What do you think?
Rate this book
The Summer I Got a Life
Andy Crenshaw’s summer just went into the toilet. His father got a new job and cancelled their dream vacation to Hawaii. Andy and his older brother, Brad, are shipped off to a farm in Wisconsin to stay with an Aunt and Uncle they hardly know. Brad has little use for Andy, except to torment him.
What begins as a minor disaster turns into a life-changing experience. Andy discovers a whole new world and has his first blush with love in the person of Laura, a piano prodigy and town celebrity. Laura is a remarkable girl, who, despite having to deal with a major life trauma, is funny, resilient, full of life, and to Andy’s delight, just a little crazy.
Andy’s adventure includes chasing a pig through a mall, surviving a near-death driving lesson, and coming face to face with his first dead guy. He also has a side excursion with his brother that will redefine their relationship forever.
What begins as a minor disaster turns into a life-changing experience. Andy discovers a whole new world and has his first blush with love in the person of Laura, a piano prodigy and town celebrity. Laura is a remarkable girl, who, despite having to deal with a major life trauma, is funny, resilient, full of life, and to Andy’s delight, just a little crazy.
Andy’s adventure includes chasing a pig through a mall, surviving a near-death driving lesson, and coming face to face with his first dead guy. He also has a side excursion with his brother that will redefine their relationship forever.
196 pages, Hardcover
First published November 20, 2009
4 people are currently reading
180 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
January 9, 2010
So humorous, mix city kid with Wisconsin summer, throw in a older brother-jock type who's pouting and you've got a real winner. First love, first fist fight, first attempt at driving a car; this story will appeal to both girls and guys.
January 20, 2010
I found myself laughing out loud a couple of times in this quick story of two brothers forced to spend part of their summer vacation with crazy relatives who live in the middle of nowhere. The writing really rang true for the characters and I will be recommending this one.
September 24, 2014
The last day of school is always important. It is the last day to see everyone one last time before leaving them for the two months of summer vacation. That day is when everyone is your best friends, all wondering what your biggest summer plan is. Some gets jobs, other travels, and most just sit home and play video games until September rolls around. For Andy Crenshaw, who just finish ninth grade is looking forward to summer for his family is all vacationing in Hawaii. Little did he know that this summer was going to be different, one that he will never forget.
Andy was used to living in his big brother’s shadows. After all Brad was a star athlete, good-looking and what he called was a “babe magnet”. Andy who sucked at most sports, and was weaker than most girls could only use his brain to outsmart Brad. Yet when his father got a raised and was expected to travel, their Hawaii trip got put on hold, forcing Andy and Brad to get shipped to a farm in Wisconsin, and live with their crazy, hippie aunt and uncle. But it was cool, as Andy and Brad packed their laptops and cell phones hoping to make the best of the summer. When the pig ate out the internet cord, Brad went nuts and ran away. Knowing that his brother could get hurt hitchhiking he told his uncle and together they rescued Brad. It was their uncle who made the town sparkle, showing Brad and Andy the wonders a small town can have.
Yet the book focuses more on one part of Andy’s summer. Not a part, but person. Sitting in a green van was the most beautiful girl Andy had ever seen. Her name was Laura, who was the town’s local celebrity since she was a piano prodigy. When she was interviewed by Andy’s uncle for the local radio, it was Andy’s chance to talk to this amazing girl. And he did, they talked for almost an hour. It was not until her mom came to get her that Andy’s realize that she was far from perfect. As her mom helped her into her wheelchair, it turned Andy’s world upside down. This book focuses on the young love between the handicapped prodigy, and the normal Californian boy.
Mark Fink took one summer for one boy and made it into something special. This is a true teenage girl book, filled with love, romance, and a little drama. Yet what sets this book out to be different than the others was that it was taken in the point-of- view as a boy. The good thing about this male protagonist is that his thoughts on Laura was not the one that maybe his brother Brad would have thought of. Thank you Mark for keeping Andy’s thought clean for us female readers. It’s a short book, only reading 195 pages, and ends with a sappy ending that will make you go “Awwwww” out loud. The writing is good, so is the plot. A perfect novel that will end you feeling happy for Brad, Andy and Laura.
Andy was used to living in his big brother’s shadows. After all Brad was a star athlete, good-looking and what he called was a “babe magnet”. Andy who sucked at most sports, and was weaker than most girls could only use his brain to outsmart Brad. Yet when his father got a raised and was expected to travel, their Hawaii trip got put on hold, forcing Andy and Brad to get shipped to a farm in Wisconsin, and live with their crazy, hippie aunt and uncle. But it was cool, as Andy and Brad packed their laptops and cell phones hoping to make the best of the summer. When the pig ate out the internet cord, Brad went nuts and ran away. Knowing that his brother could get hurt hitchhiking he told his uncle and together they rescued Brad. It was their uncle who made the town sparkle, showing Brad and Andy the wonders a small town can have.
