Looking for a fun read aloud? Try The Firefly Summer by Morgan Matson for ages 8-12.
Simon and Schuster (2023)
Juvenile Fiction
Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. This post contains paid affiliate links.
Summary: For as long as Ryanna Stuart can remember, her summers have been spent with her father and his new wife. Just the three of them, structured, planned, and quiet. But this summer is different. This summer, she’s received a letter from her grandparents—grandparents neither she nor her dad have spoken to since her mom’s death—inviting her to stay with them at an old summer camp in the Poconos.
Ryanna accepts. She wants to learn about her mom. She wants to uncover the mystery of why her father hasn’t spoken to her grandparents all these years. She’s even looking forward to a quiet summer by the lake. But what she finds are relatives…so many relatives! Aunts and uncles and cousins upon cousins—a motley, rambunctious crew of kids and eccentric, unconventional adults. People who have memories of her mom from when she was Ryanna’s age, clues to her past like a treasure map. Ryanna even finds an actual, real-life treasure map!
Over the course of one unforgettable summer—filled with s’mores and swimming, adventure and fun, and even a decades-old mystery to solve—Ryanna discovers a whole new side of herself and that, sometimes, the last place you expected to be is the place where you really belong.
The Firefly Summer
The Firefly Summer would make a perfect summer read aloud although it would of course work anytime. I will be saving it for next June and reading it aloud to our homeschool. It’s a bit thick at 400 pages so give yourself enough time.
If not used as a read aloud, I’d recommend it for kids who love mystery, have a big family or love summer.
I also want to say that I love the cover, it looks very fun and inviting. Combined with the summary, I can’t wait to read this book!
Buy The Firefly Summer at Amazon.com.
Speak Your Mind