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Publication
Dutton Books for Young Readers (2016), 272 pages
Description
Juvenile Fiction. Juvenile Literature. HTML:A tender and compelling contemporary novel for young readers about facing loss and finding friendship, from Ally Condie, international bestselling author of the Matched series. Nominated by the Mystery Writers of America for the 2017 Edgar Award �Kids are awesome. And they are diverse. There are children with different abilities and backgrounds and experiences, and every one of them deserves to find themselves in children's literature and to know that they matter.� �Ally Condie, on Summerlost Sometimes it takes a new friend to bring you home. It's the first real summer since the accident that killed Cedar's father and younger brother, Ben. Cedar and what�s left of her family are returning to the town of Iron Creek for the summer. They�re just settling into their new house when a boy named Leo, dressed in costume, rides by on his bike. Intrigued, Cedar follows him to the renowned Summerlost theatre festival. Soon, she not only has a new friend in Leo and a job working concessions at the festival, she finds herself surrounded by mystery. The mystery of the tragic, too-short life of the Hollywood actress who haunts the halls of Summerlost. And the mystery of the strange gifts that keep appearing for Cedar. Infused with emotion and rich with understanding, Summerlost is the touching new novel from Ally Condie, the international bestselling author of the Matched series that highlights the strength of family and personal resilience in the face of tragedy. "Generous and bittersweet, Summerlost has the emotional acuity of Ms. Condie�s writing for older teenagers, but it�s pitched just right for readers ages 10-14." �Wall Street Journal "Funny, sad, sweet, and heartwarming." �Parents.com, Special Needs Now blog ? "Condie is at her best . . . grabbing readers� interest from the first page." �Publishers Weekly, starred review ? "Thoughtful, poetic chapter endings guide readers new to psychological depth toward meaningful connections between plot events and thematic reflections." �BCCB, starred review "A nuanced portrait of grief deeply grounded in the middle-school mind-set." �Booklist "Honest, lovely, and sad." �Kirkus Reviews.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member swingdancefan
A lovely story of a lonely girl coping with the loss of her father and brother, and her own feelings of guilt. Cedar and Leo become friends quickly through working for the local Shakespeare Festival. Cedar, in her loss, believes Leo must have the perfect family, and is relieved when she finds that,
The two bond over Leo’s scheme to earn money by doing an unofficial tour of the town’s most famous star’s life and death. There is a hint of a mystery, but they never really find out everything about her, or about her death, and it’s okay.
When I see Condie’s name, regardless of the age for whom she writes or the universe in which she is writing, I can count on a strong plot, realistic characters who aren’t perfect, and lovely prose.
This book has just the right balance of coming of age for the target audience. The kids get into trouble for some of their escapades—as they should—and the climactic moment serves to bring people together rather than tear them apart.
Possible Objectionable Material:
Death (before the story starts) of family members, and the ensuing struggle to move on. Some bullying. Sneaking out and disobeying parents. Allusion to the star’s divorce.
Who Might Like This Book:
Those who like coming-of-age stories and self-discovery. The suggested age range is appropriate. Boys and girls can equally relate to this story.
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although he has a good family, it isn’t perfect.The two bond over Leo’s scheme to earn money by doing an unofficial tour of the town’s most famous star’s life and death. There is a hint of a mystery, but they never really find out everything about her, or about her death, and it’s okay.
When I see Condie’s name, regardless of the age for whom she writes or the universe in which she is writing, I can count on a strong plot, realistic characters who aren’t perfect, and lovely prose.
This book has just the right balance of coming of age for the target audience. The kids get into trouble for some of their escapades—as they should—and the climactic moment serves to bring people together rather than tear them apart.
Possible Objectionable Material:
Death (before the story starts) of family members, and the ensuing struggle to move on. Some bullying. Sneaking out and disobeying parents. Allusion to the star’s divorce.
Who Might Like This Book:
Those who like coming-of-age stories and self-discovery. The suggested age range is appropriate. Boys and girls can equally relate to this story.
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LibraryThing member foggidawn
Still grieving over the recent deaths of her father and brother, twelve-year-old Cedar takes a summer job selling programs at a Shakespeare festival, makes a new friend, and searches for the solution to an old mystery.
