Sand Dollar Summer

by Kimberly K. Jones

Twelve-year-old Lise watches her safe world fall apart when her strong, self-reliant mom is injured in a car accident. To recuperate, Mom takes Lise and her bright little brother to live in a rattletrap house on the beach in Maine for the summer. Although her mother grew up there, this is Lise's first experience with the ocean. She's terrified by what may be lurking in the cold depths and confused by the ways that Maine is changing her mother.

As secrets from the past start spilling out, even the solid earth may not keep Lise safe anymore. Lise will have to learn to go with the flow -- or risk falling apart -- in this tender, funny, and wise novel...the story of one family's unforgettable summer.

Genres: Young Adult, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Contemporary, Summer, Childrens

206 pages, Paperback

First published May 9, 2006

Reviews

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perhaps because I had no expectations going into this, I enjoyed it more than the vast majority of reviewers. This is for young readers, but I confess I enjoyed it very much and felt it was a good fast summer read. And I confess too that I cried at the end, despite not wanting to, knowing the predictable outcome. Still, the author pulled at my heart.

This is beautifully, sparsely written prose. The narrator's voice (Lise) is dead on. I loved the relationship with her mother and her younger brother, Free, who does not speak at the age of 5. I also appreciated Jones bringing in a character with Down syndrome and a Native American character who gently teaches Lise a bit of the NA perspective.

The descriptions of beach life, the ocean, and the dialog makes this a very special little book. If I'm not giving it 5 stars it's because the dialog at times becomes too preachy and perfect, and you will guess at the ending. Other than that, I do recommend this book to readers who love nature, beaches, good prose, well-developed characters, and want a light, very fast, but thoughtful summer read. Great for younger kids too, but beware of two uses of the s- word in case that bothers you.

[Audrey · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was the stupidest, lamest, and dullest book I have ever read in my life besides Maniac Magee and Bunnicula. And I only read those because we had to do it for school.
I read Sand Dollar Summer on my choice and it was completely pointless! The only reason I kept reading it was because it was supposed to get "extremely sad" at the end. When I was (finally) finished, I threw the book across my room and I will never read it again.
First of all, Ben (the one who died) didn't even have a well-developed character to make you get teary over.
Second, it was a dumb plot. Not once did it actually catch my attention.
Third, the story didn't fully resolve.
DON'T READ THIS BOOK!!!!
Or if you do, expect disapointment.

[Underwater]

I don't feel I can really give this book a rating, because it was written by the mother of one of my closest friends, and so I'm therefore biased. I'm also biased in the other direction, because I'm not in its target audience--it's for folks round about 13. I did enjoy it quite a bit, even though I was 18, and I think someone younger would really appreciate it.

[Jaelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was really good 👍🏻 I personally would rate this book 📖 a 5/5. It was sad but it was really interesting! There was a good plot to it.

[Marguerite · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did a book report on this book in 6th grade and it was one of the first books that I actually enjoyed. Re-reading it now, at 16, I loved it even more. The writing was so beautiful and deep I think that anyone at any age could find something to enjoy in this book. The character development was great. I loved Ben's wisdom. This book is just so beautiful.

[Victoria Ribot · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will forever and always love and cherish this book. I’ve read this book so many times since 6th grade (like 13 years ago) and still love every single thing about it. Lowkey wish it had an epilogue now that I’m reading it as a 24 y/o. I wanna know what happens to everyone not just Lise. This book will always be close to my heart.
Side note: I’m naming my first daughter Annalise🤍🩵.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful read. Some real gem conversations and learning experiences. It's meant to be for middle grade, but I am a "full grown woman", and I liked this a lot.

[Paula]

I remember reading this in 5th grade and it was the first time I ever saw a curse word in a book and was like mom what does this mean and she was like wtf are you reading

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid 4 stars! Very good debut book for this author. Quick, easy, engaging read. I definitely would recommend

[Gillian Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute! I love a beachy book

[Fernanada Larrazabal · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a good book but a little dull and predictable.

