Summer of Brave

by Amy Noelle Parks

Twelve-year-old Lilla Baxter-Willoughby doesn't lie. She's just a little bit...selective. To keep her parents happy, Lilla hides how much she hates moving back and forth between their houses, and she stomps down her doubts about that elite high school they're pushing her toward. To keep peace with her best friend Vivi, Lilla doesn't share that she got the junior camp counselor job that Vivi wanted. And even though--no, especially because--he seems into it, Lilla does not tell the boy she grew up with about all the little sparks that flared up inside her the day she noticed his Suddenly Adorable Freckles. So when Vivi dares Lilla to start telling the truth as part of their Summer of Brave, Lilla hesitates. Because if she says out loud what she really wants, her whole life might crash down around her. And she doesn't need that. Except maybe she does.

Genres: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Friendship, Family, Fiction, Contemporary, Romance

240 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2021

About the author

Amy Noelle Parks is a professor of elementary education at Michigan State University, where she helps future teachers recover from the trauma inflicted on them by years of school mathematics.

At night, she writes stories about smart girls falling for feminist boys in quirky midwestern settings and likes using One Direction lyrics as the inspiration for entire novels. Social media still scares her, but she’s working on it.

Reviews

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lilla is ready for summer, but not the pressure of making a decision about her future high school track. The highly regarded local magnet school has given her the green light to apply via an art of science project. Mom is all about science and STEM. Dad is into art, works for the local museum, and is assuming Lilla will go that direction. Her parents share a duplex with each giving her a room in their space. Neither of her bedrooms feel like they are all hers. Her best friends Knox and Vivi have a summer contest going to tell the truth. How does a quiet girl make her wishes known without being loud or pushy? And how does she decide if she is ready to have a crush on a boy? When Lilla is the victim of a street harassment, things get even more confusing. Amy Noelle Parks deftly handles the issues of divorce, first crush, plans for the future, and that whole "boys will be boys" issue. So much to unpack here and this book will be a popular spring/summer read. I am visualizing it as a DisneyPlus or Netflix production with Grace Vanderwaal playing Lilla. Anyone else on board?

Thank you to Albert Whitman and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

[Abby Nameche · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have no words. This is an magnificent book, 100% recommend. Amy Noell Parks really goes into the detail of how scary it can be to be a girl. This book made me laugh and cry and frusterated, which is a good thing. I loved how she showed sexual harassment and how some people dont take it seriously enough. It is a problem in the world that girls get harassed and then people blame them because they were wearing "inappropriate clothes" and that it should be taken as a complement and girls should be flattered when a bouly does something like that to you , and this book really showed that. I also love the obstacles and adventures lilla takes to find herself and her voice. If you ever find "Summer Of Brave" at your library, please get it, it educates young readers about girls and boys in todays society, and it is all in all a really good book.

[Kateryna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lilla is a quiet girl who does her best to meet everyone's expectations and she keeps many of her thoughts to herself. So when her best friend Vivi declares this the summer of brave - to be brave and to stop keeping silent about what she really wants - it is a challenge that Lilla rises to. I love this book - it’s sweet, engaging and thought provoking. I love how Lilla related to her friends and how she was finally able to speak the truth to everyone around her. The scenes were very realistic and believable. The narrative was great, I couldn’t put this book down. So well done! Plus, the cover is delightfully lovely. Five glorious stars!

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every summer, someone in Lilla's friendship trio picks a summer goal, and when Vivi proposes the "summer of brave" this year, she challenges her friends to be honest about their feelings for a whole summer. This causes timid Lilla to stand up to her divorced parents and deal with an issue of harassment from a college kid who works at her summer camp.

I really liked how this handled the way harassment affects girls at a young age and questions the way they are told to just deal with boys' bad behavior. There are also a couple of sweet 7th grade romances and it has a perfect middle grade page count. I find the cover to be a little misleading as it's definitely not about a girl rolling in the grass, but what's beneath the cover is solid stuff.