This book exhibits strong character development, particularly in how Cedar and
Pet peeves aside, there's plenty to like about this book, and I found it a good read for the start of summer.
This book exhibits strong character development, particularly in how Cedar and
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her family handle their grief. I also liked the setting, which was basically a fictionalization of the Utah Shakespeare Festival. However, I'm always bemused at otherwise realistic stories in which children as young as twelve find actual, formal jobs. Maybe I should give this book the benefit of the doubt -- after all, I've never looked into Utah's child labor laws. But it's a pet peeve that takes me right out of the story.Pet peeves aside, there's plenty to like about this book, and I found it a good read for the start of summer.
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LibraryThing member tjsjohanna
This was a lovely story. Cedar is learning to live with the loss of her father and brother and the grieving of those of her family who are left. Yet he sorrow never overshadows the story of Cedar's growing friendship with Leo. I really liked that Cedar is just a normal girl who makes mistakes and
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doesn't always do what she should. Show Less
LibraryThing member fingerpost
Cedar Lee lost her father and mentally handicapped brother in a car accident a year ago. Now, she, her mother, and other brother, are moving to a small town for the summer. The livelihood of the town during the summer is the Shakespeare Summerlost Festival, where Cedar gets a job selling
One could almost call it a sweet book, with the story of a blossoming frienship, never quite a romance, between Cedar and Leo. But it is very much a book of Cedar's learning how to cope with the loss of two beloved family members as well.
Not quite Newberry material, but very very good.
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concessions along with her new friend Leo. But Leo has other, bigger plans for the summer, and asks Cedar to join him in those plans.One could almost call it a sweet book, with the story of a blossoming frienship, never quite a romance, between Cedar and Leo. But it is very much a book of Cedar's learning how to cope with the loss of two beloved family members as well.
Not quite Newberry material, but very very good.
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LibraryThing member acargile
This realistic fiction novel takes place over a summer as healing and hope are needed.
Cedar’s father and brother were killed over a year ago. Her mother buys a home in her hometown, Iron Creek, for them to live in each summer. They all need to heal and find a new “place” for them to be who
Leo works at the Summerlost Festival, a Shakespearean festival, that performs shows twice a day. He loves meeting the people and competing with others to make the most money. He sells programs and is the best one there; he’s also obsessed with a famous dead actress from Iron Creek, Lisette Chamberlain. When Leo confronts Cedar wondering why she was following him, she confesses that she was curious. She decides to work there as well, undergoes a quick interview, and begins work that night. They become fast friends who spend a great deal of time together. Leo needs money, so he hatches a tour that he’ll sell to people who want to see where Lisette lived and worked and then died mysteriously.
Cedar and Leo are also curious as to what really happened to Lisette. Leo’s positive and happy demeanor are exactly what Cedar needs and their questions about Lisette keep her focused on something more interesting than the deaths of her family members. Cedar has her own mystery as well. Is Lisette’s ghost in contact with her dead brother? Because someone is leaving objects that Ben would have loved on her windowsill.
This is a really nice novel. I like that the characters are normal; they aren’t experimenting with anything or from “bad” families. They genuinely love their parents, are being raised with love, and they act like kids--good kids. This is a stand-alone novel, so you have a nice ending. If you like sweet, realistic stories, that aren’t long, give this a try. I think you’ll like it
Cedar’s father and brother were killed over a year ago. Her mother buys a home in her hometown, Iron Creek, for them to live in each summer. They all need to heal and find a new “place” for them to be who
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they are as individuals and as a family after the tragedy. Cedar and her brother, Miles, are careful around their mother, not ever wanting to upset her, so Cedar sees a summer of babysitting her brother. That’s fine. Cedar then sees a boy on a bike (dubbed Nerd-on-a-bike) everyday at the same time, dressed in ridiculous clothes, with a smile on his face, going the same way. Her life changes when she decides to follow him.Leo works at the Summerlost Festival, a Shakespearean festival, that performs shows twice a day. He loves meeting the people and competing with others to make the most money. He sells programs and is the best one there; he’s also obsessed with a famous dead actress from Iron Creek, Lisette Chamberlain. When Leo confronts Cedar wondering why she was following him, she confesses that she was curious. She decides to work there as well, undergoes a quick interview, and begins work that night. They become fast friends who spend a great deal of time together. Leo needs money, so he hatches a tour that he’ll sell to people who want to see where Lisette lived and worked and then died mysteriously.
Cedar and Leo are also curious as to what really happened to Lisette. Leo’s positive and happy demeanor are exactly what Cedar needs and their questions about Lisette keep her focused on something more interesting than the deaths of her family members. Cedar has her own mystery as well. Is Lisette’s ghost in contact with her dead brother? Because someone is leaving objects that Ben would have loved on her windowsill.
This is a really nice novel. I like that the characters are normal; they aren’t experimenting with anything or from “bad” families. They genuinely love their parents, are being raised with love, and they act like kids--good kids. This is a stand-alone novel, so you have a nice ending. If you like sweet, realistic stories, that aren’t long, give this a try. I think you’ll like it
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LibraryThing member Whisper1
I very much liked this tale of grief, healing and friendship. Cedar, her younger brother Miles, and their mother lost their father/husband and brother/son a year ago in a car accident. Spending their summers in their mother's home town of Iron Creek, their mother now purchases a home where they can
When Cedar notices a boy dressed in period clothing, she follows him to the site of the Summerlost Shakespearean festival. At first thinking of Leo as a "nerd on a bike", over the summer, as Cedar works with Leo at the festival, she grows to understand and appreciate him.
Leo introduces Cedar to a love of Shakespeare and fine acting. They both sell programs at the festival, and Leo tells Cedar of a local actress who made it big and then died tragically in a room at a local hotel. She joins him in the obsessiveness of wanting to learn how she died.
Together, they go behind the back of their manager and insert a flier regarding their behind the scenes presentation of the life of Lisette Chamberlain.
This is a sweet story of small town childhood, of children who come to know and appreciate each other. There is nothing dramatic about the tale of children finding friendship and trying to move on through grief while still celebrating what was lost.
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return each year.When Cedar notices a boy dressed in period clothing, she follows him to the site of the Summerlost Shakespearean festival. At first thinking of Leo as a "nerd on a bike", over the summer, as Cedar works with Leo at the festival, she grows to understand and appreciate him.
Leo introduces Cedar to a love of Shakespeare and fine acting. They both sell programs at the festival, and Leo tells Cedar of a local actress who made it big and then died tragically in a room at a local hotel. She joins him in the obsessiveness of wanting to learn how she died.
Together, they go behind the back of their manager and insert a flier regarding their behind the scenes presentation of the life of Lisette Chamberlain.
This is a sweet story of small town childhood, of children who come to know and appreciate each other. There is nothing dramatic about the tale of children finding friendship and trying to move on through grief while still celebrating what was lost.
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LibraryThing member porch_reader
When Cedar Lee finds herself living in Iron Creek the summer after her father and brother Ben are killed by a drunk driver, she is happy to find a summer job at the Summerlost Shakespeare Festival. It is there she meets Leo Bishop, and their friendship fills the pages of this book. Together, they
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try to learn more about a Hollywood star who died the night of her last performance at Summerlost. This is a charming coming-of-age story. Show Less
LibraryThing member MikeDI
Well written, engaging story. Great characters.
LibraryThing member SarahGraceGrzy
Wow! That was . . . emotional. So beautifully written, it reminded me in a lot of ways of Patricia MacLachlan's novels. Condie's writing style is poetic and poignant, and touches a chord within your heart. There are so many deep quotes in this book, I wish I had a highlighter handy when I read it!
And can we just talk about the cover please? IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL! I love it! It totally captures the whimsy of this book. The font, the image, the colors, perfection! The interior design is also gorgeous and fits perfectly. And the title too; it just captures you attention as soon as you see it! (It did mine!)
The characters were very sweet; Cedar was very realistic in her struggle with losing her dad and brother. Her memories and flashbacks, the guilt, everything was so beautifully portrayed and accurate! I was in tears more than once! Leo was also very sweet, and I love how gentle and sensitive he was towards Cedar. And Miles. The most adorable little brother ever! I guess pretty early on that he was the one leaving the gifts on Cedar's windowsill, so I wasn't surprised, but it was nonetheless so sweet, and heartwarming!
Best quote:
"But I couldn't tell him.
I couldn't tell anyone.
I never, ever wanted Ben to be dead.
But sometimes I wanted him gone.
And then he was.
Just wow!
CONTENT NOTE: There was some crudity and the use of a mild swear word 2 or 3 time, that I didn't like, and was very surprised by, as this IS a middle grade novel.
All in all, I enjoyed this story, particularly the writing style, but it lost a star for the above mentioned content.
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(Unfortunately it was a library copy, so that wouldn't have worked anyway) Beautiful and poignant are the best words I can come up with to describe this book. And can we just talk about the cover please? IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL! I love it! It totally captures the whimsy of this book. The font, the image, the colors, perfection! The interior design is also gorgeous and fits perfectly. And the title too; it just captures you attention as soon as you see it! (It did mine!)
The characters were very sweet; Cedar was very realistic in her struggle with losing her dad and brother. Her memories and flashbacks, the guilt, everything was so beautifully portrayed and accurate! I was in tears more than once! Leo was also very sweet, and I love how gentle and sensitive he was towards Cedar. And Miles. The most adorable little brother ever!
Best quote:
"But I couldn't tell him.
I couldn't tell anyone.
I never, ever wanted Ben to be dead.
But sometimes I wanted him gone.
And then he was.
Just wow!
CONTENT NOTE: There was some crudity and the use of a mild swear word 2 or 3 time, that I didn't like, and was very surprised by, as this IS a middle grade novel.
All in all, I enjoyed this story, particularly the writing style, but it lost a star for the above mentioned content.
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LibraryThing member SusanGeiss
Thank you so much to the publisher and to Edelweiss for supplying this ARC!
If I could give this book ten stars, I would!
We all deal with grief in different ways, but the way this 12 year old moves through it is both heartbreaking and beautiful. Ally Condie hit the mark!
She pulls the reader into
The fact that is takes place during a Shakespeare festival is just icing on the cake.
I don't want to include any spoilers, but suffice it to say that readers, young and old, who read this book will reflect on it for years to come. It's insights will help those who grieve and those who have yet to grieve.
Brava, Ms Condie!
And don't forget to read the acknowledgements! Those make this book come to life in a different sort of way.
Thank you Ms Condie, for this beautifully written, heartfelt piece of you.
If I could give this book ten stars, I would!
We all deal with grief in different ways, but the way this 12 year old moves through it is both heartbreaking and beautiful. Ally Condie hit the mark!
She pulls the reader into
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this sweet story quickly, letting us experience Cedar as she embarks on a summer adventure, filled with mystery, that will prove to bring healing in a way she never imagined.The fact that is takes place during a Shakespeare festival is just icing on the cake.
I don't want to include any spoilers, but suffice it to say that readers, young and old, who read this book will reflect on it for years to come. It's insights will help those who grieve and those who have yet to grieve.
Brava, Ms Condie!
And don't forget to read the acknowledgements! Those make this book come to life in a different sort of way.
Thank you Ms Condie, for this beautifully written, heartfelt piece of you.
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LibraryThing member standhenry
Summerlost is told from the perspective of a middle school girl named Cedar Lee. After a tragic accident, she and her mother spend a summer in Iron Creek where her mother grew up. The book is about grief, adventure, responsibility, and friendship. It's a coming of age story that feels real.
LibraryThing member Ldecher
Beautifully written, this middle grade book is about recovering from grief, finding a person who understands you, and belonging to a family even if you feel different from everyone else in it. I loved the way this book tackles friendship, the power of a Shakespeare festival, and finding out where
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you fit in when there’s been upheaval in your life. There’s a feeling of THE MIXED-UP FILES OF MRS. BASIL E. FRANKWEILER in the quest that develops in the costume room. A special book. Show Less
Awards
Edgar Award (Nominee — Juvenile — 2017)
Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award (Nominee — 2019)
Association for Mormon Letters Award (Winner — 2016)
Whitney Award (Winner — 2016)
Capitol Choices Noteworthy Book for Children and Teens (Audiobook — 2017)
Language
Original language
English
ISBN
9780399187193