Yet the book focuses more on one part of Andy’s summer. Not a part, but person. Sitting in a green van was the most beautiful girl Andy had ever seen. Her name was Laura, who was the town’s local celebrity since she was a piano prodigy. When she was interviewed by Andy’s uncle for the local radio, it was Andy’s chance to talk to this amazing girl. And he did, they talked for almost an hour. It was not until her mom came to get her that Andy’s realize that she was far from perfect. As her mom helped her into her wheelchair, it turned Andy’s world upside down. This book focuses on the young love between the handicapped prodigy, and the normal Californian boy.
Mark Fink took one summer for one boy and made it into something special. This is a true teenage girl book, filled with love, romance, and a little drama. Yet what sets this book out to be different than the others was that it was taken in the point-of- view as a boy. The good thing about this male protagonist is that his thoughts on Laura was not the one that maybe his brother Brad would have thought of. Thank you Mark for keeping Andy’s thought clean for us female readers. It’s a short book, only reading 195 pages, and ends with a sappy ending that will make you go “Awwwww” out loud. The writing is good, so is the plot. A perfect novel that will end you feeling happy for Brad, Andy and Laura.
April 13, 2011
196 Pages
1. Main Conflict- Basically, this book is about 2 brothers, Andy and Brad. They are totally different. Andy's an ordinary, awkward kid who doesn’t stand out at his high school. He just kind of in the middle, doesn't really fit in. Girls don’t seem to notice him unless he’s doing something stupid, and he lives in the shadow of his cool, good-looking, athletic older brother,Brad,a bona fide chick-magnet. They never get along. They think they are going to Hawaii and have a lot of fun in this summer but who would have imagine that their dad would get promoted as a mayor(?)? Well, no one! It turns out that they have to packed up their stuffs and go to Wisconsin to meet their aunt and uncle, who they barely know. At first, things couldn't get even worse than this: they are in the middle-of-nowhere with no TV cable or internet. And then things just turn around when he meet the very pretty pianist girl whose named is Laura. She is just amazing. Eventhough she is disabled from waist below, she can do absolutely everything. She's the smartest, coolest and funniest girl Andy has ever known. She's just so real. Brad even likes her. And they get along really, really well. It's the best summer for both of them.
2. I absolutely love this book. Why? because it's just the funniest, coolest and the most amazing book I have ever read. I actually laugh during reading this book. It's really funny and cute. I think everyone will love it.
3. I don't think there will be one person that doesn't like this book. I mean I love it.
4. I think this book really links to our world today. There are a lot of children in this world that don't know how to do chores or help themselves because they get spoiled by their parents. I'm not saying that the parents sould be really stricted but sometimes you just have to let them know how to survive in the real world. For example, like this book. Their parents sent them to somewhere that they don't even know exist, I mean the town, of course. And let them help themselves and learn how to meet new people and everything. I really adore this book. I love it.
1. Main Conflict- Basically, this book is about 2 brothers, Andy and Brad. They are totally different. Andy's an ordinary, awkward kid who doesn’t stand out at his high school. He just kind of in the middle, doesn't really fit in. Girls don’t seem to notice him unless he’s doing something stupid, and he lives in the shadow of his cool, good-looking, athletic older brother,Brad,a bona fide chick-magnet. They never get along. They think they are going to Hawaii and have a lot of fun in this summer but who would have imagine that their dad would get promoted as a mayor(?)? Well, no one! It turns out that they have to packed up their stuffs and go to Wisconsin to meet their aunt and uncle, who they barely know. At first, things couldn't get even worse than this: they are in the middle-of-nowhere with no TV cable or internet. And then things just turn around when he meet the very pretty pianist girl whose named is Laura. She is just amazing. Eventhough she is disabled from waist below, she can do absolutely everything. She's the smartest, coolest and funniest girl Andy has ever known. She's just so real. Brad even likes her. And they get along really, really well. It's the best summer for both of them.
2. I absolutely love this book. Why? because it's just the funniest, coolest and the most amazing book I have ever read. I actually laugh during reading this book. It's really funny and cute. I think everyone will love it.
