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The Great Peach Experiment #2
The Peach Pit
Hammer together a mission to turn a crumbling mansion into a cozy bed-and-breakfast, a treasure map, and a family trying to figure out their new normal to build this charming middle grade bursting with humor, heart, and hope.
Much to their surprise, the Peaches had a great summer running their food truck business selling their pies across the Mid-West, but they’re happy to be back home in Duluth, Minnesota, where they can settle back into a routine just in time for the new school year.
That is until Great Aunt Lucinda drops a big surprise on them: She wants to gift them her historic mansion. But there are conditions: they’re to turn it into a cozy and welcoming bed-and-breakfast, something the Peach kids’ mom always dreamed of before she passed away. And they only have until Thanksgiving to do the renovations and prove they can make the business work. It looks like it’s a new chapter of The Great Peach Experiment.
But as the Peaches roll up their sleeves, they quickly realize the house is more of a pit than a welcoming escape. And as the family juggles builders, possible hauntings, doggie obedience training, a treasure hunt, and the demands and worries of work and school, they soon realize that there are wonderful secrets hidden within the house’s walls, if only they can take the time to see them.
Interspersed with sketches, recipes, lists, and more, The Peach Pit is a delicious sequel to When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Peach Pie, combining humor, heartache, a little mystery, and a lot of love, to build another incredible read.
Much to their surprise, the Peaches had a great summer running their food truck business selling their pies across the Mid-West, but they’re happy to be back home in Duluth, Minnesota, where they can settle back into a routine just in time for the new school year.
That is until Great Aunt Lucinda drops a big surprise on them: She wants to gift them her historic mansion. But there are conditions: they’re to turn it into a cozy and welcoming bed-and-breakfast, something the Peach kids’ mom always dreamed of before she passed away. And they only have until Thanksgiving to do the renovations and prove they can make the business work. It looks like it’s a new chapter of The Great Peach Experiment.
But as the Peaches roll up their sleeves, they quickly realize the house is more of a pit than a welcoming escape. And as the family juggles builders, possible hauntings, doggie obedience training, a treasure hunt, and the demands and worries of work and school, they soon realize that there are wonderful secrets hidden within the house’s walls, if only they can take the time to see them.
Interspersed with sketches, recipes, lists, and more, The Peach Pit is a delicious sequel to When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Peach Pie, combining humor, heartache, a little mystery, and a lot of love, to build another incredible read.
320 pages, Hardcover
Published April 26, 2022
20 people are currently reading
191 people want to read
About the author
Erin Soderberg Downing
57 books272 followersI read and write lots of funny, adventurous, & heartwarming books for kids, tweens, and teens (and even a few romantic comedies for adults, too!) that are ultimately about finding your place, finding your people, and finding your voice. I always love book recommendations, so please send them my way. As a reader, I'm partial to contemporary romantic comedy, thrillers that keep the pages turning and have well-built characters, funny/original voices, quirky characters, and always kids' books with humor and heart.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
April 21, 2022
Instead of touring the Midwest in a food truck, the Peach family is getting ready to open a B&B in Aunt Lucinda's mansion. As they prep, they hit a steep learning curve. They have to get ready for their first official guests by Thanksgiving. Can they do it? Leave it to the Peaches to warm your heart and inspire you with a few tasty recipes. I am definitely going to try Cousin Millie's Famous Apple Muffins. If you love kids, pets, and DIY, then you will also enjoy this book.
A big thank you to Pixel & Ink books for a paperback ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A big thank you to Pixel & Ink books for a paperback ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 7, 2021
As the author of this book, it's impossible for me *not* to love this story. I wrote it! But truth be told, I actually think the second book in this series is, quite possibly, even better than the first. I hope others love the Peach family as much as I do!
July 3, 2023
This is the second book in the series and it can stand alone. The Peach family have been given a large house by their aunt Lucinda. The only stipulation is that they run a bed-and-breakfast and have it ready by Thanksgiving. The house is in terrible shape, but the Peach family love it, and are determined to fix it up and make it presentable for guests.
October 28, 2022
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Fresh from their summer adventures in When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Peach Pie, the Peaches find themselves back in Duluth, having sold their pie truck to Lois Sibberson in Ohio. They're about ready to head back to school, with Lucy in 7th grade, Freddy in 5th, and Herb in 3rd, and their dad's Aunt Lucinda makes them a deal-- the family can have her house if they fix it up. She moves into a senior facility, and the Peaches rent their home to college students. The house is in need of a lot of repairs, and cousin David thinks she should sell, but she gives the Peaches until Thanksgiving to open a bed and breakfast. Their father cuts back his hours at the university a bit, and the family throw themselves into renovations and preparations with the same verve they did when operating the peach pie truck, but with a bit more success. There are plenty of problems-- plumbing, bees in the walls, and structural faults-- but there are interesting and fun things as well. Lucy has an attic above her room, where she finds a replica of the house. She gives this to Herb, who uses it to house his collections. Freddy has a large room, so he can spread out his many art projects. Herb starts to visit Lucinda at her facility quite a bit, and makes friends with some of the other ladies there, even doing "work" for them when he comes. Herb also finds a cellar, where he makes friends with some mice. When Lucy finds a map that looks like it may lead to treasure, she hopes that she might be able to find some money to help with renovations. Since the father has given away most of the money received from the mother's invention, and the house has so many problems, it is likely that they won't be able to keep it or run the B&B. Herb helps with the treasure hunt, and all three children investigate the cellar. Will what they find be enough to dissuade their cousin David from selling the house?
Strengths: This was an upbeat, fun story even though the children are still dealing with the death of their mother, and the family is facing challenges. I loved the positive attitude, and the agency that the children are given. Herb is even allowed to ride his bike to the retirement home several blocks away. All three children have some challenges at school, and have to learn how to balance their school work, personal interests, and time spent working on the house. There should be a lot more middle grade books (like Delle Donne's Elle of the Ball) that show children dealing with time management. Aunt Lucinda is great, and the smaller characters, like the carpenters and Lucinda's friends, are well developed. Weaknesses: For my own purposes, I would have liked to see the story told all from the point of view of 7th grader Lucy, but it's interesting to see how Freddy and Herb perceive the situation as well. There also could have been a little bit more of the Dad's presence as well.
What I really think: This was somehow reminiscent of The Penderwicks (which one of the children is reading), The Melendy Family stories, or The Vanderbeekers, but felt more realistic in the problems the family faced and the solutions that were implemented. There was never any moment where this felt twee or forced, as is the case in so many of these "modern classic" family stories, and I am looking forward to the third book in the series.
Fresh from their summer adventures in When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Peach Pie, the Peaches find themselves back in Duluth, having sold their pie truck to Lois Sibberson in Ohio. They're about ready to head back to school, with Lucy in 7th grade, Freddy in 5th, and Herb in 3rd, and their dad's Aunt Lucinda makes them a deal-- the family can have her house if they fix it up. She moves into a senior facility, and the Peaches rent their home to college students. The house is in need of a lot of repairs, and cousin David thinks she should sell, but she gives the Peaches until Thanksgiving to open a bed and breakfast. Their father cuts back his hours at the university a bit, and the family throw themselves into renovations and preparations with the same verve they did when operating the peach pie truck, but with a bit more success. There are plenty of problems-- plumbing, bees in the walls, and structural faults-- but there are interesting and fun things as well. Lucy has an attic above her room, where she finds a replica of the house. She gives this to Herb, who uses it to house his collections. Freddy has a large room, so he can spread out his many art projects. Herb starts to visit Lucinda at her facility quite a bit, and makes friends with some of the other ladies there, even doing "work" for them when he comes. Herb also finds a cellar, where he makes friends with some mice. When Lucy finds a map that looks like it may lead to treasure, she hopes that she might be able to find some money to help with renovations. Since the father has given away most of the money received from the mother's invention, and the house has so many problems, it is likely that they won't be able to keep it or run the B&B. Herb helps with the treasure hunt, and all three children investigate the cellar. Will what they find be enough to dissuade their cousin David from selling the house?