[Katy O.]

Stay tuned to SLJ for my review

[Karly Tornatore · Rating 4 out of 5]

All hail middle grade March! Reading middle grade books always reminds me of why I love reading.

[Ms. Arca · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS!! is how you nail voice. Clear and sincere and age accurate. So well done!

This is also how you nail age relevant, age interesting AND age essential content for MG readers.

The plot is simple and actually pretty quiet but it speaks to the characters strength and strong content that this book doesn’t need much plot, and shines the way it does. This book really pushes at the true struggles and discomfort of finding our voice, boundaries, and how to say and claim our space/what we need.. when we’ve been taught not to do that to survive. Even if it’s not life or death, we (especially femme/ girls!) internalize that we need to please guardians and everyone around us and then you will survive and be rewarded (and liked). How do we unlearn that when it’s been practiced and affirmed daily and so internalized?? We had stubborn toddler voices once, or funny, outspoken 5 year old voices. But this shift happens as young girls spunk and desires have been repeatedly silenced and they see that it works better for everyone around them to not ruffle feathers or upset anyone. So, girls turn inward and squeeze themselves into fitting into other’s boxes in some way at around this age. This is when we lose our kids and their full selves. This is when we started to lose ourselves.

This book is the push at the exact right time to give a model of how to fight against that squashing of ourselves. It’s clarity, honesty, and pain about this unlearning and relearning are what make it so powerful.

Moreover, it’s short and packed a punch, with the perfect (slight) punch up older for content and dynamics for MG. There is discussion of street harassment which is also done SPOT ON for this age and exactly what a MG reader should be able to turn to in a book as a window or a mirror to their beginning experiences with that bullshit, but reality of young womanhood.

This is a no brainer for classrooms and to rec to your MG students. Plus, the cover is delightfully lovely so they’ll want to take it from your hands and bookshelves, no convincing needed! Please grab it! 5 stars slam dunk.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I can’t wait to read what this author does next.

[Rajiv · Rating 4 out of 5]

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“Summer of Brave” is a beautiful middle-grade novel that deals with quite a few issues while growing up.

Firstly, the author wrote the characters very nicely. Lilla is a complex character, and I thought she went through a lot in the story. She goes through many emotions, like adjusting to her parents and making her friends happy over Magnet School. Moreover, she does not agree with some of the things they do, but she keeps quiet to please them. I feel this is something that would resonate with adults. I enjoyed how she matured in the story, where she learns to be vocal yet still respective of people’s feelings.

Similarly, supporting characters like Knox and Vivi are also engaging in the plot. Initially, I felt that Vivi was a bit bossy towards her friends. But, I liked how she boosts Lilla’s confidence, like when she forces her to talk to Mrs. Wilder. It was interesting to see how the author tested their friendship (like the counselor job) as they start maturing. I also enjoyed the sudden feelings Lilla has towards Knox and how she handles it. Knox and Lilla share an excellent company, and I loved how they supported each other when he told her about his father’s new relationship.

One of the highlights was the storyline revolving around Matt’s harassment. I thought the author depicted the issue in a graceful manner. Moreover, some small but memorable moments stood out for me. For instance, when Lilla and Prisha talk about being a girl and how they need to behave in a particular manner in society. Or when Lilla overhears her parents dating and gets upset. Overall, the author balanced all the topics seamlessly and made “Summer of Brave” fun to read.