3. I don't think there will be one person that doesn't like this book. I mean I love it.
4. I think this book really links to our world today. There are a lot of children in this world that don't know how to do chores or help themselves because they get spoiled by their parents. I'm not saying that the parents sould be really stricted but sometimes you just have to let them know how to survive in the real world. For example, like this book. Their parents sent them to somewhere that they don't even know exist, I mean the town, of course. And let them help themselves and learn how to meet new people and everything. I really adore this book. I love it.
April 12, 2010
I am tempted to tag The Summer I Got a Life as a fantasy. Lots of stuff going on here that couldn't happen in real life!
Brad and Andy's family vacay to Hawaii is cancelled and they are shipped off post-haste from their San Francisco home to rural Wisconsin, where their uncle and aunt don't have any of the amenities of 21st century life. After the requisite moping, whining, complaining, and runaway attempt, everything turns hunky-dory. Aunt and Uncle chalk up the bad behaviour to boys-will-be-boys-ism and as if by magic, the brothers get along, find things to do in smalltownia, save each other's lives, and Andy gets a girlfriend and a life, I guess. Whew!
Also, we're talking two weeks, not the titular summer. So everything moves along at breakneck speed -- a real draw for YA guys.
Brad and Andy's family vacay to Hawaii is cancelled and they are shipped off post-haste from their San Francisco home to rural Wisconsin, where their uncle and aunt don't have any of the amenities of 21st century life. After the requisite moping, whining, complaining, and runaway attempt, everything turns hunky-dory. Aunt and Uncle chalk up the bad behaviour to boys-will-be-boys-ism and as if by magic, the brothers get along, find things to do in smalltownia, save each other's lives, and Andy gets a girlfriend and a life, I guess. Whew!
Also, we're talking two weeks, not the titular summer. So everything moves along at breakneck speed -- a real draw for YA guys.
January 15, 2016
This book was the best book that I have ever read. I loved this book. I am in 7th grade and it was the best. I definitely recommend it for kids my age and adults. It might be a short read, but it is a read that you cant pass up. This book was so good that I did not want it to finish. When I finished it, I almost cried, because it was over. I just happened to stumble upon this book in my school library. I am so glad I did. You should take the time and go out of your way to read this. I don't even have words for how good this book is. In the beginning I liked it, but as the book went on it became a whole other world to me. The beginning is OK, but you have to give it a chance.
January 12, 2011
This is a YA with a male protagonist, and sometimes those can get a bit awkward for me as a female. But, this was pulled off excellently.
Andy had a lot of humor and grace, and all of the characters were lovable. It was also nice to have a character in a wheelchair with the whole story being about that. She was a regular person. I guess it was just refreshing to see that this wasn't one of those novels that centered all around drama/problems.
Yes, some of the things were very unlikely to happen, but they were humorous and likable. A thoroughly enjoyable book.
Andy had a lot of humor and grace, and all of the characters were lovable. It was also nice to have a character in a wheelchair with the whole story being about that. She was a regular person. I guess it was just refreshing to see that this wasn't one of those novels that centered all around drama/problems.
Yes, some of the things were very unlikely to happen, but they were humorous and likable. A thoroughly enjoyable book.
March 7, 2013
Andy's summer does not go as planned. Two weeks in Wisconsin with his aunt and uncle (complete strangers as far as he is concerned) is a cruel and unusual punishment. Or so he thinks.
His "awful" vacation was fantastic. A quick read, but so good. Mainly for two reasons
1.) I was laughing out loud quite a bit. The characters are great, especially Andy's aunt and uncle.
2.) Fink had a someone with a physical disability - and did a really good job with it.
Plus, there was very little cursing and no sex. Something I always approve of.
His "awful" vacation was fantastic. A quick read, but so good. Mainly for two reasons
1.) I was laughing out loud quite a bit. The characters are great, especially Andy's aunt and uncle.
2.) Fink had a someone with a physical disability - and did a really good job with it.
Plus, there was very little cursing and no sex. Something I always approve of.
May 27, 2010
ive only read 2 books in my LIFE! 1 was twisted and the second one was the summer i got a life! i though this book so GREAT! and im not that into them! the whole story is a rolocoster!! it gets FUNNY then sad then FUNNY then scary!! this has to be the BEST book ive EVER read!! to bad theres no part 2 :(
will be recommendding it!!!
will be recommendding it!!!
March 28, 2012
This book is funny to the max:) Such a refreshing novel:D.. Andy, you cracked me up!!! And the brother relationship... Brad( the babe magnet:DD)... and sweet romance with Laura, the piano prodigy and also handicap since the accident! Really recommend this one!! Beware, your stomach might not make it due to excessive laughing:)
July 26, 2012
This book is amazing! It has many story lines going which tie it up into a single book. It has Andy and his Brothers relationship growing and them becoming more close. Andy and Laura relationship and them overcoming things together, and it also has Andy learning to love a new town and a new way of life. This book kept me reading. I smiled throughout most the book!
October 14, 2011
I have to say that I absolutrlely love this book! Andy and Laura are so sweet and cute together. They are absolutely PERFECT for each other. The only downside is that this book is so short. I finished it in 2 ½ hours. I wanted to see how they'd continue once he went back home to San Francisco.
November 24, 2010
Great book! Easy to read, funny, and I think it's a book I could give to any kid and they would enjoy it. There were times I laughed out loud!
March 12, 2011
I thought this book was really cute. Was it a triumph of literature, no, but it was good fun and I think kids would really enjoy it.
October 7, 2018
The novel "The Summer I Got a Life" is about a protagonist named Andy who is excited for his family vacation to Hawaii until he and his older brother, Brad, is told that their dream vacation is canceled last minute due to a change of plans with their father's work. Even worse, they are sent off to Wisconsin to his Aunt and Uncle's house where they literally have no idea how to spend their summer without internet. During their first stay, his brother, Brad tries to escape from Wisconsin until he gets caught by his Uncle by car. Although Andy and Brad do not have a good relationship at first, their brotherhood becomes much better after Andy meets a teenage girl named Laura who is a town celebrity and a famous pianist with a wheelchair. With his encounter with Laura, his summer becomes a life-changing experience that no one has ever experienced. His summer of boredom also turns to an exciting, funny, nervous, threatening and not regretful memory in Wisconsin.
July 12, 2020
First love stories make me feel so old, this was so cute 🥺
August 6, 2020
As a person in a wheelchair, I can really related to this book. I wish all of my friends and loved ones would read this book.
February 18, 2011
This is a good read for younger HS or MS kids looking for wholesome, Midwestern fun and fluff. There were several good moments sprinkled throughout this earnest story, including a single-A baseball practice and a painful first time driving that will resonate with kids at that stage in life. Although there is some light profanity, it isn't mean spirited or beyond common public school hallway banter. It reads a bit like Project Sweet Life (this is shorter, and substitute some romance for the mystery in "Sweet Life"), appropriate for young teens, but relevant for sophomores.
Where "Summer I Got a Life" falls short is in characterization. All of them - the protagonist, his lout of a brother, 'The Girl', the crazy Aunt and Uncle - were faintly drawn. Instead of knowing them and revealing them, the book dashes them off with a few broad strokes. I saw lots of ways I might have improved this with judicious editorial support. The plot moves along, propelled by action and events, not people and relationships.
Given the audience for this book, that may not be a bad thing. I'd hand this to boys looking for some realism with their fun, and who aren't interested in ribald affairs like Carter Finally Gets It and Swim the Fly.
Where "Summer I Got a Life" falls short is in characterization. All of them - the protagonist, his lout of a brother, 'The Girl', the crazy Aunt and Uncle - were faintly drawn. Instead of knowing them and revealing them, the book dashes them off with a few broad strokes. I saw lots of ways I might have improved this with judicious editorial support. The plot moves along, propelled by action and events, not people and relationships.
Given the audience for this book, that may not be a bad thing. I'd hand this to boys looking for some realism with their fun, and who aren't interested in ribald affairs like Carter Finally Gets It and Swim the Fly.
May 25, 2016
Andy Crenshaw is supposed to go to Hawaii on his summer vacation, but when his dad gets a promotion, Andy and his older brother Brad get shipped off to Wisconsin instead. Neither boy is excited about staying with their eccentric aunt and uncle in the middle of nowhere. When Andy meets a good-looking, talented, amazing girl, who happens to be in a wheelchair, he's a little surprised, but as he gets to know Laura, he finds this vacation is way better than he anticipated.
This book is a quick, fun read about first love and growing up. There are some very comical moments. There's a little bit of language, but it's really a fun book.
This book is a quick, fun read about first love and growing up. There are some very comical moments. There's a little bit of language, but it's really a fun book.
April 6, 2010
Andy, 15, is excited to spend his summer vacation in Hawaii - until he finds out he and his brother Brad have to spend 2 weeks with their hippie aunt and uncle in Wisconsin instead. Stuck with no TV or internet, Andy and Brad are forced to spend their time exploring the tiny town. When Andy meets Laura, a pretty piano prodegy, his luck begins to change. Laura's in a wheelchair, but she doesn't let that stop her. They start to date, Andy and Brad grow closer through a series of escapades, and Andy discovers 2 weeks in Wisconsin is not nearly as bad as he thought.