Strengths: This was an upbeat, fun story even though the children are still dealing with the death of their mother, and the family is facing challenges. I loved the positive attitude, and the agency that the children are given. Herb is even allowed to ride his bike to the retirement home several blocks away. All three children have some challenges at school, and have to learn how to balance their school work, personal interests, and time spent working on the house. There should be a lot more middle grade books (like Delle Donne's Elle of the Ball) that show children dealing with time management. Aunt Lucinda is great, and the smaller characters, like the carpenters and Lucinda's friends, are well developed. Weaknesses: For my own purposes, I would have liked to see the story told all from the point of view of 7th grader Lucy, but it's interesting to see how Freddy and Herb perceive the situation as well. There also could have been a little bit more of the Dad's presence as well.
What I really think: This was somehow reminiscent of The Penderwicks (which one of the children is reading), The Melendy Family stories, or The Vanderbeekers, but felt more realistic in the problems the family faced and the solutions that were implemented. There was never any moment where this felt twee or forced, as is the case in so many of these "modern classic" family stories, and I am looking forward to the third book in the series.
August 5, 2024
This book was very good, just like the previous one in the series.
March 13, 2022
I think the Peach Family is a family that we will know for generations to come. They have a timeless feel to them. I know middle graders will love each character in the story!
April 27, 2022
It is always a relief when a sequel is just as wonderful as the series opener! The Peach Pit picks up just after the Peach family returns from their summer of running a food truck specializing in pies and presents them with a new challenge—turning a dilapidated old mansion into a viable Bed & Breakfast in just a few months. But Lucy, Freddy, Herb and their dad learned a great deal about hard work during their first “Great Peach Experiment” and are certain that they can do the job, thus assuring them of a new home to continue making memories with a family that may be minus a mom but is still full of a lot of love. Author Erin Downing fills book 2 with a mystery, humor, and an abundance of problem-solving that will keep readers in grades 4-7 engaged every step of the way. Freddy’s sketches of his ideas and recipes are scattered among the sometimes hilarious incidents and may turn into some actual baking and journaling by those same readers. The only question that remains as the last page is turned is whether there will be anything else for the Peaches to experiment with in a book 3?
Thanks, Erin, for sending me an arc to read and share with arc-sharing group #BookAllies.
Thanks, Erin, for sending me an arc to read and share with arc-sharing group #BookAllies.
March 6, 2022
It was so fun to revisit the peach family whom I adore. Loved the setting, the pit, and all the happenings within the family. I especially have a sweet spot for Herb’s third grade teacher!!!
April 30, 2022
The Peach family is back working as a team to turn their "Peach Pit" into a family bed and breakfast. The task seems insurmountable at times, but with humor, teamwork, and adventure, this family can do anything. Bring on book three! I can't wait to see what their next challenge will be!
March 13, 2024
Aunt Lucinda has decided to move in to a retirement facility, but she wants to keep her rambling mansion in the family. So at the end of the summer she surprises the Peaches with a challenge: she will give the house to them if they can fix it up and make it a working B & B ready to open the week after Thanksgiving. She and her son David will be the first customers. If the Peaches fail, the house will be put up for sale and they will move back into their old tiny house. After making their food truck a success over the summer, Dad, Lucy, Freddy, and Herb are ready for a challenge. But they have varying levels of excitement over the project. Lucy really wants the room at the top of the house with bookshelves and a ready nook she can make her own. She's a little worried about Dad reverting back to some of his old tendencies as they get going on this project, but she loves the challenge of getting the house ready to be a bed and breakfast. Freddy likes tackling the building challenges of fixing the place up and is testing out all sorts of breakfast menu options. He also loves having his very own room. Herb is not thrilled about this move. He's always thought Aunt Lucinda's place was a bit creepy and is probably haunted. However, the house does come with Aunt Lucinda's 4 dogs and he loves the dogs. Dad is worried that they won't have enough money or be able to balance everything, but the house was the place he felt the most at home in his childhood and he'd love to keep it in the family.
