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morganperks's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
thewinnielife's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. A nice children's summer read, especially if you love stories about families.
mrskatiefitz's review against another edition
4.0
Summerhouse Time is a novel in verse about a girl named Sophie, who is counting the minutes until she and her family go to their summer house for the month of August. She's looking forward to hanging out with her cousin, Colleen, who was her best friend last summer, and she thinks a vacation will help her dad, who seems really stressed.
When she gets to the summer house, however, things are not exactly as Sophie expected them to be. Colleen isn't interested in hanging out with her at all, and Sophie's stuck hanging out with her little cousin Tammy instead. On top of that, her aunt and uncle are arguing, and her dad still seems quiet, withdrawn, and worried.
The only bright spot is her correspondence with a new boy in her neighborhood back home, Jimmy, with whom she made fast friends before leaving for the month.
Will Summerhouse Time ever be the same?
I felt sort of neutral about this book as I was reading. I really like novels in verse, but after reading The Dancing Pancake a few months ago, this book didn't feel like it covered anything different. Both are stories of girls witnessing change in their lives and trying to cope with it. Bindi in The Dancing Pancake was perhaps more spirited and proactive than Sophie, but both girls experience similar emotions and challenges.
What I did like about Summerhouse Time, though, was the way every single character came to life, and had a distinct personality. This is a book with a lot of people in it, but they never got mixed up in my mind. I also really liked the little moments, such as Sophie teaching her cousin Cooper not to fear water, Tammy introducing her stuffed animal to her hermit crab, and the family gathering around to tell spooky stories. The warmth of Sophie's extended family really comes through, even when they're having difficulties, and it made me understand why Sophie is so disappointed to see that the Summerhouse Time she remembers might be gone for good.
This was a really good, fast-paced summer read, and I think girls in grades 4 through 6, especially, will really enjoy it.
When she gets to the summer house, however, things are not exactly as Sophie expected them to be. Colleen isn't interested in hanging out with her at all, and Sophie's stuck hanging out with her little cousin Tammy instead. On top of that, her aunt and uncle are arguing, and her dad still seems quiet, withdrawn, and worried.
The only bright spot is her correspondence with a new boy in her neighborhood back home, Jimmy, with whom she made fast friends before leaving for the month.
Will Summerhouse Time ever be the same?
I felt sort of neutral about this book as I was reading. I really like novels in verse, but after reading The Dancing Pancake a few months ago, this book didn't feel like it covered anything different. Both are stories of girls witnessing change in their lives and trying to cope with it. Bindi in The Dancing Pancake was perhaps more spirited and proactive than Sophie, but both girls experience similar emotions and challenges.
What I did like about Summerhouse Time, though, was the way every single character came to life, and had a distinct personality. This is a book with a lot of people in it, but they never got mixed up in my mind. I also really liked the little moments, such as Sophie teaching her cousin Cooper not to fear water, Tammy introducing her stuffed animal to her hermit crab, and the family gathering around to tell spooky stories. The warmth of Sophie's extended family really comes through, even when they're having difficulties, and it made me understand why Sophie is so disappointed to see that the Summerhouse Time she remembers might be gone for good.
This was a really good, fast-paced summer read, and I think girls in grades 4 through 6, especially, will really enjoy it.
librariana's review against another edition
4.0
I just love the worlds that Eileen Spinelli creates through her writing... the cozy environments and the close bonds between family members she describes so simply and yet beautifully in her poems... the joyful feelings all of these mental images evoke in me. I truly cherished the time I got to spend with this book.
caseyrk's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
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