June 2020 — Novels With a Summer Theme

[Cheryl, Host of Miscellaneous and Newbery Clubs]

I was able to getAnna All Year Round from out-of-system ILL and am glad I did. I'm not sure how hard I'll work to get the companion book on the farm, but I do find myself wishing that there were sequels about this girl as she becomes a teen and a young lady. Too bad Hahn's mother didn't record those memories!

3.5 stars, rounded up because child me would have loved it.

[Manybooks, Fiction Club host]

Cheryl wrote: "I was able to getAnna All Year Round from out-of-system ILL and am glad I did. I'm not sure how hard I'll work to get the companion book on the farm, but I do find myself wishing that..."

Anna on the Farm is alright but not as special as Anna All Year Round; and the constant boy girl bickering really got to be a bit tedious.

[QNPoohBear]

Manybooks wrote: "QNPoohBear wrote: "Molly Saves the Day: A Summer Story doesn't quite follow that pattern. It mirrors WWII with the girls having a color war. Molly has to overcome some personal challe..."

Yes Molly is from 1944. She's kind of bossy. In her summer story she meets Dorinda, an older camp veteran who is the leader of Molly's Color War group. Dorinda is mean girlish and not an effective leader. This story is set just after D-Day. I think early July 1944. Molly is not a character everyone likes. I didn't like her when I was a kid. I thought she was bratty and always got her own way. Unfortunately, she's retired now and they didn't make her books available online. The library managed to get the new editions in and then they disappeared from the company catalog.

[Manybooks, Fiction Club host]

I just realised that even though The Secret Garden starts in spring, summer is when in my opinion, the magic of the garden works the most for Mary and Colin.

[Cheryl, Host of Miscellaneous and Newbery Clubs]

That's true; good to include it here!

[Manybooks, Fiction Club host]

Cheryl wrote: "That's true; good to include it here!"

It is not something to immediately come to mind for The Secret Garden, but both spring and summer have in my opinion much to do with how everything is positively transformed at the manor.

[Ivonne]

Beverly wrote: "I recently read The Moon by Night, or actually, listened to it. I had read it years ago, so this was a second time for this book, almost all of which I had forgotten over the decades...."

I see it's the second in a series. Should the books be read in order?

[Manybooks, Fiction Club host]

Ivonne wrote: "Beverly wrote: "I recently read The Moon by Night, or actually, listened to it. I had read it years ago, so this was a second time for this book, almost all of which I had forgotten o..."

There is enough information presented about the events in the first book Meet the Austins to read The Moon by Night as a stand-alone but because in my opinion, Meet the Austins is such a great introduction to the family, I for one do recommend reading Meet the Austins before reading The Moon by Night.

[Ivonne]

Manybooks, thank you soooo much!

[Manybooks, Fiction Club host]

Ivonne wrote: "Manybooks, thank you soooo much!"

You should definitely read Meet the Austins.

[Beverly, former Miscellaneous Club host]

Ivonne wrote: "Manybooks, thank you soooo much!"

Yes, what she said.

[Ivonne]

Manybooks and Beverly, thank you, thank you, thank you! Just hit up the library. Hoping to get the audiobook edition.

[QNPoohBear]

The Forget-Me-Not Summer

This book was only OK for me. I didn't like any of the sisters at first and only Zinnie remained appealing. Marigold is shallow, snooty, spoiled and massively bratty. Their parents need to move out of L.A. ASAP if they want their daughter to grow up to be a normal human being. Acting is Marigold's passion, or so she says. She's good it at but I get the impression she just wants to be famous. As a big sister, I understand her frustration in having Marigold tag along after her and want to be just like her. I also felt for Zinnie. She's at the age where she's struggling to be her own person. She's growing up but trying to cling to childhood when her sister was her whole world. I don't like how the parents don't encourage Zinnie's other natural talents and kindly tell her that acting is Marigold's thing and maybe she should try something else. Lily is not cute. She is just as bratty than Marigold. She pitches a fit when she doesn't get her own way and her nanny spoils her rotten. I'm not sure why she has a nanny when Mrs. Silver is a stay-at-home-mom currently. I liked Marigold best when she dropped her phony L.A.ness with Peter and just acted like a normal girl. I loved Zinnie's play and how it related to her life. Is this story supposed to be loosely based on Louisa May Alcott? Her older sister enjoyed acting and Louisa's first published book was Flower Fables.