[amina · Rating 1 out of 5]

Incredibly underwhelming

[Delaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am surprised that the main character actually ended up liking fiddle island because in the beginning of the book it seemed like she hated it and would never come to like it.

[Luzelena Alvarez · Rating 3 out of 5]

I understand the meaning of the book, but I really didn't enjoy it. I didn't like how the author described certain moments, I feel as though she really could've made them more action-packed, even though it's not one of those stories. Overall the book was ok, would I recommend it to a friend? No. Would I read it again? No. But, it was an ok book.

[Abby Shepard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don't ever forget that a mere second can change your life forever. 12-year-old Lise has never felt so alone in the world. After her mother was blindsided by a truck on her way to pick up Lise and her mute brother, Free, nothing is guaranteed to end the way she wishes it would. With her mother in critical condition at the hospital, everything has been changed for her and Free. When their mother is released, she takes them on a spur-of-the-moment vacation to her town of orgin, a tiny island off the coast of Maine to recover and learn to walk again. There is just one problem for Lise, one that cannot be avoided... the water. In her mind, Lise can only imagine the creatures lurking beneath the surface, and she has a sinking feeling that the water may be the thing to take her life. Could that fear be closer to reality than Lise realizes? I would recommend this book to anyone with lots of patience (it can be a little slow paced).

[Shanna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lise's mother is injured in a car accident, so to recover she inexplicably packs her children up and takes them to her island childhood hometown. Lise's character is so very unlikable. She is arrogant, selfish, shallow, rude, and SO WHINY! I was so tired of her going on and on about her first world problems-- omg I can't even go to the mall! Boohoo. I wanted to reach into the book and slap her. The plot devices were predictable and unoriginal. Random events were thrown in for obvious foreshadowing. This story had potential, but I was too irritated to really enjoy it.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book quite a bit. The story is about the relationships that the main character, Lise, has with her mother and brother; an old Native American man named Ben; and the ocean. Lise's mother takes her two children to the coast of Maine for the summer, where she grew up, after she is the victim of a serious car accident. There, Lise learns more about her mother, growing up, and letting go. The story is thoughtful without being preachy.

[Soraya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Candice tossed this one my way when I yelled, "I need a book! I am sick and tired of reading professional literature!" it tells a sweet, realistic story of an 11 yr old girl, the 6 year old selectively mute brother she adores, and their beautiful, independent mom. I could totally remember feeling like Lise at that age, and now I can totally relate to mom's feelings as well. Ah.

[Waffle...♥ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Uggh... I got so bored of this book I didn't even finish it... halfway maybe? Well... it's not THAT bad but it bored me to the extremes that I couldn't even pick it up and finish it...

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is a great book. it is very sad at the end. many families can relate to this story and family problems. if you haven't read this yet you should.

[Malak Ahmed · Rating 1 out of 5]

terrible and i wish i could wash my eye with bleach after reading it this book has no fricking point please delete this book

[Bish Denham · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to give this 4 stars because I liked most everything about the story, though at times it seemed a tad didactic. However it just sort of fell apart for me right at the end. Okay, so Fern was only a cat 1 hurricane, but still, Lise's mother is just too unconcerned. Sustained winds of 85 mph are nothing to sneeze at. I had issues. Maybe it's because I have family and friends who went through two cat 5 hurricanes (Irma and Maria) in September of 2017 and my nerves are still a little raw. Maybe it's because the Carolinas got bashed by Florence and I know how long it's going to take for the people and the land to recover. Anyway, I had issues around the whole hurricane thing at the end of the book.

1. You don't board up your house on just the windward side and leave the lee side unboarded so your house doesn't implode/explode BECAUSE, once the eye goes by, the winds shift and come out of the opposite direction.

2. One has to prepare. If you're going to stay put, you have to bring in water and food and be ready to be without electricity. The portrayal of Lise's mom just didn't seem realistic, even if she was being self-absorbed. What mother is going to sit around and act like waiting for a hurricane is no big thing? What mother is going to argue or protest being taken to a safe place? Particularly a mother, who up to her accident, has obviously been a rather exceptional parent.

3. Of course I knew Ben was going to have to die and it was okay that he chose to sit out the storm in his shack. But Lise running out into the middle of the storm felt contrived. A 12 year-old girl isn't going to be able to stand up to 85 mph winds. And lets not forget the gusts which can easily be 95 mph or better. Debris is going to be flying. And the whole scene of her being tossed around in the ocean made no sense at all. The debris from Ben's house alone would have been life-threatening. If Michael ends up with 2 broken ribs and a badly bruised shoulder in just trying to rescue her, how is it she can be slammed against the rocks multiple times and only have a "probable concussion" and be "shredded by barnacles." And I can't even wrap my head around being shredded by barnacles. If you've ever been sliced by one... well it isn't pleasant. She'd have required god knows how many stitches and been scarred for life. But she's hardly in any pain when she comes to...

I could go on, but I won't.

[Tabatha B · Rating 5 out of 5]

January
Sand Dollar Summer
Kimberly K. Jones

Lise, her brother Freeman, and their mother lived in a very nice house all together. Lise is 12 years old and Free is 5 years old. They tried to get Free into kindergarten but he wouldn't talk so they wouldn't let him. His mom took him to another doctor to get a doctors note to let him start school. She got what she wanted in return after a lot of arguing. One day, Lise and Free were the last ones at school. Lise was very worried while Free just sat there. Ms. Penny picked us up and took us home. A cop came to their house and told them the news. Their mom had been in an accident. Lise was determined to get to her mother even though she was going through surgery at that time. They got there through a taxi. Lise was very much like her mother, she always gets her way. She got to see her mom, but only for 5 minutes. The next morning she spent every second at the hospital with her mom. After this everything changed for the family. They decided to go to the beach, because it made their mom feel great.

There are multiple themes to this story. One is "even though life isn't what it used to be, it can still be made the best". Lise didn't enjoy most of her time at the beach. She was not having a good time what so ever. In the end she made a friend. That friend taught her multiple things. He taught her to make the best out of a bad situation. She enjoyed it as much as she could. Another is "enjoy life while you can". Lise had a great life, but then she went on a vacation. Instead of getting to go somewhere with her friends. She mad her life better by realizing her life has changed now.

[Julie Barrett]

Sand Dollar Summer by Kimberly K. Jones
Story starts off with Lisa who's twelve and she watches her strong brave mother as her life crumbles with a car accident.
Everything goes downhill from there for Lise. Her mom moves them to Maine at a beach, where she learns so much more about her mother's past life growing up there.
She is terrified of the sea but gets help from her mother's male friend. He helps take care of her mother and figures out a way to make her legs work a bit better, in the ocean.
Loved hearing of the things she could be herself on the island and to be able to read as much as she wanted. Love the people she meets, the true islanders who become her friends.
Especially like Ben who lives in a shanty near the shore and he's very old and explains about ocean to her and other things dealing with the lcoale. Shark took necklace, sounds so cool...
The hurricane is due to hit them and some take care to board up their places against the fierce wind and rains. We had just gone through three here in RI in the past 3 weeks time and have endured the 36 hours of salty rain and winds and no electric.
Have gone through so many more here in my life so I can imagine how she really feels. She is caught off guard and tries to outrun the storm as you watch her struggle in the waves, at the rock shore.
Love watching her mom get strong again and how she is able to find things along the beach, using her walker. Peaceful ending for some on the island and it makes you stronger.
Enjoyed this read and it was scary at times. Love legend of sand dollar, very delicate.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

[CometsELA · Rating 5 out of 5]

