Summerhouse Time

By Eileen Spinelli

Rating: 3 3/4 stars

Reviewed by Noelle

Sophie loves Summerhouse Time, when each August, her extended family go to a house by the beach for an entire month. But this year, things don't seem as wonderful as she remembers. Her older cousin, Colleen, mopes around and no longer treats Sophie like a friend, her aunt gets laid off from her job, her father seems ill, and her cat Orange gets lost. But even with the problems, the warm and supportive family deals with each one as it comes, making the Summerhouse Time come back to a happy ending. Told in free verse, the story moves along quickly and is easily swallowed in a gulp. The one misstep is Sophie makes a new friend, Jimmy, before she leaves for the beach, and she claims to be in love. But her letters to Jimmy result in only a single return letter, and we hear no more of their relationship, which is a bit disappointing. Still, this is an easy and enjoyable read about a likeable family. Good summer fare.