The author is from here but now lives in LA. She painted a picture of Cape Cod as it was back in the day when I was growing up. I can assure you that small towns on Buzzard's Bay have cell signals and wifi nowadays! I felt the author tried too hard to contrast the Cape with LA. While Los Angeles seems as unfamiliar to me as Cape Cod does to the Silver sisters, it has many of the same things. We always enjoyed mini golf, picking out homemade salt water taffy afterwards, trips to main street in the evenings where there were many enticing shops. My dad would take us off the Cape to the nearest water park when my older cousins came to visit (the only time we ever saw them). My sibs, little cousins (the ones we lived with at our grandmother's in the summer) and I have very fond memories of the penny candy store. There are small carnivals with amusement park rides popping up here and there. When it rained, we took a road trip up to the National Seashore, visited the small museum there and went shopping in Provincetown (Dad) and either the Portuguese bakery for malasadas (fried dough) or ice cream from Ben & Jerry's. Sometimes at night we even went to the movies! *gasp* My family are not "townies" but we always owned our house and that set us apart from the tourists who came and stayed in rental houses, motels and resorts. Our beach had a playground. I smiled a lot at the snack stand because our beach had an ice cream window where we ordered Italian ice, Bah Habah Bahs, chocolate eclairs, and other ice cream on a stick. There are other beaches too. Once that one became crowded, sometimes we'd go to a beach in Chatham where the tide goes out and you can walk on the sandbar for miles! That would be fun for Lily who is afraid of the ocean. We went clamming with my uncle on early mornings and he took the little kids on a bike ride to the store in the morning for blow pops and the newspaper so those of us over 10 could sleep in. Also, I don't think you can run on the dunes anymore. There's such a thing as erosion you know. We did once do a dune buggy tour probably with one of the Japanese exchange students we hosted when I was in high school.

I feel like the author tried too hard to make Aunt Sunny an old lady stuck in the past. She didn't make an effort to do things that would be fun for modern tweens. Yes, they had fun on the beach, at the clam bake and the orchard but it didn't make the story feel realistic. The moral of the story was hammered home over and over too pointedly. "See how much fun you can have when you unplug!" I don't disagree with that but I do think Aunt Sunny should have come up with some things outside the town to do with the girls maybe once a week or ONE fun thing to look forward to.

I wish my nieces would read this so I could give a more balanced opinion. I think this book is best enjoyed by the 10-13 year-old crowd but could be read aloud with their parents as a family story with younger children too.

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

QNPoohBear wrote: "The Forget-Me-Not Summer

This book was only OK for me. I didn't like any of the sisters at first and only Zinnie remained appealing. Marigold is shallow, snooty, spoiled and massiv..."

Hmm, I got this from the library but I'm not sure I'll bother to read it. I really don't enjoy reading about bratty kids. This sounds like it would annoy rather than charm me.

But, I was certainly charmed by your description of your childhood on Cape Cod. (I would have loved to grow up near the ocean!) What wonderful memories you and your family created there. Thanks for sharing.

[QNPoohBear]

The ocean smells nasty. It's polluted, the fishy smell is gross, the sand isn't soft and comfortable at all. I quit the beach as soon as I got old enough to stay home alone. I stayed home and learned to cook homemade pasta and bake cakes and blueberry pie with my grandmother and great-aunt. We stopped doing the fun stuff when my little cousins came along and I refuse to go to the Cape ever again unless it's a quick day visit to my uncle's house. I miss the times we were there alone and did fun stuff with my parents. My cousins having to tag along complicated matters and the downtown shops closed too. The penny candy store remains and they even ship! https://kandykorner.com/

The taffy shop isn't accepting new orders this season. It's best to pick out your own flavors when it's fresh anyway.
https://www.capecodsaltwatertaffy.com/

< a href="https://www.piratescove.net/locations... Cove mini golf was my brother's favorite

My grandparents used to take us to the thankfully now-closed dolphin circus and petting zoo. My uncle used to take us to the driving range and let us play in the arcade and my little cousins had a trampoline park and bumper boats. I was annoyed with Aunt Sunny in the book for not even trying to come up with outside activities. The clam bake would have happened anyway and the talent show was the kids' idea. The message is "make your own fun without electronics" which is great and so necessary, my sister's kids just spent 3 days with the grandparents at the beach without leaving their street but why not take the kids sightseeing? The National Seashore is a National Park and the museum is free and interesting. Take them to Provincetown to climb the Pilgrim monument and see something of the area. They haven't been to the east coast in years and the youngest never has.

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

QNPoohBear wrote: "The ocean smells nasty. It's polluted, the fishy smell is gross, the sand isn't soft and comfortable at all. I quit the beach as soon as I got old enough to stay home alone. I stayed home and learn..."

Ah, too bad. I have never visited Cape Cod so I will have to take your word for it. I have loved almost every beach I have visited but then I am an "ocean person" ;-) I know not everyone is.

I agree that it seems strange that the aunt in the book wouldn't take the children anywhere. The message about making your own fun without electronics is a good one, but I agree there are many wonderful places to explore beyond ones home. Maybe this would make good reading for young people during COVID as it almost seems more like "how to make your own fun while staying at home"?

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

I thought Secret Sisters of the Salty Sea was wonderful! I'm not sure I have much more to add to what Gundula and Cheryl have already addressed. I agree the family seems almost too idyllic... but, as Cheryl said, some families really are happy and harmonious (for the most part) and it is nice to see one featured in a novel now and then. And, actually, the book really sensitively deals with several "problems" (that, to our adult eyes, are "no big deal" but actually are big deals to children are Very Important) such as missing your friend and pet when you travel, comparing yourself to your sibling, making a mistake and feeling remorse over it (the scene with the breakfast cake!) and finding the courage to try something new (like handling the rescue hawk). I felt like I was right there along on that summer vacation with the family, loved the writing style, loved the characters. It was touching without being overly sentimental, humorous, and felt very real while also feeling like an escape. I loved it!

[Manybooks, Fiction Club host]

Kathryn wrote: "I thought Secret Sisters of the Salty Sea was wonderful! I'm not sure I have much more to add to what Gundula and Cheryl have already addressed. I agree the family seems almost too ..."

I was kind of sure you would love this.

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

Manybooks wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "I thought Secret Sisters of the Salty Sea was wonderful! I'm not sure I have much more to add to what Gundula and Cheryl have already addressed. I agree the family s..."

You know me well ;-) I'm glad you chose it for this theme and brought it to my attention!

[Manybooks, Fiction Club host]

QNPoohBear wrote: "The Forget-Me-Not Summer

This book was only OK for me. I didn't like any of the sisters at first and only Zinnie remained appealing. Marigold is shallow, snooty, spoiled and massiv..."

I find it kind of annoying how often in children’s novel, bratty and spoiled younger siblings are considered to be “cute” and not infuriating.

[QNPoohBear]

Manybooks wrote: "
I find it kind of annoying how often in children’s novel, bratty and spoiled younger siblings are considered to be “cute” and not infuriating..."

It's common in adult novels too. I hate precocious moppets. I did like Batty in The Pendwerwicks but it took awhile for her to grow on me.

I looked for The Secret Sisters book on my niece's bookshelf and didn't see it. She either gave it away or lost it.

[Manybooks, Fiction Club host]

QNPoohBear wrote: "Manybooks wrote: "
I find it kind of annoying how often in children’s novel, bratty and spoiled younger siblings are considered to be “cute” and not infuriating..."

It's common in adult novels too..."

I’m like you but unlike you, I found Batty quite annoying.

[QNPoohBear]

Manybooks wrote: "I’m like you but unlike you, I found Batty quite annoying.

I did too at first but she gets better as she gets older. She's the Amy sister of the Little Women update but much more appealing (and younger). There's another child, in the last two books I didn't like at all.

[Manybooks, Fiction Club host]

QNPoohBear wrote: "Manybooks wrote: "I’m like you but unlike you, I found Batty quite annoying.

I did too at first but she gets better as she gets older. She's the Amy sister of the Little Women update but much more..."

I have only read the first novel thus far.

[QNPoohBear]

I don't think Batty was bratty though, just odd. She's essentially an orphan and her mother died to save her life so I can only imagine how protected and spoiled she is. I quite like her, maybe best of all sisters, by the end of the series. Skye was always my favorite, the Jo sister and Jane, the dreamy writer.

Lily in The Silver Sisters series is just plain old spoiled and bratty. Her mom is a stay-at-home mom AND she has a nanny who spoils her rotten. I did learn something from her brattiness. I NEED to try champurrado, Lily's favorite breakfast drink.

[Manybooks, Fiction Club host]

QNPoohBear wrote: "I don't think Batty was bratty though, just odd. She's essentially an orphan and her mother died to save her life so I can only imagine how protected and spoiled she is. I quite like her, maybe bes..."