This was another feel-good challenge for the Peaches to take on. I like the things they learn about themselves through the process and about their family. Herb visits Aunt Lucinda frequently at the retirement home and befriends many of the people there, and gets himself jobs of helping out around the place. He's also taking on the challenge of training the 4 wild dogs and dealing with his teacher hosting a Mother and Son tea party which has him feeling left out and awkward (he loves the teacher otherwise and doesn't want to be a bother by talking about it with him). Lucy is happy to see her Dad taking on more fatherly roles, while also seeing she is still needed in some areas to keep him grounded (especially with the contractor meetings). Freddy has bitten off more than he can chew with projects around the house as well as an art competition project. He learns some about overcommitment. Cousin David is putting pressure on the family to give up the project and sell, but there is a good resolution to this conflict. Aunt Lucinda is a larger than life character who is a lot of fun to be around. Overall, a pleasant and cozy family home improvement story.
Notes on content:
Language: None
Sexual content: None
Violence: None
Ethnic diversity: Most of them are White Americans. A couple friends are people of color.
LGBTQ+ content: A friend of one of the kids has 2 dads. When writing a letter to the teacher about the Mother/Son Tea Herb mentions that some kids may have 2 dads.
Other: The family realistically continues to deal with the grief of losing their mom/wife. Herb gets great advice on how to think about the weird noises the house makes, but only after Freddy creeps him out a little with a prank.
This was another feel-good challenge for the Peaches to take on. I like the things they learn about themselves through the process and about their family. Herb visits Aunt Lucinda frequently at the retirement home and befriends many of the people there, and gets himself jobs of helping out around the place. He's also taking on the challenge of training the 4 wild dogs and dealing with his teacher hosting a Mother and Son tea party which has him feeling left out and awkward (he loves the teacher otherwise and doesn't want to be a bother by talking about it with him). Lucy is happy to see her Dad taking on more fatherly roles, while also seeing she is still needed in some areas to keep him grounded (especially with the contractor meetings). Freddy has bitten off more than he can chew with projects around the house as well as an art competition project. He learns some about overcommitment. Cousin David is putting pressure on the family to give up the project and sell, but there is a good resolution to this conflict. Aunt Lucinda is a larger than life character who is a lot of fun to be around. Overall, a pleasant and cozy family home improvement story.
Notes on content:
Language: None
Sexual content: None
Violence: None
Ethnic diversity: Most of them are White Americans. A couple friends are people of color.
LGBTQ+ content: A friend of one of the kids has 2 dads. When writing a letter to the teacher about the Mother/Son Tea Herb mentions that some kids may have 2 dads.
Other: The family realistically continues to deal with the grief of losing their mom/wife. Herb gets great advice on how to think about the weird noises the house makes, but only after Freddy creeps him out a little with a prank.
June 26, 2022
This is such a fun middle-grade book; the follow-up to When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Peach Pie. I actually enjoyed the story here much better than the first book. I felt that in this book each of the three children really shined through the story and the dad was less "in the way" of the narrative.
While the first book featured a summer adventure road trip in a food truck (that sells pie!), this story brings a new kind of adventure. The family's aunt gifts them her historic mansion that is in need of repair in order to renovate it into a B&B. The narrative shifts in perspective so each of the three children (12-year-old Lucy, 10-year-old Freddy, 8-year-old Herb) are featured in different chapters. Lucy, Freddy, and Herb are all unique and I loved seeing their input into the family, their care for one another, and their growth in being independent (and awesome) humans. It's lovely to have a middle grade book that celebrates family but also the importance of the autonomy of children.
I love the house featured in this story, with all its nooks and crannies to explore. There are treasure maps and hidden attics and possible hauntings ... all in the midst of the hard renovation work (the Peach family does hire outside help). No surprise, the hardships are indeed overcome and the family sees a way forward to pursue running a B&B out of this wonderful home.
This story is fun and playful, appealing to a kid's sense of wonder. It celebrates family life and working hard through adversity to follow your dreams.
