Two Summers

January 18, 2016
Friedman (Sea Change) imagines two possible summers for Summer Everett, both of which depend on a single phone call—one that gets answered, and one that goes ignored. In the summer of the unanswered call, nearly-16-year-old Summer heads to a charming town in the South of France to spend time with her artist father; he turns out not to be there, leaving Summer with a mysterious woman and her mean daughter instead. In the other potential reality, Summer’s father disappoints her yet again and cancels her trip, which forces her to make spontaneous plans (a photography class) and reckon with an unpleasant new reality involving her best friend. Friedman breaks her narrative into seven sizable sections, alternating between Summer’s divergent experiences, which include boys, new romance, a healthy dose of self-discovery, and significant family drama and trauma. The effect is like reading two novellas about the same girl that eventually converge into similar outcomes. It’s a sweetly satisfying story about how even the smallest choices can affect one’s destiny. Ages 12–up. Agent: Faye Bender, the Book Group.

February 15, 2016
Are there infinite realities in which every possible permutation of our choices exists? It's the summer between sophomore and junior year, and Summer Everett's phone rings just as she's about to board a plane to France. The caller ID says "unknown," leaving the always-indecisive Summer with a dilemma: should she answer it? Here, the narrative splits into two possible realities. In the first, Summer silences the phone, shoves it into her pocket, and continues on her way to Les Deux Chemins--"The Two Paths"--in Provence, her famous artist father's vacation home. In the second reality, Summer answers the phone; it's her father, telling her not to come to France, and consequently, she spends the summer at home in sleepy Hudsonville, New York. Although the settings are vastly different, both Summers find romance (sadly, they both judge their worth by what boys think of them), discover their burgeoning talent for photography, and gather the courage to accept change and stop wondering "What if...." Experienced and observant readers will solve a devastating, long-kept family secret far ahead of Summer's discovery of same. The Provencal location is a refreshing change from the Parisian setting of so many other teen-abroad novels. Many teen readers who have visited France will relate to Summer's bemusement over hand-held showering, iceless drinking water, and cheek kissing. Summer is white, but her Hudsonville friends are pleasingly diverse. A lightly philosophical summer romance for any time of year. (Fiction. 12-16)

COPYRIGHT(2016) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

March 1, 2016

Gr 7 Up-Summer Everett is boarding a plane headed to Marseilles for a summer of culture, food, and reconnection with her distant father-until her cell phone rings with a drastic change of plans. In this Sliding Doors-style story, readers see two possibilities for Summer's vacation and the ripple effects that follow. Parallel time lines explore Summer's attempts at first love; her loving but claustrophobic relationship with her best friend, Ruby; and a bombshell that further disrupts Summer's fractured family. Both time lines challenge the teen and her previously held beliefs about her life, and she evolves from a timid 15-year-old to a self-possessed 16-year-old who is a confident artist. Friedman maintains an optimistic tone throughout the book, without glossing over Summer's internal struggles. VERDICT This sunny and quick read will appeal to fans of Jennifer E. Smith, and its gentle portrayal of first crushes and high school parties make this suitable for all YA readers.-Susannah Goldstein, Bronx School for Law, Government, and Justice, NY

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.