Perfect for fans of See You in the Cosmos and Where the Watermelons Grow, author Jenn Bishop's latest novel tells the moving story of a boy determined to uncover the truth.
Nothing is going right this summer for Drew. And after losing his dad unexpectedly three years ago, Drew knows a lot about things not going right. First, it’s the new girl Audrey taking over everything at the library, Drew’s sacred space. Then it’s his best friend, Filipe, pulling away from him. But most upsetting has to be the mysterious man who is suddenly staying with Drew’s family. An old friend of Mom’s? Drew isn’t buying that.
With an unlikely ally in Audrey, he’s determined to get to the bottom of who this man really is. The thing is, there are some fears—like what if the person you thought was your dad actually wasn’t—that you can’t speak out loud, not to anyone. At least that’s what Drew thinks.
But then again, first impressions can be deceiving.---from the publisher
336 pages 978-1534440975 Ages 8-12
Keywords: summer, truth, change, fears, fathers, family, friends, 8 year old, 9 year old, 10 year old, 11 year old, 12 year old
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“Do you wake up one day wanting to kill yourself? Or is it something you think about first? For days, weeks, months. Years?”
“Questions, questions, questions, flooding into the mind of the concerned young person today. Ahh, but it’s a great time to be alive, ladies and gentlemen, and that’s the theme of our program tonight.”
-- from Frank Zappa, “Call Any Vegetable” (1971)
“Scientists believe that as many as 40 percent of those with depression can trace it to a genetic link. Environmental and other factors make up the other 60 percent…
The question remains: Should someone whose parent or sibling suffers from depression be worried? The answer: Not necessarily. Situational depression is often only temporary. It is brought on by major life events, and treatment is available. It is certainly something to watch out for, but not something to worry about.”
-- Stephanie Faris in Healthline.com, “Is Depression Genetic?”
“The thing is, the library is supposed to be my place. That first summer after Dad died, Mom signed me up for summer camp at the Rec. Same one Filipe and I had been going to since we were in kindergarten. But every day, I barely made it through the first half hour before I lost it--I’d puke--and Mom had to come pick me up.
It wasn’t that I was actually sick. It was more that after what happened with Dad, I couldn’t handle being away from my mom. Didn’t really trust anyone anymore. How could I? Camp was eight hours long, but those eight hours felt like eight years. I’d done story hour with Mrs. Eisenberg when I was little and she told Mom she didn’t mind watching me. There were plenty of other kids whose parents ‘took advantage’ of her already, and I wasn’t half as much trouble as they were.
Mom probably thought it’d just be for a week. That after a few days with an old lady like Mrs. Eisenberg, I’d be dying to be back at camp with all the other kids my age.
But I wasn’t. I loved hanging out down there, helping with the little kids, knowing that Mom was just upstairs. For the first time since Dad died, I felt safe. A few days turned into a week, turned into three summers now. Mrs. Eisenberg says she can start paying me next summer as part of the page-in-training-program.”
Drew’s mom works at the public library’s reference desk. This has permitted Drew to spend years of summer days contentedly hanging out downstairs in the library’s children’s room. Not only does he feel safe, but he’s discovered his ability to creatively entertain the little kids with his wacky story hour routines that feature puppets and zombie twists on classic tales like Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
But suddenly there is a girl--another rising seventh grader--infringing on his scene. Audrey is the daughter of a newly-hired library employee and she’s also going to spend the summer helping out in the children’s room. She immediately shows off some crackerjack tech skills, updating the frequently-crashing browsers for Mrs. Eisenberg.
How will the summer play out now? Is there enough room in the children’s room for the two young people to work together?
Audrey’s presence turns out to be the less startling change this summer. Days later, an old high school friend of Drew’s mom shows up at their house, on his motorcycle, for a visit. Since his dad died, Drew’s been the “man of the house.” What’s the deal with this intruder who promptly starts cooking, mowing, and trying to buddy up to Drew?
It turns out that Audrey and Drew are a great support system for one another as they each face life upheavals, in this engaging coming-of-age tale for 9-12 year-olds. And it takes a librarian-turned-author to turn an inter-library loan into a pivotal moment!
How will Drew’s friendship with Audrey affect his lifelong connection with Filipe? Will Drew and Audrey eventually be more than friends? As they get to know each other, Drew occasionally wonders. Beyond a few brief hand grasps, nothing physical takes place. But there is an abundance of caring behavior that makes this a touching story for middle grade readers.
Recommended by: Richie Partington, MLIS, California USA
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