The Last Best Days of Summer

Starred review from May 17, 2010
Like the final stretch of freedom before school begins, there's something quietly magical—and bittersweet—about Hobbs's (Anything but Ordinary) latest novel. Hidden beneath the ordinary anxieties of a 12-year-old starting middle school (Will she be popular? Will her clothes be the right style?), lies a tearjerker that is both insightful and penetrating. When Lucy embarks on her annual trip to her grandmother's lake cabin, she couldn't be more excited to escape her overprotective parents and do all her favorite things (bake cookies, go on canoe adventures). But nothing goes as planned. Eddie, a neighborhood kid, shows up unexpectedly and ruins Lucy's precious alone time with her grandmother, who isn't acting like herself. The portrayals of serious illnesses (Alzheimer's, Down syndrome) are handled with a delicate touch, and Lucy's inner conflicts will readily hit home with readers. Despite her condition, Grams's advice to Lucy is priceless: "Centering? It's that place you go to when you want to know what to do, the best and right thing. It will always be there inside you when you need it." Ages 10–14.

April 1, 2010
Gr 5-8-This thoughtful coming-of-age novel tells the story of Lucy and her summer before entering junior high. As a self-described wimp, she is highly influenced by her friend Megan, and the two have spent the summer obsessing over ways to ensure their popularity in seventh grade. One tip is to stay away from dummies, aimed toward Eddie, a boy with Down syndrome whom Lucy has been playing with as a summer job. When Lucy goes to spend the final days of vacation with her grandmother, a potter, and Eddie shows up two days later, she experiences subtle lessons that make her realize that there is more to life than what others think of you. Memorable aspects of the book are Lucy's honest voice and the natural dialogue between characters. Lucy's insecurities and inability to stand up for what she knows is right, particularly when it comes to Eddie, make her a compelling character. Hobbs has achieved a perfect balance; she is on the verge of being a teenager, but also wants to cling to the simplicity of childhood. This is most evident in her relationship with her grandmother, who is suffering from Alzheimer's. In this simple, yet sophisticated story, most of the conflicts are resolved rather quickly, if not a bit too neatly. However, the results of these conflicts are more important and resonate throughout the story. There is also a satisfying open-endedness that leaves readers with a sense of hope, despite the knowledge that challenges still exist."Kerry Roeder, The Brearley School, New York City"

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from April 1, 2010
Grades 4-8 *Starred Review* Lucy, 12, and her best friend, Megan, plan to follow Seventeen magazines tips on how to join the popular crowd when they start middle school at the end of the summer. Lucy has spent the last few months as a caregiver for Eddie, a classmate with special needs. What if he tries to hang out with her at school? Will it hurt her chances with the in group? During summer vacation, she is happy to leave Eddie and spend some time with her beloved Grams at the lake, but Grams, a hippie and gifted potter, requires supervision, too: she is becoming forgetful and even accidentally starts a fire. Then Eddie turns up at Grams after a long, difficult bus ride to bring Lucy a token of friendship. The story takes some predictable turns: in the end, kindhearted Lucy refuses to reject Eddie in favor of the superficial, glamorous crowd. But the messages of tolerance never feel too heavy, and what makes the drama especially heartbreaking are the occasional switches to Eddies viewpoint, which reveal that although he is obsessive-compulsive, slow, and forgetful, he is also thoughtful, warm, and funny. The storys finely tuned realism is refreshing, particularly in Lucys yearning for social acceptance and in the fully drawn and wholly memorable characters.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)