Ice Cream Summer

An Orchard Novel #1

by Megan Atwood, Natalie Andrewson (Illustrator)

Four friends live and work together on a New England apple orchard in this first novel of a brand-new series about the bonds of friendship.

Welcome to the Orchard!

Every summer the Garrison Family Apple Orchard opens its ice cream stand and lets two kids run the show. Now it’s best friends Lizzie and Sarah’s turn.

Then new kids Olive and Peter join their ice cream team. Sarah had big plans and she’s not too happy about sharing the stand or her best friend. But a disaster at the grand opening results in a mysteriously empty cash register, these four kids have to become good friends—and expert detectives—before this Ice Cream Summer turns into the Worst Summer Ever.

Genres: Middle Grade, Mystery, Realistic Fiction, Summer, Chapter Books, Childrens

272 pages, Hardcover

First published May 2, 2017

About the author

Megan Atwood lives and works in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she teaches creative writing at a local college and the Loft Literary Center. She has an M.F.A. in writing for children and young adults and was a 2009 Artist Initiative grant recipient through the Minnesota State Arts Board. She has been published in literary and academic journals and has the best cat that has ever lived.

Reviews

[Jenna Knepp · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked how the author turned a book about 4 kids in to a mystery book.

[Becky Barrier Nelson · Rating 2 out of 5]

BFFs Lizzie and Sarah are excited to run the summer ice cream stand, but trouble ensues when twins, Olive and Peter, move to town causing a rift. Finally understanding that she is the “mean one,” Sarah makes up with Lizzie and embraces the newcomers. Townspeople donate money for the coveted zombie hayride for a happy ending. First in a seasonal series, An Orchard Novel, the reader can anticipate that hayride in the fall. The story is slight, and the themes of best friends developing different interests and of embracing differences is blatant. While admirable, the diversity is overdone. The book has an audience problem. The main characters are rising 6th graders. With the large font, white space, simple vocabulary, and obvious storyline, students of this age used to reading sophisticated novels will be bored. Add to collections needing more chapter books. Simple black and white sketches suit the story.

[Nicole Renner · Rating 2 out of 5]

Review according to my 9 year old: The concept for this book was cute, but the author was not able to come through. The book had multiple typos making it hard to understand at times. The same verbs were used over and over for the characters which was annoying. The main character is rude and bratty. Ultimately, this book was 1 note and if lacked excitement. My 9 year old did not enjoy it, but we finished it.

[Dana Gisser · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were cute pieces of this book but overall it just...didn't know what it wanted to be or who it wanted to be for? The characters were kind of cringy throughout but I think most 11 year olds are cringy when you're a grown up. It just lacked substance to me but was cute overall.

[Melanie Alpuche · Rating 3 out of 5]

My 3-year old enjoyed this book read aloud to her, but I think the age of the characters, which I suspect is the target audience, may be a little old. As I said my 3-year old enjoyed the book so a younger audience may be more appropriate!

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was alright. I picked it up because I liked the illustrations on the cover and it seemed like a good fast read. For me the beginning was a bit slow and I felt annoyed by the characters, but toward the middle it got interesting. The book was mostly about friendship with a bit of a mystery. Overall it was okay, but I don't plan on reading the rest of the series.

I really liked this quote though, "But you can't hide from the day forever. The day happens anyway, you know."

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Recommended to me by my 10 year old Goddaughter who gushed over it.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good friendship book.

[Chelsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like the plot was incredibly predictable. Maybe that’s because I’m an adult reading a kids’ chapter book??

[Clara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved it!

[George · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter read this to me over a month while I would cook dinner. It was a cute story and likeable characters who learned from their mistakes and became better friends.

[Annie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bratty main character who is disrespectful to adults and her parents. Also, family with two dads is included. Not something I want me kids reading.