***Note: I was given a review copy of this book via Holiday House. Opinions are my own.
While the first book featured a summer adventure road trip in a food truck (that sells pie!), this story brings a new kind of adventure. The family's aunt gifts them her historic mansion that is in need of repair in order to renovate it into a B&B. The narrative shifts in perspective so each of the three children (12-year-old Lucy, 10-year-old Freddy, 8-year-old Herb) are featured in different chapters. Lucy, Freddy, and Herb are all unique and I loved seeing their input into the family, their care for one another, and their growth in being independent (and awesome) humans. It's lovely to have a middle grade book that celebrates family but also the importance of the autonomy of children.
I love the house featured in this story, with all its nooks and crannies to explore. There are treasure maps and hidden attics and possible hauntings ... all in the midst of the hard renovation work (the Peach family does hire outside help). No surprise, the hardships are indeed overcome and the family sees a way forward to pursue running a B&B out of this wonderful home.
This story is fun and playful, appealing to a kid's sense of wonder. It celebrates family life and working hard through adversity to follow your dreams.
***Note: I was given a review copy of this book via Holiday House. Opinions are my own.
November 17, 2022
Well, the lovely Peach family moves on to new adventures, from a traveling peach pie food truck to a charming bed and breakfast named The Peach Pit. The Peach family inherits an old mansion when Great Aunt Lucinda decides that it is time to move into a retirement home. The house is too big for her to maintain and she wants to pass it on to the family. But there is one condition, the family has to convert it into a bed and breakfast and share the historical house with others. The book takes you on the journey of how each family member approaches the renovations and preparation to open the mansion for business. Lucy takes charge of identifying each detail that has to be addressed before guests arrive, hiring a front desk person, towels, toiletries, bed linens, etc. Freddy is in charge of the breakfast part of the B&B, recipes, and yummy menu items for guests to enjoy. And poor Herb, the youngest of the Peaches, struggles to find his role in all of this. He does become the caretaker of Great Aunt Lucinda’s pack of dogs that she had to leave with the family, all with the names of Santa’s reindeer.
“The Great Peach Experiment” books are super cute and great for elementary and middle-grade readers. Earlier this year, my middle grader and I listened to the audiobook for the first book in the series “When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Peach Pie” and we thoroughly enjoyed it. My son has read book 2 “The Peach Pit” along with his 6th grade class. I was finally able to get to it and absolutely love it. I listened to the lovely audiobook narrator Lu Banks and was transported into Great Aunt Lucinda’s mansion with its magical staircases, attic, and cellar. This family is so adorable and Erin Soderberg Downing gives each Peach child his/her own distinct personality, definitely relatable to any school-aged reader.
“The Great Peach Experiment” books are super cute and great for elementary and middle-grade readers. Earlier this year, my middle grader and I listened to the audiobook for the first book in the series “When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Peach Pie” and we thoroughly enjoyed it. My son has read book 2 “The Peach Pit” along with his 6th grade class. I was finally able to get to it and absolutely love it. I listened to the lovely audiobook narrator Lu Banks and was transported into Great Aunt Lucinda’s mansion with its magical staircases, attic, and cellar. This family is so adorable and Erin Soderberg Downing gives each Peach child his/her own distinct personality, definitely relatable to any school-aged reader.
April 25, 2022
The Peaches are back in Duluth after their summer of driving across the United States in their Peach Pie food truck and are on to their next big project. Aunt Lucinda has decided to move into a retirement community and has left them her mansion with the stipulation that they must turn it into a functioning Bed & Breakfast. The Peach Pit, as they affectionately call it, needs a lot of work! Using lessons learned in their first adventure, Lucy, Herb, and Freddy work hard to meet the deadline set by Aunt Lucinda. Full of heart and humor, this book will have readers rooting for the Peaches and learning a great deal about construction and renovation along the way. Thankfully there are recipes included! I am looking forward to the third book in the series. It will help to have read When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Peach Pie first, but it is not essential. Recommended for grades 4 & up.