I am glad Batty’s character matures in the sequels.

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

QNPoohBear wrote: "Skye was always my favorite, the Jo sister and Jane, the dreamy writer.."

Same here. I don't remember Batty as a favorite character but she didn't annoy me overmuch, either. Your take was similar to mine in that she was spoiled because of her circumstances vs. just being bratty to get what she wanted.

[QNPoohBear]

In spite of the title, Summer of a Thousand Pies doesn't actually have a summer theme. It takes place over the course of the summer months.

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

QNPoohBear wrote: "In spite of the title, Summer of a Thousand Pies doesn't actually have a summer theme. It takes place over the course of the summer months."

Ah, too bad. It sounds like it could have been so atmospheric with the countryside in the summertime.

[QNPoohBear]

Kathryn wrote: "Ah, too bad. It sounds like it could have been so atmospheric with the countryside in the summertime."

It is in certain spots. There's a field the children are allowed to run free in and a national park nearby. The children are given permission by the park ranger to help dig up non-native plants like fennel. That's only a small part of the story. The main focus is on the issue of a girl coming to grips with her feelings about her father and her uncertain future. Then there's the subplot about the undocumented family and then there's a subsub plot about celiac disease/gluten intolerance and a whole lot of rehashing of Great British Baking Show episodes. It made me tune in to a rerun tonight anyway. Gosh I miss Mary, Mel and Sue and now I want to get baking again since the weather is cooling off. I have to try pie crust again.

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

QNPoohBear wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "Ah, too bad. It sounds like it could have been so atmospheric with the countryside in the summertime."

It is in certain spots. There's a field the children are allowed to run free ..."

Thank you for the details. And, oh my gosh, I LOVE The Great British Baking Show! I thought it would be utterly unwatchable without Mary, Mel and Sue... I actually refused to watch the Netflix originals until a dear friend and fellow avid fan persuaded me... I'm glad she did because they are still entertaining but, agreed, it's lost a bit of the magic without the original cast. In any case, it's one of my go-to shows for comfort viewing and always leaves me with a smile. Happy Baking! :-)

[Cheryl, Host of Miscellaneous and Newbery Clubs]

Huh. I would totally count Summer of 1K pies as a "summer" book. I guess my standards are looser. :)

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

I really enjoyed Summer Begins. It has a bit of a timeless feel despite being written in 2005 (think Penderwicks) and I loved the descriptions of summertime life on an island in New England. This was the perfect armchair travel for me to escape the awful smoke from this summer of terrible wildfires here in the west! I enjoyed the characters -- the cousins are the typical variety -- each girl has a different personality and interests,the quiet one, the sporty one, the quirky one etc. -- you tend to get with these books with a gaggle of siblings/cousins/friends but I mostly found them well-drawn and authentic. While I found the main plot thread irksome for part of the book, it actually resolved with more integrity and empathy than I had expected. I enjoyed the bits about sailing and found we received the right information to help non-sailors understand some rudimentary points without being over-the-top on the details. It isn't a five star book, but I do think some of you might enjoy it.

[Cheryl, Host of Miscellaneous and Newbery Clubs]

Kathryn wrote: "I really enjoyed Summer Begins. It has a bit of a timeless feel despite being written in 2005 (think Penderwicks) and I loved the descriptions of summertime life on an island in New E..."

Thank you; it does sound like a worthwhile comfort/escape diversion.

[QNPoohBear]

Now we're headed into winter, I'm more interested in books with a summer theme.
A Mighty Girl list

I'm interested in Rules of the Ruff and Silhouette of a Sparrow

[Ivonne]

QNPoohBear wrote: "Now we're headed into winter, I'm more interested in books with a summer theme.
A Mighty Girl list

I'm interested in Rules of the Ruff and Silhouette of a Sparrow"

May I then recommend Tove Jansson's The Summer Book then?

[Cheryl, Host of Miscellaneous and Newbery Clubs]

Oh dear, more to add to my to-read lists! (thank you both :)

[Cheryl, Host of Miscellaneous and Newbery Clubs]

Rules of the Ruff is about a 12 year old girl's breakout summer, in which she learns a *lot* about responsibility and maturity, from a variety of different perspectives. It's hard, as a mom, to see the dangerous and bad things going on, but persevering to the end is rewarding... most lessons are learned, and the 'solutions' to the frustrations are plausible and satisfying. I honestly recommend it only to families who will discuss it together.