into foster care. But that’s just what Stella and Angel do, and sweet is just the word I’d use for this one.

Stella has spent her whole life searching for threads to tie her to the earth. She’s always felt she’s spinning out of control, ever since her mom left her. Grams’ house was well-grounded, but then Gram died and Aunt Louise took her in, along with a second foster girl named Angel who mixed with Stella like oil and water. But Aunt Louise never mentioned her bad heart. When she dies, both girls need to buy a little time. Stella is sure her mom is going to come for her by the end of summer, and Angel is waiting for her own aunt to get approval from the state to become her legal guardian. And George and the summer cottages where Aunt Louise worked are right next door. They could cover for her. Surely it wouldn’t hurt to hide the truth for just a little while.

From such crude beginnings, this story takes a decidedly poignant twist. Friendship grows up between the two girls, though they are complete opposites. The summer becomes one of self-reliance, discovery, and maturity. They grow like the gypsy moths that are wrecking havoc on Cape Cod that summer: “They’d fed on the leaves in the dark of the night, until they were able to fly. You had to admire them for that. They did what they needed to do, in the dark so nobody would bother them, getting ready for their big adventure of becoming moths.”

Both of these girls have had a tough past. Angel, in particular, is deceitful, bitter, and conniving. She’s also in the habit of saying “Jesus querido,” which is Portuguese and the only reason I haven’t granted this one the Squeaky Award. The book does have a feeling of desperation, a dose of all that’s wrong with culture in America today. But there’s also hope and love and redemption. I enjoyed this one a great deal. If you’re in need of a dose of sugar, pick up a bad of Dom-Doms and Summer of the Gypsy Moths. 10+(less)

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Dec 21, 2012 Hilary rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, children-s-chapter-books

"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 flaten myself to the ground and clutch hold is that strong. Because, gravity? Oh, gravity is no match for a force that equals ten simultaneous hurricanes. No, if we aren't all flung off the earth like so many water droplets off a cartoon dog's back, it must be because people are connected somehow. I like to imagine the ties between us as strands of spider silk: practical...more

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Nov 18, 2012 Allison rated it 5 of 5 stars

A show-stopper! I think everyone who reads 20 pages into this book would be completely immersed. While it certainly is a bit harrowing, I think it is harrowing done right. Adolescent books can be so important in providing perspective and helping children navigate difficult life concepts. All children eventually need to learn about the unsettling themes in this book, and what better place to vicariously navigate those themes than in a beautifully written, well-crafted book? The shock value alone...more

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Oct 04, 2012 Elizabeth K. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-new-reads

I found myself enjoying this more than I thought I would, given the weird premise. Two young girls, trying (fairly successfully) to hide the fact that they are on their own for a summer. Stella is living in her great-aunt's house on Cape Cod, with Angel, a foster child. As one would expect, at first they don't get along, but then have to work together to pull off their plan. The strongest point for me was Stella's thoughtfulness -- she's a practical kid, yet musing at the same time. I loved her...more

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Oct 03, 2012 Richie Partington rated it 5 of 5 stars

Richie’s Picks: SUMMER OF THE GYPSY MOTHS by Sara Pennypacker, Balzer+Bray/HarperCollins, April 2012, 288p., ISBN: 978-0-06-196420-6

“There you stood on the edge of your feather
Expecting to fly”
-- Neil Young (1967)

“We sat there for a minute, looking down the empty road. Angel was probably thinking, in a few minutes I’m on my way. I was thinking that I kind of liked this new Angel, the girl who talked to me. And that in a few minutes I would be left alone. With…
“’Because it would be too hard,’ Ang...more

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Oct 03, 2012 Brandy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mock-newbery-contenders

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I don't think I have read any of Sara Pennypacker's books before, but after reading this one, she is now on my radar.

This was a fairly simple read. It grabs you quickly and pulls you in. I guess I am just a sucker for authors that have the ability to make me feel. That is what I loved about this book. However, the story line is a little bizarre.

It takes place in Cape Cod at the house of Louise. She is taking care of her great niece, Stella, while her mother tries to get her act together to have...more I don't think I have read any of Sara Pennypacker's books before, but after reading this one, she is now on my radar.

This was a fairly simple read. It grabs you quickly and pulls you in. I guess I am just a sucker for authors that have the ability to make me feel. That is what I loved about this book. However, the story line is a little bizarre.

It takes place in Cape Cod at the house of Louise. She is taking care of her great niece, Stella, while her mother tries to get her act together to have custody of her daughter back. Also there is Angel, a foster girl that Louise has taken in so that Stella has a friend. The girls are 11 and 12 years old.

As luck would have it, Louise dies. The girls don't know what to do, but one thing they know is that they don't want to be shipped off to yet another home. The book is about what happens after they decide to not tell anyone Louise has died.

At first, I felt very freaked out by the fact that the girls were going to get caught. I was longing for them to confide in George, the only other adult in the book that they knew. It was really suspenseful for me as I waited for the bomb to drop.

As I was waiting for that bomb, I started to really get to know these girls. My heart ached for them. I wanted to wrap them in my arms and love them.

I felt that Pennypacker did a wonderful job of writing. Some of my favorite parts are: "I like to imagine the ties between us strands of spider silk: practically invisible, maybe, but strong as steel", "No, I don't mind any of the broken things. I like to figure out their stories.", "I looked up and down the beach and wondered if maybe everyone could be hiding some big secret. I sank into the warm sand, smiling at the idea of a beach full of people, tied together by their secret-hiding."

I also loved watching Stella gradually come to realize things in the life around her. The gradual friendship with Angel, slowly realizing that the relationship she had with her mother wasn't good, discovering that broken things didn't always have to be fixed, etc.

I have to say, as I watch my own children in their tween years, it is apparent that tweens/teens have an underdeveloped sense of empathy. Books like this that really make you feel I think are good for them to read. To help them to have empathetic experiences. I know that 12 year old girls hiding a dead body in their backyard may seem a little odd or rather morbid, but I do think that kids will relate to this book well.

This is high on my list as a Newbery winner or honor book.(less)

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Oct 03, 2012 Karen Yingling rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Stella's mother is unreliable, so she is left in the care of her great aunt, Louise, who has also taken in a foster child, Angel. Neither Stella nor Angel are terribly thrilled to be living with Louise, but when she passes away, the girls both know that if they tell the authorities, they will go to other foster families. They decide to try to stay on their own, taking care of four summer cottages with the help of George, a neighbor and friend. There is the small problem of what to do about Louis...more

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Aug 27, 2012 Hilary rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-fiction, grades-5-6, grades-3-4, orphans

Things seem to be settling down, somewhat at least, for Stella since she was sent to live with her Great Aunt Louise while her mother has taken off (again) to find herself. Louise likes order, and that suits Stella just fine as she is the number one fan of Heloise's Hints - everyday household suggestions that give her a set of rules to follow and lend a sense of stability to her otherwise chaotic life. The only problem is Angel, the foster child Louise took in around the same time that Stella ca...more

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Aug 25, 2012 Jill Keller rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was a beautiful book. Stella and Angel are two girls living in the same house. Stella's great-aunt Louise takes care of both girls as a foster parent. Both girls have been so hurt by life that they retreat into their own shells, one into a need for orderliness and control, the other into her love for music. They just can't seem to get along. Both have dreams that a relative will sweep in and make their lives feel normal again. When a disaster happens, the girls have to learn to get along in...more

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Aug 15, 2012 Linda Bartosik rated it 5 of 5 stars

As reviewed in my daily blog, Another Day Goes Bu.....

Tomorrow, children's author Sara Pennypacker, will be doing a signing at Titcomb's Bookshop here in Sandwich, at 4pm. She will be introducing her latest middle grade novel, The Summer of the Gypsy Moth, so yesterday I downloaded and read the book. I absolutely loved it. Once again Pennypacker masters the art of weaving internal and external conflict and takes her characters on a journey of change and growth.

Pennypacker tells the story of tw...more

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Jul 28, 2012 Liviania rated it 4 of 5 stars

Stella lives with her Great-aunt Louise in Cape Cod because her mother lost custody. Also living with Louise is Angel, a foster child who wants nothing to do with Stella. Then Louise dies and the girls have to decide: do they call the cops and go back into the system or try to survive on their own?

There's a real strain of darkness running through SUMMER OF THE GYPSY MOTHS. Some of the darkness is blatant, but some implications will be glossed over by less mature readers. Stella and Angel have no...more Stella lives with her Great-aunt Louise in Cape Cod because her mother lost custody. Also living with Louise is Angel, a foster child who wants nothing to do with Stella. Then Louise dies and the girls have to decide: do they call the cops and go back into the system or try to survive on their own?

There's a real strain of darkness running through SUMMER OF THE GYPSY MOTHS. Some of the darkness is blatant, but some implications will be glossed over by less mature readers. Stella and Angel have not had easy lives. While neither girl was physically or sexually abused, there are still reasons they would choose not to go to foster care. Stella was neglected by her mother and at eleven is very experienced at fending for herself. And as Stella notes in the text, the two girls get rather dirty and starved as the weeks go by and none of the adults notice.

Book Cover In my opinion, the darkness works. SUMMER OF THE GYPSY MOTHS reminds me of some of my favorite books as a child, including THE PINBALLS and THE BOXCAR CHILDREN. (And by THE BOXCAR CHILDREN I mean the first book, not the series of mysteries that follows. I like the mysteries, but they have little to nothing in common with SUMMER OF THE GYPSY MOTHS.)

Book Cover Stella and Angel bond as their deception deepens and they do Louise's work as the manager of Linger Longer, a set of four vacation homes. Stella is obsessed with Hints from Heloise, which is both sad and funny in turns. I've been laughing and learning from Heloise's columns for years, but I think this part might put kids off more than the dead and absentee parents. Angel likes to listen to her mother's fado record. Her mother sang the Portuguese music before her death and Angel uses it to remember her loss and her destiny. She'll have a home as soon as her immigrating aunt finds and job and a house in the United States. Music, chores, and more bring the two girls together.

I expect SUMMER OF THE GYPSY MOTHS will be a popular read. Stella and Angel are easy to empathize with and their adventures may not always be exciting, but they're interesting to read about. SUMMER OF THE GYPSY MOTHS is one of those quiet stories that gets under your skin. It also makes me happy that I've been giving more middle grade books a chance lately.(less)

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Jul 27, 2012 Charlyn Trussell rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Grades 4 and up

Shelves: family_story, friendship, grief, orphans, realistic-fiction, strong-female-character

(Review of ARC)Most of Stella’s life she’s never had what could be called a normal life. Her mother is a single parent with problems about responsibility. The last time she left Stella alone, the child was picked up by child welfare and sent to live with her great-aunt Louise. In addition to Stella, one other foster child, a girl named Angel, lived with Louise. Angel and Louise are about the same age, but that’s where the similarity ends. Louise referred to them as “water and oil.”

Then one day...more (Review of ARC)Most of Stella’s life she’s never had what could be called a normal life. Her mother is a single parent with problems about responsibility. The last time she left Stella alone, the child was picked up by child welfare and sent to live with her great-aunt Louise. In addition to Stella, one other foster child, a girl named Angel, lived with Louise. Angel and Louise are about the same age, but that’s where the similarity ends. Louise referred to them as “water and oil.”

Then one day the girls came into the house from school and Angel immediately realized something was awry. And it was. Louise sat in a chair in the living room, but she was dead. Both girls knew what would happen to them if Louise wasn’t alive to care for them—they’d both be sent out to new foster homes. So, they made a pact: they’d carry on the care of the rental cottages and other things around the house and not tell anyone about Louise’s death.

It wasn’t easy. They had no money, they had to take care of renters who came to stay in the cottages Louise had overseen and clean then after the tourists left, and they had to hide her death from George, the only other adult in their life who knew Louise’s role in the girls’ life.

Fortunately, Stella was able to use her vast knowledge of Hints by Heloise to do many of the things for which Louise’s experience was needed. And, together, the girls buried Louise in the backyard and began forging the relationship that would be needed to keep this terrible secret. But how long can one keep a secret about a lady buried in the garden? And how long can water and oil be a successful team?

Fans of Clementine should know immediately that Stella is NOT Clementine and there will not be much humor in this story. Neither Stella nor Angel have had a good life. In the movie in Stella’s head, she sees her mother returning for her and the two living happily there in Louise’s home; Angel, on the other hand, has an aunt from Portugal who has come to America to rescue her once the aunt has a job and a place to life. Angel’s dream is built on reality; Stella’s dream is built on wishful thinking. It seems there will never be a happy ending for Stella.

Sara Pennypacker weaves magic out of words the way a chef produces a great dish using the same ingredients everyone else has. The book is full of carefully etched pictures. Stella speaks at the beginning: “…it must be…people are connected somehow. I like to imagine the ties between us as strands of spider silk: practically invisible, maybe, but as strong as steel. I figure the trick is to spin out enough of them to weave ourselves into a net.” Through Pennypacker’s words, the reader will make those connections with Stella and want to find out what will happen to this child.
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Jul 11, 2012 Bluerose's Heart rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, young-reader-8-12

Stella is a 12 year old girl living with her aunt, Louise. Her mother is off "finding herself", and doesn't have time to raise her little girl. Living with them, as a foster child, is Angel. She seems angry at the world, and doesn't give Stella the time of day. When tragedy hits, the girls have to discover whether or not they can work together as a team.

I completely fell in love with Pennypacker's writing style in Summer of the Gypsy Moths. I love that she created such quirky characters and that...more

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Jun 28, 2012 Mary Louise Sanchez rated it 5 of 5 stars

Eleven-year-old Stella wishes her mother would come to Cape Cod so together they could do the heavy work for Stella's great-aunt Louise, but there's "too much water under that bridge" for this to happen and besides Aunt Louise has "a full house as it is" with Angel, an eleven-year-old foster child. "Pass the ketchup" is about the extent of Stella's and Angel's conversations until Aunt Louise dies unexpectedly.

Since neither girl wants to go back into the foster care system, they decide not to re...more

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Jun 21, 2012 Diane rated it 4 of 5 stars

In Summer of the Gypsy Moths, eleven year old Stella has not had an easy life thus far. She has moved from place to place and is use to her flaky mother taking off on her from time to time. This summer she hopes to forget about the past and enjoy a nice summer in Cape Cod visiting her great-aunt Louise. Louise is the caretaker for "Linger Longer Cottages" there.

Just when she thought the summer would be perfect, she realizes once again that things don't always turn out as planned. Louise's foster...more

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Jun 13, 2012 Vicki rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: tween

What is it like to not have caring parents in your life? Stella is living with her great aunt Louise at a Cape Cod cottage colony/resort where they are the caretakers. Angel is also an unwanted girl about Stella's age. They mix together like oil and water, until Louise is found dead in her chair one day after the girls get home from school. Together the girls decide to bury Louise in the garden, and take care of the small resort so they don't go back into the foster care system. George who is th...more

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Jun 05, 2012 Heather rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: childrens, read2012

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jun 03, 2012 Betty-Ann rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is the story of Stella who goes to live with her great-aunt Louise because her mother is off to “find herself” and her grandmother, who she had been living with, has died. Louise lives in a big house on Cape Cod where she gardens, and takes care of four little summer cottages called Linger Longer Cottage Colony. She has also taken in another foster girl called Angel, a prickly girl that Stella describes as a cactus. The two do not get along; Louise says they are like oil and water. Both Ang...more This is the story of Stella who goes to live with her great-aunt Louise because her mother is off to “find herself” and her grandmother, who she had been living with, has died. Louise lives in a big house on Cape Cod where she gardens, and takes care of four little summer cottages called Linger Longer Cottage Colony. She has also taken in another foster girl called Angel, a prickly girl that Stella describes as a cactus. The two do not get along; Louise says they are like oil and water. Both Angel and Stella are hoping for a real family. Angel is waiting for her aunt, who has come to America from Portugal to take care of her, to get a job and an apartment. Stella is waiting for her Mom to return home and be the mom she needs her to be. So when Louise dies and the prospect of moving yet again to another foster home looms ahead of them, the two girls decide to join forces so they can stay where they are at. This way Stella’s mom can still call every Saturday (at least, that is when she is ordered to call) and Angel can make some money. The two girls bury Louise in the garden, next to her beloved blueberry bushes. Then they spend the next four weeks fooling the adults that everything is alright and that Louise has just broken her ankle.
I did really like how the author wove the theme of belonging to family in throughout the whole book. She used several metaphors like spider silk: “I like to imagine the ties between us as strands of spider silk: practically invisible, maybe, but strong as steel.” And songs: “Angel’s song was about all the things I had lost in my life and all the things I would never have; about the things we had all lost and would never have. And while it was mournful, it was joyful, too, because she sang that we would all have so much more. Her song was about the things that connected us all.”
However, I found the premise of two 12 year old girls burying an adult in the garden and then coming up with stories to fool other adults so they can stay in the house alone a little hard to believe. Great story of character development, insights into what is family but the death of great-aunt Louise is unrealistic.
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Jun 02, 2012 Susann rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Susann by: NYT Book Review

An uncomfortable premise to an enjoyable read.

The hidden parts do not contain any true spoilers and the major event I refer to happens within the first few pages. But to be kind to those who hate knowing any plot points in a book....
(view spoiler)...more

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Nov 12, 2012 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a book that I committed to finishing. The idea of two girls needing the nurture and support of a parent was appealing, but the sudden death of their care-taker AND the fact that they girls bury her in the garden without calling anyone was a problem as I read. I just didn't like that turn in the story. However, I really enjoy the storytelling style of Pennypacker in her "Clementine" books, and I wanted an older read from this author. So, I decided I would finish the book. I'm really glad...more

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Jun 29, 2012 Ann Haefele rated it 4 of 5 stars

Beautifully written book by the author of the Clementine series, but this one is for older readers. 11 year old Stella is living with her great aunt while her mother gets her life back together. Also living with Great Aunt Louise is a foster girl, 12 year old Angel. Stella and Angel are Iike "oil and water" but soon find themselves bonding after a tragedy hits. The girls return from school to find Louise has died in her lounge chair(this is not a spoiler as her death is mentioned on page 2), bu...more

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Jun 21, 2012 Sam rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: children

Suppose I told you that there was a book out this year in which a pair of 11-year-old girls find their foster parent dead, and then elect to bury her in the backyard and continue on with their lives. Who would you think had written such a book? Jack Gantos? Polly Horvath? Roald Dahl, in a long-lost manuscript only recently rediscovered? What if I told you that it was actually by Sara Pennypacker, the author of Clementine, and that instead of being a black comedy, or a surreal, Daniel Pinkwater-s...more Suppose I told you that there was a book out this year in which a pair of 11-year-old girls find their foster parent dead, and then elect to bury her in the backyard and continue on with their lives. Who would you think had written such a book? Jack Gantos? Polly Horvath? Roald Dahl, in a long-lost manuscript only recently rediscovered? What if I told you that it was actually by Sara Pennypacker, the author of Clementine, and that instead of being a black comedy, or a surreal, Daniel Pinkwater-style excursion, its closest tonal comparison was to a Hallmark Original Movie?

If you’re anything like me, your final reply was something like, “Wait…what?” And the single biggest problem with Summer of the Gypsy Moths, the Sara Pennypacker book in question, is that it never gets past that reaction, never finds a way to seem plausible or to allow for the suspension of disbelief.

Part of the issue is that the characters seem much more like a collection of overly precious quirks than like real people. Stella, the narrator and one of the aforementioned 11-year-olds, is obsessed with a newspaper household advice column called Heloise’s Hints; fills in the narratives of Reader’s Digest Condensed Books with sections about cleaning; can sense when something is wrong; and rhapsodizes in her narration like someone auditioning for a part in a Nicolas Sparks movie. Angel, the other 11-year-old, is in foster care because her mother was a singer who died in a car accident, and her father was a fisherman who drowned in an accident because his boat didn’t have enough life jackets; conducts seagulls on the beach into flight; and faithfully watches her dead foster parent’s soap opera so that she can give daily reports over the grave. There was not a single point during the book that I believed in either of them as more than authorial constructs. Kids with disrupted lives can certainly develop odd habits as coping skills, but in real life, those habits rarely look quite so much like literary devices.

But, the more I think about it, the more I think there might not have been any possible way for Summer of the Gypsy Moths to succeed, because however you look at it, it’s still a positive, life-affirming, ostensibly realistic book about a pair of preteens who bury their caretaker in the backyard. The tone and plot are so terribly mismatched that it might not have mattered if the characters were Anne Shirley and Lyra Belacqua, or if it were co-authored by Beverly Cleary and Laura Ingalls Wilder. The problem isn’t simply one of execution, but one that exists on the conceptual level itself.

I don’t think Sara Pennypacker is a bad writer – even in a book as unsuccessful as Summer of the Gypsy Moths, there’s some excellent prose, and she is, after all, still the author of Clementine. But I think the sooner she puts this one in her rear-view mirror, the better.(less)

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May 26, 2012 Barb Middleton rated it 4 of 5 stars

If you like a character-driven story then you can savor this emotional waltz through the eyes of Stella. If you are more of a shake 'n shimmy type person, then you might want a little more action. Personally? I'm a shimmy up the tree type person but I found the plotintriguingenough to suck me in from start to finish.

Eleven-year-old Stella likes rules and cleanliness. They give order to a not so orderly life. Her mother can't take care of her. Shoot. Her mother can't even take care of herself. St...more If you like a character-driven story then you can savor this emotional waltz through the eyes of Stella. If you are more of a shake 'n shimmy type person, then you might want a little more action. Personally? I'm a shimmy up the tree type person but I found the plot intriguing enough to suck me in from start to finish.

Eleven-year-old Stella likes rules and cleanliness. They give order to a not so orderly life. Her mother can't take care of her. Shoot. Her mother can't even take care of herself. Stella's grandma raised her and when she dies, Stella is stuck with mommy-on-the-run. Her mother flits from job-to-job, travels all over, and accepts no responsibility for her only child. Dad isn't even in the picture. When Stella's mom abandons her a few too many times, she has to go live with her aunt Louise. When Stella arrives she finds Angel, a foster child Louise thinks would be nice company for Stella over the summer. Problem? Stella's like orange juice and Angel is the pulp that settles on the bottom.

When Louise croaks one morning the two form an unlikely and tepid friendship as they pretend to the world that she is alive. No way are they going to go to foster homes. And don't worry. This isn't a spoiler considering the author tells you by the third paragraph that Louise dies. Actually, I found it hard to get past that foreshadowing. I thought, ugh... this is going to be a sappy, sad book. I'm gonna love this character and then, POW, she's killed off. But Pennypacker has the plot go kerflooey and pulls a Jack Gantos (The Love Curse of the Rumbaughs) - they don't stuff Aunt Louise but they have her propped by the window and bury her in a grotesque and endearing way that is mesmerizing. It isn't until the girls help with the cottages that I started to shake 'n shimmy a little. But I was hooked by then and exercised a rare moment of patience.

The writing is gorgeous in this book with beautiful images and strong character development. Pennypacker use images of webs, destructive gypsy moths, gravity, broken objects, music, and more, connecting them to the characters in the story giving depth and traits that make them identifiable to the reader. As a result even a shake 'n shimmy gal like myself had no problem waltzing through this book.

Reading Level 5.8
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Nov 23, 2012 Elise Marshall rated it 4 of 5 stars

Wow. That is what I think when I hear this book come up. It was honestly the craziest young adult book I have ever read before. I was hooked after the first chapter, although it was an easier read, it was so interesting and different I wanted to keep reading to see what happens. This book is has a little bit darker side to it, not one to read so you can be happy and full of joy, although it does have some joy in it, its dark. Most of what you read is believable, two young girls orphaned and livi...more

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Aug 14, 2012 June Morgan rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved all of the Clementine books. But, Summer of the Gypsy Moths was a more indepth examination of children, who are left to their own wits, can survive and prosper.

Stella and Angel, both children who appear to be abandoned by family, end up in a foster home together. Stella is the niece of Aunt Louise, and Angel has been placed in this particular home. Neither girl is very happy, but they learn to co-exist even though they appear to have totally different backgrounds and personalities.

Aunt...more

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Apr 15, 2012 Aeicha rated it 5 of 5 stars

THREE WORDS: A Stunning Surprise

MY REVIEW: Sara Pennypacker’s Summer of the Gypsy Moths surprised me in the most delicious way! Surprised me with its poignancy, humor, beauty and, most of all, with the way its story gripped my heart and still hasn’t let go.

Eleven year old Stella, armed with her collected household hints from infamous Heloise, loves order and rules, which is why she likes living with her great-aunt Louise on Cape Cod. After Stella’s grandmother dies, her flighty mother abandoned...more THREE WORDS: A Stunning Surprise

MY REVIEW: Sara Pennypacker’s Summer of the Gypsy Moths surprised me in the most delicious way! Surprised me with its poignancy, humor, beauty and, most of all, with the way its story gripped my heart and still hasn’t let go.

Eleven year old Stella, armed with her collected household hints from infamous Heloise, loves order and rules, which is why she likes living with her great-aunt Louise on Cape Cod. After Stella’s grandmother dies, her flighty mother abandoned her in order to “find” herself, so Stella must stay with Louse until her mother can prove to the authorities that she’s a responsible parent. Louise also takes in twelve year old Angel, a foster child and she and Stella could not be more different and the two girls avoid each other as much as possible. But when Louise dies the two girls must work together to keep her death a secret so they won’t be taken away and sent to another foster home. The girls bury Louise in the garden and set out to take over her responsibilities as caretaker of four summer cottages and as they band together to keep their secret, the two girls find that maybe they aren’t so different.

That’s a heck of a book description (both the official one in the blue box and mine) right?! But honestly, neither summary can really do this book justice because Summer of the Gypsy Moths is such a wonderfully layered, written and entertaining MG book that one must simply read to fully appreciate…BUT I’ll do my best to explain why I loved this book and why you really must read it.

Sara Pennypacker has crafted a stunning and startling story of heartache and hope, and has done so with bone-deep and heart-touching honesty, tenderness, beauty and thought-provoking situations. For some readers, the idea of two young girls burying their dead caretaker may make them wary and raise some eyebrows, but trust me when I say that the story couldn’t unfold in any other way and Pennypacker handles this unusual situation with the utmost care and sensitivity. The story is told from the vulnerable, yet captivating point of view of young Stella, and Pennypacker has captured the voice of an eleven year old girl, who has been forced to grow up far too fast, flawlessly.

In fact, the entire story is pitch-perfect and Pennypacker’s writing is simply lovely. The emotional tangibility in Summer of the Gypsy Moths is exquisite and impressive in its complexity; I felt every ounce of Stella and Angel’s grief, anger, confusion and hope. Both Stella and Angel are superbly crafted characters and I connected intrinsically with both girls (and I really miss them now that I’ve finished the book). Optimistic Stella relies on her handy Heloise hints and her love of order to keep her grounded and focused on the task of taking care of the summer cottages and Louise’s beloved garden, while hot headed Angel rather get lost in her music than clean and worry about finances. Such different personalities, yet these two girls are connected, not just by the secret they share, but by their longing to belong. I found myself completely captivated with their story and enjoyed every moment of rooting for these two characters through every struggle, obstacle and pain.

The vividly described Cape Cod setting makes for a fun and rich backdrop to the story.
Pennypacker takes her characters and her readers on a powerful and moving journey in Summer of the Gypsy Moths. I really loved the way the story ended, but I must share how the story begins because Pennypacker’s first paragraph is breathtaking:

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. Because gravity? Oh, gravity is no match for a force that equals ten simultaneous hurricanes. No, if we aren’t all flung off the earth like so many water droplets off a cartoon dog’s back, it must be because people are connected somehow. I like to imagine the ties between us as strands of spider silk: practically invisible, maybe, but strong as steel. I figure the trick is to spin out enough of them to weave ourselves into a net. (taken from ARC, final paragraph may differ).

MY FINAL THOUGHTS: I’m very much in love with Summer of the Gypsy Moths and I'm in awe of Sara Pennypacker’s ability to craft such a beautifully poignant story and two genuinely realistic and fascinating characters. This is an absolute MUST read MG novel!
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Jan 16, 2013 Patrick rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

I really enjoyed this book. Two girls in the foster care system are staying with the great aunt of one of the girls. They fight. Something tragic happens, and they learn to love each other, new talents, new perspectives, etc. They also gain hope after life and/or their families treated them poorly. I love that it's touching and cute without being cheesy.

The ending may be a little cheesy, but I teared up. I always have a lot of sympathy and love for young characters feeling alone. I pictured a fe...more

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