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bickie's review against another edition
2.0
Join the Family Fletcher for a month of summer on Rock Island. The crew is back - with the addition of Lilli the kitten, who ends up an internet star. Lots of things are the same as they have been every summer, but some things are different. The worst thing is the fenced-up lighthouse, no longer available for unlimited playtime. Something is fishy about the artist who purchased it; will the Fletcher boys figure it out before it's too late?
A racism incident with Jax and his new friend Alex being stereotyped as "thugs" and criminals due to their skin color is weird; it is difficult to imagine that in this day and age, Jax's parents would not have talked to him about this issue before now. Kind of smacks of being written to expose white kids to this experience as opposed to being written for black kids who might be experiencing this kind of thing pretty much on a daily basis.
Best for ages 9+.
A racism incident with Jax and his new friend Alex being stereotyped as "thugs" and criminals due to their skin color is weird; it is difficult to imagine that in this day and age, Jax's parents would not have talked to him about this issue before now. Kind of smacks of being written to expose white kids to this experience as opposed to being written for black kids who might be experiencing this kind of thing pretty much on a daily basis.
Best for ages 9+.
sparklethenpop's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed this one. It was better than the first, it took on some timely issues like race and gender in a way that didn't hit you over the head, and it had a much better developed plot than the original. Keep in mind, I gave the original four stars, so both were very good.
heidisreads's review against another edition
4.0
An entertaining cast of characters - hilarious comebacks from their parents - and an island full of adventures and even a mystery! Such a fun read!
alinaborger's review against another edition
5.0
My kids and I started looking for excuses to drive so we could listen to more of this delightful book!
snazel's review against another edition
5.0
Better than the first, and the first was fantastic. Includes the mystery of What Is Going To Happen To Our Fave Beach, and new friends, and a Cat the youngest Fletcher is determined to teach how to swim. (It goes surprisingly better than you'd think, and then amazing.)
yapha's review against another edition
4.0
The fabulous Fletchers are back, this time spending the month of August at their family summer home on Rock Island. The boys have been looking forward to the summer, but as soon as they get there they find that there are many changes. The lighthouse next door, which they think of as their own, has a fence around it with a Do Not Enter sign. The usually empty house next door has a family living in it. Nothing feels quite right. As the summer progresses, they find their way, each with changes of their own. A perfect book for summer -- or in the middle of the winter when the summer feels so far away... Recommended for fans of the first book and the Penderwicks, grades 3 & up.
Kudos to Ms. Levy for the way she tackles issues of race and racism in the book! It is not a major plot point, but an important one that was worth addressing.
Kudos to Ms. Levy for the way she tackles issues of race and racism in the book! It is not a major plot point, but an important one that was worth addressing.
abigailbat's review against another edition
4.0
A really solid sequel about a loveable family. In this volume, the Family Fletcher spends August at their beloved vacation home on Rock Island, Maine. Although the boys look forward to doing the same summer things they always do, some things have changed on the island. Notably, the abandoned lighthouse next door has been fenced off and is being sold to a suspicious artist who claims that he was injured while inside the lighthouse. Can the Fletchers figure out what's going on and save the lighthouse they love so much?
Frog tries to teach their cats to swim, Eli faces his fear of kayaking, Jax makes a new friend to play soccer with, and Sam joins the cast of A Midsummer Night's Dream in this pitch perfect summer romp.
Shove this into the hands of every Penderwicks fan you know!
Frog tries to teach their cats to swim, Eli faces his fear of kayaking, Jax makes a new friend to play soccer with, and Sam joins the cast of A Midsummer Night's Dream in this pitch perfect summer romp.
Shove this into the hands of every Penderwicks fan you know!
ethancf's review against another edition
4.0
Fun, if a bit slower and less engaging than the first (though I will note that this actually perfectly captures the feel of summer during childhood. It seems to stretch on forever, and then suddenly without warning, it's done). Primary quality of this series seems to be authenticity: the characters not all being cishet/white never feels like its pushing an agenda, it just is natural and totally normal. Now this is obviously done purposefully, but I'm all for the message of diversity here and Levy pulls it off in a very positive and organic way; the method of delivery with the Fletcher parents being different from their kids goes a long way in making this not feel forced. It's never preachy even if it does preach - and if you throw out all the political stuff (which you know the target audience is going to), then this is just a cute and fun family story.
Long live the Family Fletcher.
Long live the Family Fletcher.