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brontesauruses's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
A big thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss+ for letting me have access to an egalley in exchange for an honest review!
Y'all I haven't read everything she's written, but I don't think Heather Fawcett could write a bad book if she tried. She's put out three great books in a row! (4 if you count the upcoming Emily Wilde #2, which is a banger) This one is her first contemporary work, and I knew that going in, but I still kept waiting for fairies to show up. If you're wondering if they do or not: SPOILER<SPOILER> no, but there is definitely something magical about those islands. there might have been fairies offscreen? who knows </SPOILER>
What really makes this book shine are the characters. Fawcett writes children so well - the Snolly sisters (great name, btw) are all complex, unique individuals while still definitely being sisters and definitely talking and acting the way that real children at their respective ages might.
I also liked their family structure, as I'm sure there are lots of kids out there who will be able to see their own family in it: Mom and Dad are amicably separated, the girls all have Mom's last name, Mom and Dad actively work together to parent their kids... it's a warm and supportive environment for the kids while still being a little bit messy. It's also an important read for kiddos who have a loved one with Alzheimer's (or something similar); Granddaddy's illness is handled sensitively, but without sugarcoating anything.
Anyway, the long and short of it is that this is a sweet, funny contemporary middle grade adventure full of love and Summer Vibes.
Y'all I haven't read everything she's written, but I don't think Heather Fawcett could write a bad book if she tried. She's put out three great books in a row! (4 if you count the upcoming Emily Wilde #2, which is a banger) This one is her first contemporary work, and I knew that going in, but I still kept waiting for fairies to show up. If you're wondering if they do or not: SPOILER<SPOILER> no, but there is definitely something magical about those islands. there might have been fairies offscreen? who knows </SPOILER>
What really makes this book shine are the characters. Fawcett writes children so well - the Snolly sisters (great name, btw) are all complex, unique individuals while still definitely being sisters and definitely talking and acting the way that real children at their respective ages might.
I also liked their family structure, as I'm sure there are lots of kids out there who will be able to see their own family in it: Mom and Dad are amicably separated, the girls all have Mom's last name, Mom and Dad actively work together to parent their kids... it's a warm and supportive environment for the kids while still being a little bit messy. It's also an important read for kiddos who have a loved one with Alzheimer's (or something similar); Granddaddy's illness is handled sensitively, but without sugarcoating anything.
Anyway, the long and short of it is that this is a sweet, funny contemporary middle grade adventure full of love and Summer Vibes.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Dementia
Minor: Death
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