May 17, 2010
This book had some fairly entertaining anecdotes of Andy's unusual summer on a small farm in Wisconsin. I liked the humorous stories, but I found that they didn't all come together for me. Each story seemed separate from the others and didn't flow well, except for the ones near the end. Also, some of the characters were a little young for the ages indicated. A somewhat entertaining read. Full review at One Librarian's Book Reviews.
Read
February 3, 2011 The Summer I Got a Life is a quick and easy read. It is from the male point of view, which is something I don't see often in YA, so that gets points from me.
Andy has a voice that kept me interested, and there are some great mishaps that make me laugh. His aunt and uncle are a hoot. I like how him and his brother finally bond and find middle ground.
Laura is an awesome character, strong, talented, and she doesn't let being in a wheelchair define her. The romance between her and Andy is sweet and builds at a realistic pace for a summer romance.
Andy has a voice that kept me interested, and there are some great mishaps that make me laugh. His aunt and uncle are a hoot. I like how him and his brother finally bond and find middle ground.
Laura is an awesome character, strong, talented, and she doesn't let being in a wheelchair define her. The romance between her and Andy is sweet and builds at a realistic pace for a summer romance.
July 19, 2011
Trite. I was very disappointed in the lack of plot and character development. Throughout the text I kept thinking "show, not tell" because there were some excellent scenes. Compared with titles like What a Brother Knows, Angery Young Man, What They Always Tell Us, and Swim the Fly I'm not sure this counts as either a brother or a guy book.
The lack of plot made me feel like I was reading a summary for a play. I kept thinking it's going to get going here, but never did. I'm not sure to whom I would recommend this book.
The lack of plot made me feel like I was reading a summary for a play. I kept thinking it's going to get going here, but never did. I'm not sure to whom I would recommend this book.
June 22, 2011
The Summer I Got a Life appears on the "Not Quite Sequoyah" intermediate list for 2012.
Andy Crenshaw makes an unexpected, unwanted trip to visit his aunt and uncle in Wisconsin, meets a girl, enjoys simple adventures, and deepens his relationship with his older brother.
A simple, sweet coming of age story with a wacky aunt, a pig loose in the streets scene, and a first kiss, The Summer I Got a Life might be a good recommendation for students who enjoy realistic fiction.
Andy Crenshaw makes an unexpected, unwanted trip to visit his aunt and uncle in Wisconsin, meets a girl, enjoys simple adventures, and deepens his relationship with his older brother.
A simple, sweet coming of age story with a wacky aunt, a pig loose in the streets scene, and a first kiss, The Summer I Got a Life might be a good recommendation for students who enjoy realistic fiction.
January 15, 2012
A cute quick read about how Andy (an awkward young boy who can't get a girlfriend) gets shipped off to the MidWest to visit his Aunt and Uncle for the summer. When he arrives with his brother he finds that he will be living on a farm. There is no TV or internet thanks to a family pet that ate the wires; which in turn means death. Encouraged by his Aunt and Uncle to leave the house he finds a girl of interest and begins his summer of getting a life.
July 28, 2014
Very fast read. Read it in one night. I was kinda hoping, from the book flap summary, that it might have been a little like "Carter Finally Gets It" but besides an underage driving incident it wasn't as laugh-out-loud funny. There were some fun and funny moments but it wasn't as descriptive and I didn't feel like I was living Andy's experiences as much as I did with Carter. Still enjoyable.
June 1, 2011
Good story, written for the teenage crowd, that tells the story of 15 year old Andy and his older brother who are forced to spend part of their summer vacation on a farm in Wisconsin. Coming from San francisco this makes for kind of a "fish out of water" story. But what the two boys learn will change them forever. Nice little story. Easy read and it kept my interest pretty well.
April 21, 2016
Funny sibling story. Andy and Brad couldn't be any different. Brad, 2 years older is a total jock - worried about his sports and his looks, while Andy is just a skinny guy with a gift for words. This summer they've got to spend two weeks in rural Wisconsin with their crazy Aunt and Uncle.
Lots of laughs. A great book for boys.
Lots of laughs. A great book for boys.
August 23, 2010
We got a free review copy at school somehow. Dumb. Bad characterization, bad drawn-out explanations of the social structure at school, bad drawn-out explanations of his brother and friend (This is 1st person narrative from a teenage boy), and profanity. Don't bother.
March 11, 2016
This book was such a surprise to me. I had heard good things about it, but I didn't expect the humor. It was by turns warm and sweet, and laugh out loud funny. The pages flew by and I was done with the book before I was ready to be. A perfect summer read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews