What do you think?
Rate this book
Grace Above All
What's that pink thing out on the lake? Grace realizes with horror that the distant pink smudge on the water is her youngest sister, Beth, drifting farther and farther offshore atop an inflatable raft. There's no time to lose, and Grace never dawdles anyway. Struggling through the cold waves, Grace gradually closes in on her terrified sister. At that moment, boys are the last thing on Grace's mind. But a boy turns up to assist in the rescue. And he's really handsome. Together Frankie and Grace tow Beth back to safety, and Grace begins to hope that maybe - despite having to take care of three younger siblings, despite an oblivious mother smoking her brains out, despite the ancient great-aunt and her mysterious daughter - maybe this summer vacation won't be so bad after all.
In the companion to The Summer Sherman Loved Me , a determined heroine discovers that she can indeed rise above it all.
In the companion to The Summer Sherman Loved Me , a determined heroine discovers that she can indeed rise above it all.
176 pages, Hardcover
First published April 17, 2007
60 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
May 16, 2016
Grace Above All is a great book about a girl named Grace who goes on a summer vacation to a lake house with her mother and her three younger siblings. Her mother smokes and leaves Grace to cook, clean, and care for everyone. They go to visit her great aunt and her mysterious daughter. Grace thinks that this vacation is going to be a bust, until she meets Frankie, their neighbors son...
December 26, 2017
St. Anthony, Jane Grace Above All, 166 p. Farrar, Strauss, Giroux, 2007. Language: G, Sexual Content: G, Violence: G -
Grace, her siblings, and her mother are vacationing at their cabin for the summer. Her mom, who is a chain smoker leaves almost all responsibilities in Grace's hands and she struggles to keep everything under control. Her only refuge is Frankie, the handsome kid in the cabin next door. She is a determined heroine who discovers how to rise above it all.
I was frustrated at the beginning because it was slow moving and a little depressing, but I got into it and soon I was cheering for Grace and Frankie ! It is about love and hope and very enjoyable.
EL, MS - ESSENTIAL; Student Reviewer: MW
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2007/...
Grace, her siblings, and her mother are vacationing at their cabin for the summer. Her mom, who is a chain smoker leaves almost all responsibilities in Grace's hands and she struggles to keep everything under control. Her only refuge is Frankie, the handsome kid in the cabin next door. She is a determined heroine who discovers how to rise above it all.
I was frustrated at the beginning because it was slow moving and a little depressing, but I got into it and soon I was cheering for Grace and Frankie ! It is about love and hope and very enjoyable.
EL, MS - ESSENTIAL; Student Reviewer: MW
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2007/...
January 20, 2020
Maybe I should have rated this book 4 stars but it pissed me off too much. Grace, a 13 year old is forced to take care of her 4 siblings because she has a good for nothing mother who smokes the life out of herself. If there is anything that pisses me off when i read is good for nothing parents who simply refuse to stop being selfish and think about their children. All Bernadette does is smoke, sleep, and eat. At one point in the book she forgets her 3rd child Polly at her aunts house. What pissed me even more is she is never held accountable for her behavior and seems to have no remorse. There was not enough romance in this book to satisfy me, but Gunda (Bernadette's cousin) and Polly's relationship saved the story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 5, 2018
I enjoyed this book. I didn't put this as 5 stars though due to the slow plot. I felt like there wasn't a complete conflict so it was a little boring. But, it was well written and I love how Frankie and Grace like each other it's so cute.
June 20, 2020
I wish it was longer- it was over way too soon! The one thing I didn't understand is why Grace called her mom Bernadette. I don't think it makes sence, but then again, that's just me. I wonder what happened to Gunda, because clearly grandpa was lying when he told them she fell in the lake.
January 2, 2009
Thirteen-year-old Grace Doyle is forced to grown up quickly in this heartwarming tale about first love. Grace’s mother, Bernadette, has five children, but isn’t really cut-out for motherhood. As a result, Grace is the primary caretaker for her three younger siblings. The relationship between Bernadette and her husband seems to be hinged on his love for his wife and his love for his girls; however, for all intents and purposes, he isn’t much of a father figure. Bernadette decides to take her children up to a lake cabin that she inherited, for two weeks. While there, the reader gets a glimpse of this family’s sad past and possible causes for Bernadette’s disinterest in her children. The one positive thing for Grace is the attractive next-door- neighbor Frankie. She meets Frankie under unfortunate circumstances (he helps her save her sister from almost drowning) and pines away for him for the rest of the week. Unbeknownst to her, Frankie feels the same way. He finally gets the nerve to ask her out and so begins a sweet, innocent romance. While at the cabin, Grace comes to terms with the fact that her mother will never be the mother that she wants or needs, but comes to realize that Bernadette loves her in the only way that she is capable. Grace also realizes that she is the person to whom her siblings look up to and that she needs to stop being so resentful and more compassionate. This story would make a great summer read for any adolescent looking for a little nostalgia.