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss
September 20, 2023
Middle grade realistic fiction. It was so fun to get back to the Peach family. After the summer on the Peach pie truck, the kids are settling in at home for a new school year. But then Dad's great Aunt Lucinda gives them a house! Well, sort of-- they can live in her house if they can renovate the lovingly nicknamed "Peach Pit" into a functional Bed and Breakfast by Thanksgiving. The kids work together with their Dad and two college "Handy-gals" to clean, renovate, and redecorate. But with money tight, time running out, and constant setbacks-- will they be able to get everything done in time?
This is a fun family story about each family member using their own strengths to be stronger together. In a house filled with secrets and history, the kids learn a lot and have a lot of challenges. Lucy wants her own space, Freddy wants to use his creative energy for everything, and Herb is trying to train the dogs and prove that even though he'd the youngest, he is a contributing member. I always like stories about home renovations since I grew up in a family of builders, and this one was a joy to listen to. Looking forward to book 3!
This is a fun family story about each family member using their own strengths to be stronger together. In a house filled with secrets and history, the kids learn a lot and have a lot of challenges. Lucy wants her own space, Freddy wants to use his creative energy for everything, and Herb is trying to train the dogs and prove that even though he'd the youngest, he is a contributing member. I always like stories about home renovations since I grew up in a family of builders, and this one was a joy to listen to. Looking forward to book 3!
January 5, 2023
After selling their food truck (see When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Peach Pie) the Peach family returns to Duluth MN. Their great Aunt Lucinda, who is moving to senior citizen housing, offers them her old mansion on the condition that they renovate it and turn it into a B&B by Thanksgiving. Knowing almost nothing about construction and DIY home projects, the family nevertheless takes on the challenge. Will they be able to meet the deadline?
Many unforeseen problems arise with the old house--plumbing, bees in the walls, mysterious stairwells... The children, 7th grade Lucy, 5th grade Freddy, and 3rd grade Herb, also experience various school struggles and time management challenges along the way. Character development is a strength of this middle grade novel. It is another heart-warming Peach family tale with realistic characters and a fun story line.
I listened to the audio book on Hoopla.
Tie-in with beginning the school year, or use as a November classroom read-aloud.
F&P reading level: S.
Many unforeseen problems arise with the old house--plumbing, bees in the walls, mysterious stairwells... The children, 7th grade Lucy, 5th grade Freddy, and 3rd grade Herb, also experience various school struggles and time management challenges along the way. Character development is a strength of this middle grade novel. It is another heart-warming Peach family tale with realistic characters and a fun story line.
I listened to the audio book on Hoopla.
Tie-in with beginning the school year, or use as a November classroom read-aloud.
F&P reading level: S.
April 9, 2022
After loving the first installment in The Great Peach Experiment series: When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Peach Pie, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the sequel: The Peach Pit. I saved it for a Saturday afternoon, so I could savor every moment spent with the lovable Peach family, and savor it I did. The characters continue to hold a piece of my heart! This time, the family embarks upon another major project, to move into and transform Great Aunt Lucinda’s “pit” of a historic mansion into a B&B. Can they succeed in getting it up and running so they don’t have to sell it to someone outside of the family? What treasures, secrets, and family history does the house hold? How will each family member continue to come into their own? Special treats included throughout the story: The recipes shared from the Peach Family Recipe Book, the sketches from Freddy’s sketchbook, maps, invitations and letters. There’s so much to love about this book!
#LitReviewCrew
#LitReviewCrew
June 5, 2022
I enjoyed the first book about this Peach family, those ups and downs from losing their mother to the challenge of running a food truck. Now they are back facing a new challenge, renovating Aunt Lucinda's old mansion for their home and for starting a bed and breakfast! Whew! I like that Erin Soderberg Downing digs deep again into the family's personalities. Knowing each one's strengths and challenges means readers might find themselves or at least see that no matter the quirks, everyone can contribute to goals. Many adults believe that children are not capable of doing much and this book plus the first one show even the young ones mastering new things, creating new ideas, and adding to the family's goals with heart and expertise. Sometimes they work together for everyone's good. This time there are a few secrets kept, but it all works, just "peachy"! You will love the surprises in this old house, too. I liked "The Peach Pit" very much.
