Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Review: The Summer I Learned to Fly (ARC)

Teaser from Amazon.com

Drew's a bit of a loner. She has a pet rat, her dead dad's Book of Lists, an encyclopedic knowledge of cheese from working at her mom's cheese shop, and a crush on Nick, the surf bum who works behind the counter. It's the summer before eighth grade and Drew's days seem like business as usual, until one night after closing time, when she meets a strange boy in the alley named Emmett Crane. Who he is, why he's there, where the cut on his cheek came from, and his bottomless knowledge of rats are all mysteries Drew will untangle as they are drawn closer together, and Drew enters into the first true friendship, and adventure, of her life.


Reaction:
My first reaction to this book was how unique it really was. Most of the books I read are more fantasy than this, but this one was still a very satisfying story.


Characters: 

Robin (Drew): Drew is the daughter of a cheese shop owner who's best friend is her pet rat Hum. She prefers to be with adults instead of kids her own age and hasn't had many friends her entire life until she meets a boy behind the cheese shop, Emmett.
Emmett: The boy who takes the left over cheese that is left behind the Cheese shop every night. He befriends Drew after running into her while she was looking for her rat.
Mom: Drew's mom, the owner of the cheese shop. Recently distant from Drew and often working late, making Drew suspicious of whether she really is staying late at the store, or not. 


Review:
This book is a quick and light friendship story between Drew and Emmett. It's a great story for someone who is looking for something different and likes a good, as the author Dana Reinhardt puts it "Coming of age" story.
Recommended for fans of realistic books.

Story: 68/100
Speed: 85/100
Originality: 79/100

The Summer I Learned to Fly will be in stores July 12th 2011

A special thanks to the Random Buzzers and Random House Publishers for sending me the ARC.

2 comments:

  1. ooo sounds interesting! Thanks for the great review! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sounds interesting! May have to read it! Thanks for the review!

    ReplyDelete