My book is called Sand Dollar Summer by Kimberly K. Jones there is a 12 year old girl named Lise and she is adjust to an unexpected move into a forced break after her single mom gets in a very bad accident and is in need of long term recovery. Instead of going to summer camp, Lise and her 5 year old brother, Free,head for Maine, the ocean and mother’s childhood hometown. Feeling both irritation and genuine fear for her mother’s disabilities, Lise must adjust to the sea, sand and a simple lonely summer life. A refurbished friendship between Lise’s mother and Dr.Micheal, meeting Ben, an interesting elder resident, and a terrifying hurricane all build up with Lise’s unexpected distress. The first person narrative incorporates effective symbolism, using a beach to bring out Lise’s feelings of uncertainty in a new environment while lacking companionship. Yet, Lise experiences an awaking as she keeps her private concerns about her missing father and the mysterious silence of her little brother. Like the ocean’s dual beauty and danger, Lise realizes certain life situations are beyond control. Like Ben, she must have faith to live life as it comes. I think this book deserves 5 stars.

[GBooklover · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book! I liked the balance of plot with more internal and descriptive experiences. I enjoyed the writing and it affected me deeply. I liked the spunk of the female characters and the care desplayed by the male ones. I loved hearing about a mother who was committed to defending her children's right to be themselves

The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is that it's disappointing to read a book by a white author where the only acknowledged main character of color is so stereotyped. In this case it was Ben, an Passamaquoddy American Indian man. Ben was wise, patient, calm, lived off on his own, was described as "crazy" by other locals and who's story even comes to a stereotypical conclusion. I actually loved the character and he made deep sense to me including his decisions at the end of the book. If there had been other native characters or other characters of color who weren't as stereotyped, Ben's character would have sat better with me.

In classrooms, this character might serve as a discussion point about stereotyped characters of color and how they affect our pictures of people of color in general.

[Rachel Goit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lise's life has finally settled down, when her mom gets in a bad accident, leaving her incapable of taking care of herself or her children. As they get used to this new normal, Lise's mother springs another surprise: They are going to spend the summer on a tiny beach in Maine. As Lise tries to comprehend the tiny little town, makes friends, and learns valuable lessons, she realizes the most important thing is just to go with the flow.

I've had this book for 3 or 4 years now, and I just now got around to reading it. It was okay, not amazing but had lots of cute concepts and little things that made it a fun read. Definitely really quick, I read it in about an hour or 2. Fun and worthwhile.

Overall Rating: 3.5 stars

[Aerianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

¨ The sea gives, and the sea takes away. The sea gave me a great deal, but fickle as it is, it tried to steal it back, and nearly me with it.¨ (  Jones , prologue )
    Have you ever thought that if one thing hadn't happened, a whole set of things never would have either? Like dominoes in time, a single event kicked off an unstoppable series of changes that gained momentum and spun out of control, and nothing was ever the same again. Don´t ever doubt that a mere second can change your life forever.
    I really liked this book. Was I read the back of it, I didn't want to put it back down. This book reminds me of this movie I've watch once when I was little.  Sand Dollar Summer is an novel about two kids that lost their mother in a car accident. The ending of this book made me want to cry a little. The lost of Free and his sister mother will forever leave a hole in their heart. This book reminds me of when my mom and sister got into an wreck. But overall I enjoyed it.

[Joy Gerbode · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a book I just picked up while teaching 4th graders today, and what a fantastic story! This is a book filled with simple lessons that can help each of us have a happier life. Lessons one young girl learned in her vacation at the beach: the ocean is calm beneath the surface (so go a little deeper to find your place of peace), and sometimes, it's ok to just float. Such a simple, lovely story, about how to let the tough things in life become the blessings you can truly treasure. Wonderful book!

[Alexa]

Sand Dollar Summer by Kimberly K. Jones was a realistic fiction novel about overcoming tragedy. about Twelve-year old girl named Lisa watches her save world fall apart when her strong, self-reliant Mom is injured in a car accident. To recover so mom takes Lisa, her little brother, to live in a rattletrap home on the beach in Marie for the whole summer. Even though her mother grew up there, this is Lise´s first experience with the ocean. She is terrified by what may be lurking in the cold depths and confused by the ways that Maine is changing her mom.