Twelve-year–old Mitch and his mother are spending the summer with his grandparents at Bird Lake after his parents separate, and ten-year-old Spencer and his family have returned to the lake where Spencer’s little brother drowned long ago, and as the boys become friends and spend time together, each of them begins to heal.

Liz says:

“True to form, Henkes delivers a thoughtful story of loss, forgiveness and hopefulness.”

On a summer visit to her grandmother’s cottage by the ocean, twelve-year-old Martha gains perspective on the death of a classmate, her relationship with her grandmother, her feelings for an older boy, and her plans to be a writer.

Liz says:

“Martha, the main character has such a real voice it is almost impossible to believe that the author is a man. (The same man who wrote Chrysanthemum and Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse.) Martha learns that if you have a strong sense of self, you can weather any storm. This is not to be missed by middle school girls.”

Chrysanthemum loves her name until she starts going to school and the other children begin to make fun of it.

Liz says:

“Anything by Kevin Henkes is a winner. This is a great story of learning to be proud of yourself even when others try to make you feel bad. In this case, Chrysanthemum remains proud of her name. (It doesn’t hurt that her teacher’s name is Delphinium.)”