[Belles Middle Grade Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a deeply moving, & empowering story. I absolutely loved this. I felt so proud of Lilla throughout this story. Her character development/growth was amazing. Which is why I felt such intense pride for her. This is that age for a girl where everything is on the cusp of change. You start getting butterflies for certain boys, your body is changing, & experiences & issues you never dealt with before..you start to get a taste of that. It’s scary. I think this story could help sooooo many girls during this time. I didn’t even realize some of the things I went through myself starting at that age, were so common..& the feelings they in turn caused as well. Catcalling is not ok for example. NO we should not be flattered, and NO I don’t want to hear “boys being boys”. Not just harassment, but how the rules are different for girls. Even the dress codes of girls vs boys…we can’t dress a certain way to make things easier, meaning that what we wear causes jerks to harass us? It’s also expected that we are to act differently than boys. It’s a lot. If I feel less alone with reading these experiences & feelings from Lilla, just think what it will do for young girls reading. Then you have what she’s going through with the aftermath of her parents divorce, & them putting so much on her shoulders in so many ways, while thinking they’re doing everything for her. When she feels like she can’t even cry, because a parent told her before not to “manipulate them with tears”….My blood was boiling! She says & does anything to make the ones she loves happy-no matter how it makes her feel-even letting both planning her future for her. I LOVED her 2 best friends & their dynamic together. Thanks to this friendship, she realizes during 1 of their summer challenges they do how much she “lies” at the expense of herself, & works on being braver. The “project” she puts together towards the end was impactful & so beautifully done. I loved that so much, & the reaction it brought out in others. This was a very raw, honest, relatable, important, & beautiful story. Couldn’t put it down-finished the last 60% in 1 sitting. I haven’t even skimmed the surface of how amazing this is. HIGHLY recommend. BEAUTIFUL cover by Jensen Perehudoff as well!💜

[Kathie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m so glad I selected this book to read for the “book with a summer setting” prompt, as it was a great way to kick off summer. Lilla’s parents are divorced, but the family practices “bird-nesting” where they live in a duplex, and Lilla moves back and forth between their places. Her parents believe they’re doing what’s easiest for her, but Lilla finds it extremely hard, especially when both her parents start keeping secrets and Lilla doesn’t know what’s going on in either of their lives. But Lilla’s friend, Vivi, decides to make this the “Summer of Brave” and challenges Lilla and their other friend, Knox, to tell the total truth and try new and scary things. Lilli isn’t sure she likes this idea, especially speaking up to her parents about their living situation, telling Vivi she got the camp counsellor job that Vivi wanted or standing up to sexual harassment from one of the senior camp counsellors. It’s so inspiring to watch Lilli grow in confidence and learn to speak her truths despite the consequences. This book reminded me of Saint Ivy by Laurie Morrison and Chirp by Kate Messner, but I’d recommend it for readers who like stories where characters learn to find their voices and speak up for what they need.

[Snow]

I honestly don't even remember why I picked this book up when I have a million other books on my to-read list (mentally) but it was surprisingly quite a delightful read! The book starts off about three best friends— Lilla, Vivi and Knox, and their summer tradition that turns it into a journey of self growth. At first I thought it would just be a typical middle grade book with characters having their typical middle school problems, so what I didn't expect was it to touch upon such serious themes as facing catcalling and sexual harassment at a young age, and I think it's quite satisfying how the topic was dealt with in the end. The friendships portrayed in the book were very believable and the main character's relationship with her divorced parents was also really very well-written (gosh was it stressful). However, I personally feel a bit tired of the whole het-coming of age school girl crush-whatever sort of stories, and even though I know they had to show how her being assaulted affected her whole crush situation, I still felt annoyed when they just ended up pairing the boys and girls. I don't know, maybe it's just me. Anyways, good summer read! (...I didn't read this in summer)

[Jenn Bishop · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pitch-perfect coming of age MG. This resonated so deeply with me as a smart girl who grew up trying to please other people. It took me years to learn the things Lilla learns, which is not to discount her growth over the course of the narrative. Her epiphanies and challenges -- all of this story -- felt so true to life for this exact moment. Many kids will see themselves in Lilla and her friends. This story deserves a wide readership and I hope it finds it.

[Lisa Pineo · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Summer of Brave" by Amy Noelle Parks, Albert Whitman & Company
Category: Contemporary Middle Grade
*I received this eARC from Albert Whitman & Company via Edelweiss+ in return for an honest review.
My rating: 5 stars
TW (trigger warnings): sexual harassment

Description from the publisher:
Twelve-year-old Lilla Baxter-Willoughby doesn’t lie. She’s just a little bit…selective. To keep her parents happy, Lilla hides how much she hates moving back and forth between their houses, and she stomps down her doubts about that elite high school they’re pushing her toward. To keep peace with her best friend Vivi, Lilla doesn’t share that she got the junior camp counselor job that Vivi wanted. And even though—no, especially because—he seems into it, Lilla does not tell the boy she grew up with about all the little sparks that flared up inside her the day she noticed his Suddenly Adorable Freckles. So when Vivi dares Lilla to start telling the truth as part of their Summer of Brave, Lilla hesitates. Because if she says out loud what she really wants, her whole life might crash down around her. And she doesn't need that. Except maybe she does.

"Summer of Brave" is a fast-paced preteen novel full of friends, family and the problems that come when puberty hits.
I really liked this book. I'm a mom of a preteen (so not the intended audience) but I remember being this age and the wild emotions that swamped me. Lilla is desperate to have her friends, family and life be normal. She doesn't like how her parents have dealt with their divorce but she doesn't want to rock the boat so she keeps silent. She doesn't want to go to the prestigious high school her parents and friends expect her to go to but she stays silent. She develops feelings for the boy she's had as a friend forever but stay silent, not wanting to deal with that friendship changing. And when she's sexually harassed she wants to stay silent, but realizes she can't this time. And maybe that means she doesn't need to stay silent about everything else either.
Great characters, dialogue and situations move this book along at a great pace. I loved the social justice and how the characters developed an appropriate amount for a short time. Very realistic and believable scenes that will be appreciated by 8 to 12 year olds and beyond.

[Sacha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Albert Whitman and Company for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. I’ll post that review upon publication.

This one surprised me in a good way -

Updated 3/2/21

4.5 stars

After what felt like a bit of a slow start, this book surprised me in a great way by covering several issues in a really profound manner.

Lilla, the m.c., is twelve and is facing a series of turning points: impending high school, her parents' divorce, her movement from friendship to romantic thoughts in one case, and changing friendships. She is also experiencing changes in her levels of in/dependence and in her understanding of how others perceive her. What is most interesting about Lilla is that she is a people pleaser who is keenly aware of this trait and willing to work toward changing it via the Summer of Brave.

Lilla read weirdly young to me at the start of the novel, but that all changed for the better. I really enjoy the way she navigates her parents' divorce and their general treatment of her, the fluctuations with her friends - old and new -, and especially how she finds her voice and manages her bravest act after a particular incident. The entire conversation around street harassment is handled expertly, and on that premise alone, I'd recommend this book to a wide array of readers. Fortunately, there are so many other reasons to recommend this book even outside of that fine point.

This is a great middle grade read, particularly around sexual/street harassment, boundaries, toxic masculinity, and abundant enablers of that aforementioned state. Recommended -

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking for a middle grade book to read under the sunshine? The Summer of Brave is #mglit focused on growing up, friendship, sense of self, courage, and lots & lots of dandelions.

You don’t like the label, you might want to reconsider the behavior.”

“Could you please give us a minute? I am educating him, and it’s important.”

“All right, my little force of nature. Let’s see how this goes.”

“Mascara must be for people who cry less than I do.”

“Without you, I’d be so much less than I am.”

*be brave*

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Middle grade fiction is often a hard sell because there is a fine line between what is too mature and what is too juvenile. Summer of Brave meets that happy medium even though the plot moved a little slow.

Summer of Brave tells the story of Lilla who is dealing with a divorced household and chooses to live in a duplex in what her parents are calling “bird nesting.” She is also facing the dilemma of whether or not she should go to the magnet school for science and appease her mother, or stay at the regular school and pursue her passion for art. Along the way, she is dealing with friend drama including starting to fall for one of her best guy friends. The pinnacle of the story occurs when she is verbally harassed by a couple of older guys who she ends up working with at the summer camp where she is a junior counselor. The overall message is that being brave is sometimes about more than just being brave for yourself.

Something enjoyable about this story is the internal struggle the main character is facing. We often think that to be 11/12 years old is a simple time but in reality, there is a lot going on between hormones, becoming a pre-teen, and middle school expectations. Many students are dealing with all of this while trying to maintain academics. Parks did a great job keeping the audience aware of how much all of these things together can affect a kid in a positive and negative way and how important having a support system really is.

The biggest drawback of this book was that it moved very slowly. The harassment issue seemed to be a very big deal to the character’s story, but it was in the last third of the book. This is misleading to the reader because the overall message of being brave is pinpointed to this one issue when Lilla was going through many challenges. It is good the issue was raised and why it is important, but the other developmental issues weighed just as heavily on her character development.

Overall I would give this story a 3 out of 5 because of the pacing and the climax being at a weird point. This was a great coming of age story considering not all kids are dealing with huge issues, but they are still dealing with stressful situations nonetheless.

[Kristy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those middle grade gems that should be read by parents as much as kids. I read it as a professional librarian yes, but I also couldn’t stop thinking about it from a parent’s perspective.
12 year old Lilla isn’t shy, she’s just not the loudest voice in the room. Lately it seems like everyone feels like they know just what Lilla needs—but no one has stopped to consider what Lilla actually wants.
This is a book about finding your voice, about how being brave isn’t the same as being loud, and how we are all allowed to feel our feelings, no matter how inconvenient they might be for someone else. Lilla’s critiques of her parents are spot on and pretty unlike anything else I’ve read. I really appreciated the nuanced relationship she had with them.

Loved this book— it’s sweet, engaging, thought provoking and absolutely essential reading, especially for those of us who have trouble speaking up.
Five glorious stars.

[Regina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I quickly fell in love with this book of a girl finding herself, learning to stand on her own two feet. Lilla is a sweetheart and a people pleaser. Every summer, her and her two best friends make a wish on a dandelion. Whoever wins, gets to make the other two do a dare. This year, the dare is to be brave and tell the truth. I quickly found myself rooting for Lilla as she began to come out of her shell and realize that you can’t make everyone happy. I highly recommend this book for middle grade readers. I also loved how it tackled themes of divorce and when things start changing that are out of your control.

[Karina Shah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Summer of Brave by Amy Noelle Parks was a fun read! I liked how this was a bit of a shorter read than what I have recently read but I also liked that the plot wasn’t rushed. I have read a lot of historical fiction books lately so this was a good change. I would give this book a 5/5 stars and would recommend it to anyone ages 12 and older who are looking for something to keep busy during summer vacation!

[Hoover Public Library Kids and Teens · Rating 5 out of 5]

A dandelion-blowing contest among three friends leads to an annual Summer Wish. This year Vivi wins and challenges Lilla and Know to a Summer of Brave. This will be especially hard for Lilla, who has been hiding her true feelings about a lot of things.

[Sandy (Sandy.Reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25/5

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Empowering, relatable, and captures all of the complexities of being a girl in middle school really, really well.

[Hanna *Middle School Librarian* · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful! Good themes. I think the cover makes it look a bit young, but a really good book for the 6-8th grade crowd (particularly girls).

[Val Emhof · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m torn about this book. I mean… did I read way too late last night to finish it? Definitely. I loved some of the struggles this book deals with. I love the idea of “being brave” in the sense that the book approaches. Truly. I wish I had had such a story to read at some point growing up.
However, part of me wishes there was not so much focus on the “feelings for boys”… but at the same time, girls start going through this at some point and it is very well handled. Hence me being torn ;-)
I think I’m going to let my girl read it when she wants to and I’m looking forward to chatting about all of it with her!

[Jennifer Hottinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lilla is in middle school and her world is so confusing for her. She tries to please her parents, friends, and team. Will she find her brave and realize “boys being boys” is not an excuse for behavior that makes you uncomfortable? And bravery in using your voice may change the chaos and confusion in her world?

Excellent middle grade novel!! Important read and conversation starter!

[~just one hopeless romantic~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was awesome! I loved the characters and the plot of the story. I mostly ovoid books like these because I’m more into “dragons, fairy’s, scary books, and fantasy.” I occasionally read friendship drama books and topics like this. However, I’m so glad I checked out this book! The characters were on point and the main plot was stable. Anyways, this book was amazing, and that’s a fact!

[Danielle Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. This was a wonderful book about being honest and brave. I love how Lilla related to her friends and how she was finally able to speak the truth to everyone around her. I was also really impressed with how the author handled sexual harassment and how it makes even the youngest of girls feel.

[pawsandpagesbyannie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summer of Brave by Amy Noelle Parks
Publication Date: March 1, 2021
.
Description from NetGalley...
“Twelve-year-old Lilla Baxter-Willoughby doesn’t lie. She’s just a little bit…selective.

To keep her parents happy, Lilla hides how much she hates moving back and forth between their houses, and she stomps down her doubts about that elite high school they’re pushing her toward. To keep peace with her best friend Vivi, Lilla doesn’t share that she got the junior camp counselor job that Vivi wanted. And even though—no, especially because—he seems into it, Lilla does not tell the boy she grew up with about all the little sparks that flared up inside her the day she noticed his Suddenly Adorable Freckles.

So when Vivi dares Lilla to start telling the truth as part of their Summer of Brave, Lilla hesitates. Because if she says out loud what she really wants, her whole life might crash down around her. And she doesn’t need that.

Except maybe she does.”
.
Thank you to @NetGalley @albertwhitman for the digital ARC in return for my honest review. And to @amy.noelle.parks for telling me about it.
.
My thoughts...
Love, love, love! Parks nailed it with this book. The experiences, musings, conversations and feelings were so relatable and hit all the marks for a coming-of-age story. It felt like she was writing about my 12-year-old self. The narrative was great, I couldn’t put this book down. The way Parks handled the issue of “catcalling” was sensitive and educational. I want to follow this group of friends. I want to know what happens to them. This is a middle-grade book, but the messages in here can be for adults. Honestly, this book gave me fluttery feelings. I wish I could go back and give this book to my younger self: to validate. Be brave. Be true.

[Paul Sheckarski · Rating 4 out of 5]

The pivotal event of the novel takes place more than halfway through it. Absent further information, I'd say a novel with that structure would have pacing problems. It absolutely works here, beautifully. Because the harassment happens late in the novel, we become acquainted with Lilla as a human and not as the "woman-shaped thing" to which her harasser attempts to reduce her. Does the novel, with only about 100 pages left, give us enough time to see how Lilla experiences and managers her trauma? Shockingly, yes! We do not feel rushed through the psychological density of that experience because Amy Noelle Parks demonstrates such facility for detail.

It isn't just the structure of the novel I admire — the novel-shaped thing — but the characters as well. I loved spending time with them. I suppose there were moments when I thought, "Would a child really talk like that? or have that particular insight?" But these moments came late in the narrative, and given the characters' prior behavior and the setting these moments did not strain credulity.

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book handled harassment really well which is why I’m giving it two stars. But I don’t like Lilla as a character. I’m imagining giving this book to many of my students and I can picture their reactions. Lilla is spoiled. She has so much that she’s not even grateful for. I just wasn’t not impressed with this book at all. Titles that I would give to students before this one that deal with the same topics are Maybe He Just Likes You and A Good Kind Of Trouble.