Summer means going to Avago Beach for Rose and her family. Year after year Rose has shared her vacation with her summer cottage friend, Windy. They've played together since Rose was five years old. Summer has been milkweed pods, turkey jerky, ice cream and BBQ.
This summer Avago Beach is filled with changes. Windy is into renting horror movies, talking about boobs, eating too much sugar, and trying to figure out sex and sexuality.
Rose is struggling with the pain of hearing her parents argue with each other. "Chlll out. " "Loosen up." There's very little here for her to hold onto.
But growing up in this story is, "Don't touch anything. You'll get herpes." "Grandma, is it happy hour?" "Hey man. It's not my problem you're not getting laid."
Everyone grows up. Everyone needs to figure out who they are, what they value, how they're going to handle sex. This story has very little class. It's tawdry and makes growing up seem like a walk on the bad side of town.
Neither girl is a character you would want to spend time with. I think our readers deserve a better picture of themselves and a better map to adulthood than this.
978-1596437746 318 pages Ages 14 and up
Barb