March 28, 2023
The Peaches are back for another family adventure, this time turning their Great Aunt Lucinda’s historic mansion into a cozy bed-and-breakfast!
Turning “The Peach Pit” into a welcoming B & B is going to be a challenge, but the Peaches are up for it. With the help of the Handy Gals, Kassy & Lila, the Peach family is determined to see this old house returned to its former glory and welcome visitors.
But will naughty puppies, strange noises in the walls, a possible treasure hunt, and a relative who wants to sell the mansion instead of renovate it stand in the way of the Peach family’s dream?
With loads of family fun, I highly recommend this series for any middle grade reader or classroom. Can’t wait to read book 3 when it publishes next week!
NOTE:
Though I listened as an audiobook, I do have a print copy and think Freddy’s sketchbook, the maps, invitations, letters and recipes (peach pie, blueberry pancakes, apple muffins, & cookies!) are an amazing addition to the novel.
Turning “The Peach Pit” into a welcoming B & B is going to be a challenge, but the Peaches are up for it. With the help of the Handy Gals, Kassy & Lila, the Peach family is determined to see this old house returned to its former glory and welcome visitors.
But will naughty puppies, strange noises in the walls, a possible treasure hunt, and a relative who wants to sell the mansion instead of renovate it stand in the way of the Peach family’s dream?
With loads of family fun, I highly recommend this series for any middle grade reader or classroom. Can’t wait to read book 3 when it publishes next week!
NOTE:
Though I listened as an audiobook, I do have a print copy and think Freddy’s sketchbook, the maps, invitations, letters and recipes (peach pie, blueberry pancakes, apple muffins, & cookies!) are an amazing addition to the novel.
May 15, 2022
As if we didn’t already fall in love with the Peach family when they were spending their summer on a food truck adventure, they’re back fixing up a mansion with piles of problems to turn it into a B&B and they’re more lovable than ever! The Peach Pit had me craving pastries and a crazy renovation project, too!
The additions of drawings from Freddy Peach’s sketchbook, four naughty puppies, bees in the walls, a time capsule, recipes galore, mysteries unveiled, and mostly lots of family fun are all bonuses as readers will grow to love the Peach family even more on this second adventure in The Great Peach Experiment series!
The additions of drawings from Freddy Peach’s sketchbook, four naughty puppies, bees in the walls, a time capsule, recipes galore, mysteries unveiled, and mostly lots of family fun are all bonuses as readers will grow to love the Peach family even more on this second adventure in The Great Peach Experiment series!
July 7, 2022
The Peach family is back and have been given the opportunity to fix up Great Aunt Lucinda's home and turn it into a Bed and Breakfast. This would give them a much larger home and keep the historical mansion in the family. Disasters happen frequently as to be expected in an unmaintained older home. Readers see them work together and on their own to fix up this new home and explore the hidden areas. It's encouraging to see them continue to heal after their mom's death and become a more solid family unit.
Some of the transitions were a bit abrupt for me and some plot points were not developed in a believable manner so only 3 stars for this one.
Some of the transitions were a bit abrupt for me and some plot points were not developed in a believable manner so only 3 stars for this one.
May 5, 2024
I really, really love this book. It isn't a grand, epic fantasy adventure, or anything really big, but it isn't trying to be. It's an easy and quick read that I read in the middle of reading a fantasy series, and I would highly recommend it to anyone else looking for a quick read as well. This book honestly feels very refreshing to me, and I love the themes of happiness and family bonds. I also like how it is told in alternating POVs, so you can get multiple outlooks on the situation. Overall, it's a really great book for anyone of all ages to read. <3
April 20, 2022
I really loved this next installment for the Peach family. For me, the characters and their realism make the book pop. Soderberg Downing knows exactly how to endear us to very the realistic Peach children--Lucy, Freddie and Herb (my personal favorite!)--as they begin a new adventure to move into Great Aunt Lucinda's mansion, lovingly called the Peach Pit and turn it into a working B and B in just a few short months.
I hope to see this beautiful family again in a third book one day soon!
I hope to see this beautiful family again in a third book one day soon!
June 2, 2023
I jumped into this one thinking it was book 1. I noticed there had been a lot that happened before the book, but despite not having read about it, I enjoyed getting to know the Peaches and I didn't feel lost in the story at all.
If you are a fan of the Vanderbeekers, then this series is for you. It's family and heart and just the right amount of troubles they face and overcome. Excellent book, and now I can't wait to read the rest!
If you are a fan of the Vanderbeekers, then this series is for you. It's family and heart and just the right amount of troubles they face and overcome. Excellent book, and now I can't wait to read the rest!
April 10, 2024
I love this series of a family and their adventures navigating a “new normal” after their mother and wife has died from cancer. In the first book they had an adventure with a food truck. In this next installment, they are gifted a mansion in Duluth by Mr. Peach’s Aunt Lucinda - but they need to transform it into a B&B. Each of the 3 siblings has a part in the story, but most of the happenings are for Freddy (5th gr) and Herb (3rd gr). I can’t wait to read the next adventure!
March 27, 2024
Enter the Mansion that Aunt Lucinda has "given" the Peach family, with the caveat that their remodeling MUST be completed by Thanksgiving or ...........?
Every one has their particular idea of how to remodel it into a B&B, but will their ideas coincide and work?
Now that the Vanderbeekers series has come to an end, I look forward to more of the "Peaches"!
Every one has their particular idea of how to remodel it into a B&B, but will their ideas coincide and work?
Now that the Vanderbeekers series has come to an end, I look forward to more of the "Peaches"!
April 15, 2022
Love spending time with the Peach family. This time it’s a crumbling mansion with a deadline to turn it in to a functioning B & B. Loved reading about their ingenuity as they work to beat the clock or lose the house!
April 17, 2022
I love the Peach family adventures so very much! This time they take over their aunt’s old house in an attempt to start a bed and breakfast. Full of heart and lovable characters that will stay with you, this is a fantastic second installment.
June 12, 2022
Isaac and I read this one together, after reading and LOVING the first installment. This one didn’t quite have the same magic for us — we wanted way more B&B and way less treasure hunting — but we still enjoyed spending more time with the Peaches.
July 20, 2022
"What do you mean, you want us to make your house great again?"
"Herb Peach was pretty sure his great aunt Lucinda's was haunted."
Loved being back with the Peach family in Duluth, Minnesota. It is perfect for grades 3-5. I think this series is a great read-a-like with The Vanderbeekers series by Karina Glaser.
Here is the recap: The Peach family comes back from their adventure running a food truck over the summer. Their great aunt asks them to take over her falling apart mansion and turn it into a bed-and-breakfast. They also have to take on her four indulged and disobedient dogs too. She is headed to the senior housing apartment complex. Well, they take on the challenge and learn all about the highs and many lows of taking on a fixer-upper. They may not have a clue about fixing up a house but they have lots of love and determination to get the job done.
This book is full of love and family hi-jinks and very entertaining.
"Herb Peach was pretty sure his great aunt Lucinda's was haunted."
Loved being back with the Peach family in Duluth, Minnesota. It is perfect for grades 3-5. I think this series is a great read-a-like with The Vanderbeekers series by Karina Glaser.
Here is the recap: The Peach family comes back from their adventure running a food truck over the summer. Their great aunt asks them to take over her falling apart mansion and turn it into a bed-and-breakfast. They also have to take on her four indulged and disobedient dogs too. She is headed to the senior housing apartment complex. Well, they take on the challenge and learn all about the highs and many lows of taking on a fixer-upper. They may not have a clue about fixing up a house but they have lots of love and determination to get the job done.
This book is full of love and family hi-jinks and very entertaining.
June 28, 2023
A truly delightful book. The Peach family gives me all the same warm fuzzy feelings as the Penderwicks or the Vanderbeekers. This sequel to their summer spent learning how to run a food truck, is engaging and a definite add to classroom libraries.
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