November 4, 2012
Reviewed by Audrey for TeensReadToo.com
Grace is just trying to be a normal kid, but she finds it is pretty hard when her mom sleeps and smokes all day and she is left taking care of her younger siblings.
She thinks things will change when the family takes a trip to a cabin on the lake for a couple of weeks, hoping that maybe her mom just needs to relax.
WRONG! All of the responsibility falls on Grace, as usual.
She does meet a boy, though, named Frankie. He is very cute and likes her back, but they can never be alone because Grace is always stuck caring for her brothers and sisters.
This is a great book, following THE SUMMER SHERMAN LOVED ME.
Grace is just trying to be a normal kid, but she finds it is pretty hard when her mom sleeps and smokes all day and she is left taking care of her younger siblings.
She thinks things will change when the family takes a trip to a cabin on the lake for a couple of weeks, hoping that maybe her mom just needs to relax.
WRONG! All of the responsibility falls on Grace, as usual.
She does meet a boy, though, named Frankie. He is very cute and likes her back, but they can never be alone because Grace is always stuck caring for her brothers and sisters.
This is a great book, following THE SUMMER SHERMAN LOVED ME.
Read
March 28, 2009Companion novel to "The Summer Sherman Loved Me"
Stuck in a cabin for two weeks without her best friend is miserable for Grace. More of a mother to her younger siblings than thier mother, Grace is often left in charge. When she notices her baby sister floating away to the middle of the lake, she swims out frantically to rescue her. She is not her sister's only rescuer, however. Frankie, the boy in the cabin next door, helps Grace tow her sister in, and suddenly the summer gets a whole lot more interesting.
Stuck in a cabin for two weeks without her best friend is miserable for Grace. More of a mother to her younger siblings than thier mother, Grace is often left in charge. When she notices her baby sister floating away to the middle of the lake, she swims out frantically to rescue her. She is not her sister's only rescuer, however. Frankie, the boy in the cabin next door, helps Grace tow her sister in, and suddenly the summer gets a whole lot more interesting.
December 28, 2011
The companion book of The Summer Sherman Loved Me , switches to third point of view and now this is all about Margaret's best friend, Grace.
Grace pretty much has to be the "mother" for her brothers and sisters since her own mother smokes all day. Then, her little sister Beth, gets missing and Grace has to find her. She is found at a lake and Grace and some other boy, rescued her. The boy is Frankie and a little romance starts between them.
I didn't found it as heartwarming as The Summer Sherman Loved Me , but I thought it was slightly better.
Grace pretty much has to be the "mother" for her brothers and sisters since her own mother smokes all day. Then, her little sister Beth, gets missing and Grace has to find her. She is found at a lake and Grace and some other boy, rescued her. The boy is Frankie and a little romance starts between them.
I didn't found it as heartwarming as The Summer Sherman Loved Me , but I thought it was slightly better.
January 10, 2011
I liked it it it was just like every other book it has romance, mystery,and it can be sad but it all nturns out all right. It is about a girl named Grace and she gas 4 brothers and sisters,her mom smokes and she pretty much has to be the mom. Then they all go on vacation to there lake house and there next door neighboors are a boy named Frankie, his grandpa and dad. She and Frankie like to hang out with each other but you have to read the book to find out what happends!!
November 27, 2008
A sweet book about a tough subject. Thirteen year old Grace is burdened with the role of "the mom" in the family. During a family vacation on the lake with her many siblings and mother Grace comes to terms with her mother's capricious ways and stands up for herself. We realize right along with Grace that we make conscious decisions about who, what, and how we want to be.
September 12, 2007
This warmly nostalgic pair of books (The Summer Sherman Loved Me and Grace Above All) are not a series but are rather companion novels with shared characters. Realistic and well-done, they capture a moment in time and a moment in girlhood with humor and poignancy.
June 28, 2013
Pretty good. Story set in the 70s about a girl with a negligent mother -- so she is pretty much in charge of all her siblings. Add in a boy she likes and some weird relatives and a camp on a lake setting.
July 2, 2010
This book was a little painful to read. It was in the kid section of the library, but the subject matter is very mature. Not suitable for kids to read as it explores a very dysfunctional family.
May 31, 2012
This book was okay, but there wasn't a lot of drive to the plot. With the interesting characters, there could have been more going on.
December 31, 2015
I'm so happy I found this author. She's got Minnesota in the summertime down and teenage girls too. Looking forward to reading the next one.
August 20, 2016
Poor Grace! But she found love
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews