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Summer of the Gypsy Moths
From Clementine author Sara Pennypacker, this is a poignant middle-grade novel about two foster children who must find a way to work together in order to survive. Eleven-year-old Stella misses her (unreliable) mom, but she loves it at great-aunt Louise’s house. Louise lives on Cape Cod, where Stella hopes her mom will someday come and settle down. The only problem? Angel, the foster kid Louise has taken in. The two girls live together but there’s no way they’ll ever be friends.
Then Louise suddenly passes away one morning—and Stella and Angel decide not to tell anyone. Now they have to depend on each other for survival. Now they are forced to trust each other with the biggest secret ever. With great empathy and humor, Sara Pennypacker tells the story of two very different girls who unexpectedly become each other’s true family.
Then Louise suddenly passes away one morning—and Stella and Angel decide not to tell anyone. Now they have to depend on each other for survival. Now they are forced to trust each other with the biggest secret ever. With great empathy and humor, Sara Pennypacker tells the story of two very different girls who unexpectedly become each other’s true family.
288 pages, Paperback
First published April 24, 2012
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June 22, 2012
Suppose I told you that there was a book out this year in which a pair of 11-year-old girls find their foster parent dead, and then elect to bury her in the backyard and continue on with their lives. Who would you think had written such a book? Jack Gantos? Polly Horvath? Roald Dahl, in a long-lost manuscript only recently rediscovered? What if I told you that it was actually by Sara Pennypacker, the author of Clementine, and that instead of being a black comedy, or a surreal, Daniel Pinkwater-style excursion, its closest tonal comparison was to a Hallmark Original Movie?
If you’re anything like me, your final reply was something like, “Wait…what?” And the single biggest problem with Summer of the Gypsy Moths, the Sara Pennypacker book in question, is that it never gets past that reaction, never finds a way to seem plausible or to allow for the suspension of disbelief.
Part of the issue is that the characters seem much more like a collection of overly precious quirks than like real people. Stella, the narrator and one of the aforementioned 11-year-olds, is obsessed with a newspaper household advice column called Heloise’s Hints; fills in the narratives of Reader’s Digest Condensed Books with sections about cleaning; can sense when something is wrong; and rhapsodizes in her narration like someone auditioning for a part in a Nicolas Sparks movie. Angel, the other 11-year-old, is in foster care because her mother was a singer who died in a car accident, and her father was a fisherman who drowned in an accident because his boat didn’t have enough life jackets; conducts seagulls on the beach into flight; and faithfully watches her dead foster parent’s soap opera so that she can give daily reports over the grave. There was not a single point during the book that I believed in either of them as more than authorial constructs. Kids with disrupted lives can certainly develop odd habits as coping skills, but in real life, those habits rarely look quite so much like literary devices.
But, the more I think about it, the more I think there might not have been any possible way for Summer of the Gypsy Moths to succeed, because however you look at it, it’s still a positive, life-affirming, ostensibly realistic book about a pair of preteens who bury their caretaker in the backyard. The tone and plot are so terribly mismatched that it might not have mattered if the characters were Anne Shirley and Lyra Belacqua, or if it were co-authored by Beverly Cleary and Laura Ingalls Wilder. The problem isn’t simply one of execution, but one that exists on the conceptual level itself.
I don’t think Sara Pennypacker is a bad writer – even in a book as unsuccessful as Summer of the Gypsy Moths, there’s some excellent prose, and she is, after all, still the author of Clementine. But I think the sooner she puts this one in her rear-view mirror, the better.
If you’re anything like me, your final reply was something like, “Wait…what?” And the single biggest problem with Summer of the Gypsy Moths, the Sara Pennypacker book in question, is that it never gets past that reaction, never finds a way to seem plausible or to allow for the suspension of disbelief.
Part of the issue is that the characters seem much more like a collection of overly precious quirks than like real people. Stella, the narrator and one of the aforementioned 11-year-olds, is obsessed with a newspaper household advice column called Heloise’s Hints; fills in the narratives of Reader’s Digest Condensed Books with sections about cleaning; can sense when something is wrong; and rhapsodizes in her narration like someone auditioning for a part in a Nicolas Sparks movie. Angel, the other 11-year-old, is in foster care because her mother was a singer who died in a car accident, and her father was a fisherman who drowned in an accident because his boat didn’t have enough life jackets; conducts seagulls on the beach into flight; and faithfully watches her dead foster parent’s soap opera so that she can give daily reports over the grave. There was not a single point during the book that I believed in either of them as more than authorial constructs. Kids with disrupted lives can certainly develop odd habits as coping skills, but in real life, those habits rarely look quite so much like literary devices.
But, the more I think about it, the more I think there might not have been any possible way for Summer of the Gypsy Moths to succeed, because however you look at it, it’s still a positive, life-affirming, ostensibly realistic book about a pair of preteens who bury their caretaker in the backyard. The tone and plot are so terribly mismatched that it might not have mattered if the characters were Anne Shirley and Lyra Belacqua, or if it were co-authored by Beverly Cleary and Laura Ingalls Wilder. The problem isn’t simply one of execution, but one that exists on the conceptual level itself.
I don’t think Sara Pennypacker is a bad writer – even in a book as unsuccessful as Summer of the Gypsy Moths, there’s some excellent prose, and she is, after all, still the author of Clementine. But I think the sooner she puts this one in her rear-view mirror, the better.
May 19, 2020
I guess I am getting more than a trifle impatient with current, with contemporary middle grade novels that are so not to my reading tastes that I cannot even be bothered to consider finishing reading them, as yes indeed, Sara Pennypacker's 2012 Summer of the Gypsy Moths has most definitely been yet another "could not finish" reading attempt for me.
And while the entire premise of unfit mothers and their children then being taken care of by distant relatives was already rather bothering me upon starting with Summer of the Gypsy Moths, as in my humble opinion, there do seem to be just too many current middle grade novels on the market which continuously have the former as their main or as one of their major themes (and in Summer of the Gypsy Moths, this certainly has also not been presented by Sara Pennypacker in an even remotely interesting and novel enough fashion), what finally decided me with regard to abandoning Summer of the Gypsy Moths has actually NOT been the frustratingly too standardly mundane premise of Stella being raised by her great aunt Louise because Stella's mother is clearly too immature and unfit as a parent, but rather the entire and to and for me majorly improbable scenario of Louise's death and how Stella and Angel somehow and even mostly successfully manage to keep this a secret from everyone.
For while Louise dying and Stella and Angel not really knowing what to do is of course not something inherently improbable, I certainly have found that as an adult reader I could simply not accept and believe that two youngish girls would be able to hide the reality of Louise's death from everyone, that no one grew suspicious and that no one seemingly even asked questions. And indeed, even my inner child was having major issues suspending my totally annoyed and piqued sense of disbelief (so yes, I quickly and without any feelings of guilt whatsoever decided to cut my proverbial reading losses and to abandon Summer of the Gypsy Moths, to consider this novel as a too strange and pretty unrealistic and as such also urelatable combination of being on the one hand too standardly predicable plot-wise but on the other hand much too improbable with the actual storyline at hand to be in any manner sufficiently and bearably believable).
And while the entire premise of unfit mothers and their children then being taken care of by distant relatives was already rather bothering me upon starting with Summer of the Gypsy Moths, as in my humble opinion, there do seem to be just too many current middle grade novels on the market which continuously have the former as their main or as one of their major themes (and in Summer of the Gypsy Moths, this certainly has also not been presented by Sara Pennypacker in an even remotely interesting and novel enough fashion), what finally decided me with regard to abandoning Summer of the Gypsy Moths has actually NOT been the frustratingly too standardly mundane premise of Stella being raised by her great aunt Louise because Stella's mother is clearly too immature and unfit as a parent, but rather the entire and to and for me majorly improbable scenario of Louise's death and how Stella and Angel somehow and even mostly successfully manage to keep this a secret from everyone.
For while Louise dying and Stella and Angel not really knowing what to do is of course not something inherently improbable, I certainly have found that as an adult reader I could simply not accept and believe that two youngish girls would be able to hide the reality of Louise's death from everyone, that no one grew suspicious and that no one seemingly even asked questions. And indeed, even my inner child was having major issues suspending my totally annoyed and piqued sense of disbelief (so yes, I quickly and without any feelings of guilt whatsoever decided to cut my proverbial reading losses and to abandon Summer of the Gypsy Moths, to consider this novel as a too strange and pretty unrealistic and as such also urelatable combination of being on the one hand too standardly predicable plot-wise but on the other hand much too improbable with the actual storyline at hand to be in any manner sufficiently and bearably believable).
July 11, 2012
As a librarian I'm always on the lookout for good middle grade books I can booktalk to kids. Often you don't need an exciting cover or title to sell a book to kids. Heck, sometimes you don't even need to show the book at all. Yet in the case of Sara Pennypacker's debut middle grade novel Summer of the Gypsy Moths I fully intend to show the cover off. There you see two happy girls on a seashore on a beautiful summer's day. What could be more idyllic? I'll show the kids the cover then start right off with, "Doesn't it look sweet? Yeah. So this is a book about two girls who bury a corpse in their backyard by themselves and don't tell anyone about it." BLAMMO! Instant interest. Never mind that the book really is a heartfelt and meaningful story or that the writing is some of the finest you will encounter this year. Dead bodies = interested readers, and if I have to sell it with a tawdry pitch then I am bloody selling it with a tawdry pitch and the devil take the details. Shh! Don't tell them it's of outstanding literary quality as well!
Convinced that her free floating mother will return to her someday soon, Stella lives with her Great-aunt Louise and Louise's foster kid Angel. The situation is tenable if not entirely comfortable. If Stella is neat to the point of fault then Angel's her 180-degree opposite. They're like oil and water, those two. That's why when Louise ups and dies on the girls they're surprised to find themselves reluctant allies in a kind of crazy scheme. Neither one of them wants to get caught up in the foster care system so maybe that's why they end up burying Louise in the backyard, running her summer cottages like nothing's wrong. They can't keep it up forever, but in the process of working together the two find themselves growing closer, coming to understand where they're both coming from.
I always knew Pennypacker could write, of course. She cut her teeth on the early chapter book market (Clementine, etc.), which, besides easy books, can often be the most difficult books to write for children. The woman really mastered the form, managing with as few words as possible to drive home some concrete emotions and feelings. In Summer of the Gypsy Moths she ups the proverbial ante, so to speak. Now that she has far more space to play with, Pennypacker takes her time. She draws Stella and Angel into a realistically caring relationship with one another that overcomes their earlier animosity. By the end of the story you understand that they really do like one another, differences of opinion and personality aside.
Then there's the writing itself. First and foremost, Pennypacker knows how to write some stellar lines. Things like, "Angel stared at me, looking like she was caught between snarling and fainting." She's also ample with the humor, as when Stella goes to school after the incident and reports, "Nobody seemed to notice the big sign I felt sure I wore, the one that flashed, ASK ME ABOUT MY WEEKEND!" Later she runs into the school librarian who always seems to be able to read her mind. "I know it sounds crazy, but I wouldn't have been surprised if Ms. Richardson had handed me a book about kids burying people in their backyards." Humor is so hard and Pennypacker is incredibly gifted in her pitch perfect, sparing use of it. Finally, I always like to sit back and watch an author make "the novel's point", so to speak. There's usually some moment when somebody sort of says the point, whether directly or indirectly. If you were watching a musical, it would be the show's big number. In this particular case it comes from the lips of George, the friend of Great-aunt Louise, who helps the girls out with the cabins. At one point he breaks apart a sand dollar for Stella and shows her how the little pieces inside of it look like doves. Says he, "Now, I see a broken shell and I remind myself that something might have needed setting free. See, broken things always have a story, don't they?" By the way, extra points to the author for making the moment between George and Stella honestly engaging and touching where, in less skilled hands, his interest could easily be misinterpreted as creepy.
Another part of the reason the novel works as well as it does is that Pennypacker is capable of walking some very tricky tightropes. For example, if you're writing a book where a sympathetic adult character dies near the beginning, you need to get the audience to care for that person . . . but not too much. Kids already have this innate sense that they are immortal and adults over the age of 30 are liable to die of old age at a drop of a hat. Had Pennypacker made the mistake of making Great-aunt Louise too loveable and snuggly, she would have risked diverting the narrative for those kids who were grief stricken at her demise. On the other hand, make the woman too distant and cold and who the heck cares if she kicks it? The solution is to rely on kids' cold-hearted assumptions that old people die all the time while still making the woman warm enough so that we feel at least a twinge of regret that she's gone.
But let's face it. The real test is the dead body. Because kids moving dead bodies and burying them is almost impossible to pull off in a serious novel. A funny book? Easy as pie. But when you've got a book like this one with a cover and title that indicates something a little more Penderwickish (I claim this term in the name of librarianship!) than including a sequence of two kids moving a days old corpse, that requires a certain amount of finesse. I spent the beginning of the book (already aware of the premise) waiting to see how Pennypacker would handle the situation. I won't spoil it for you, but she really does make it work. Sometimes it's all about tone.
There were little nitpicky things that didn't quite work for me in the book, of course. For example, Stella spends quite a lot of the book getting advice on the care of the house from "Heloise" but it takes us a good 154 pages or so before this essential plot element gets any kind of an explanation. The ending also seemed a bit pat. Seems to me if anyone in the press found out that two twelve-year-old girls had buried their guardian for an extended amount of time that could reach national news-type attention. Here the girls don't even really get a slap on the wrist. More a light poke on the knuckle. I didn't quite buy it. Finally, there are moments when the book totters over the line from folksy and poignant (See: the sand dollar sequence) into cutesy. Having an old guy explain what "a finest-kind day" is sort of veers the book in the wrong direction. Fortunately it's momentary and everything falls back into place very quickly after that.
There isn't much like this book out there, but reading it I had a definite sense that it would pair particularly well with Suzanne LaFleur's Love Aubrey from a couple years ago. Like this book, that one did a good job of beginning with a very dark and potentially scary situation, carefully moving into safer territory and the (for lack of a better term) healing power of friendship. And it's awesome. Just awesome. Pennypacker has clearly been holding out on us all these years. If this is how she begins with longer chapter book fiction then I can only imagine how she will proceed. A truly remarkable debut from the fingertips of a pro.
For ages 9-12.
Convinced that her free floating mother will return to her someday soon, Stella lives with her Great-aunt Louise and Louise's foster kid Angel. The situation is tenable if not entirely comfortable. If Stella is neat to the point of fault then Angel's her 180-degree opposite. They're like oil and water, those two. That's why when Louise ups and dies on the girls they're surprised to find themselves reluctant allies in a kind of crazy scheme. Neither one of them wants to get caught up in the foster care system so maybe that's why they end up burying Louise in the backyard, running her summer cottages like nothing's wrong. They can't keep it up forever, but in the process of working together the two find themselves growing closer, coming to understand where they're both coming from.
I always knew Pennypacker could write, of course. She cut her teeth on the early chapter book market (Clementine, etc.), which, besides easy books, can often be the most difficult books to write for children. The woman really mastered the form, managing with as few words as possible to drive home some concrete emotions and feelings. In Summer of the Gypsy Moths she ups the proverbial ante, so to speak. Now that she has far more space to play with, Pennypacker takes her time. She draws Stella and Angel into a realistically caring relationship with one another that overcomes their earlier animosity. By the end of the story you understand that they really do like one another, differences of opinion and personality aside.
Then there's the writing itself. First and foremost, Pennypacker knows how to write some stellar lines. Things like, "Angel stared at me, looking like she was caught between snarling and fainting." She's also ample with the humor, as when Stella goes to school after the incident and reports, "Nobody seemed to notice the big sign I felt sure I wore, the one that flashed, ASK ME ABOUT MY WEEKEND!" Later she runs into the school librarian who always seems to be able to read her mind. "I know it sounds crazy, but I wouldn't have been surprised if Ms. Richardson had handed me a book about kids burying people in their backyards." Humor is so hard and Pennypacker is incredibly gifted in her pitch perfect, sparing use of it. Finally, I always like to sit back and watch an author make "the novel's point", so to speak. There's usually some moment when somebody sort of says the point, whether directly or indirectly. If you were watching a musical, it would be the show's big number. In this particular case it comes from the lips of George, the friend of Great-aunt Louise, who helps the girls out with the cabins. At one point he breaks apart a sand dollar for Stella and shows her how the little pieces inside of it look like doves. Says he, "Now, I see a broken shell and I remind myself that something might have needed setting free. See, broken things always have a story, don't they?" By the way, extra points to the author for making the moment between George and Stella honestly engaging and touching where, in less skilled hands, his interest could easily be misinterpreted as creepy.
Another part of the reason the novel works as well as it does is that Pennypacker is capable of walking some very tricky tightropes. For example, if you're writing a book where a sympathetic adult character dies near the beginning, you need to get the audience to care for that person . . . but not too much. Kids already have this innate sense that they are immortal and adults over the age of 30 are liable to die of old age at a drop of a hat. Had Pennypacker made the mistake of making Great-aunt Louise too loveable and snuggly, she would have risked diverting the narrative for those kids who were grief stricken at her demise. On the other hand, make the woman too distant and cold and who the heck cares if she kicks it? The solution is to rely on kids' cold-hearted assumptions that old people die all the time while still making the woman warm enough so that we feel at least a twinge of regret that she's gone.
But let's face it. The real test is the dead body. Because kids moving dead bodies and burying them is almost impossible to pull off in a serious novel. A funny book? Easy as pie. But when you've got a book like this one with a cover and title that indicates something a little more Penderwickish (I claim this term in the name of librarianship!) than including a sequence of two kids moving a days old corpse, that requires a certain amount of finesse. I spent the beginning of the book (already aware of the premise) waiting to see how Pennypacker would handle the situation. I won't spoil it for you, but she really does make it work. Sometimes it's all about tone.
There were little nitpicky things that didn't quite work for me in the book, of course. For example, Stella spends quite a lot of the book getting advice on the care of the house from "Heloise" but it takes us a good 154 pages or so before this essential plot element gets any kind of an explanation. The ending also seemed a bit pat. Seems to me if anyone in the press found out that two twelve-year-old girls had buried their guardian for an extended amount of time that could reach national news-type attention. Here the girls don't even really get a slap on the wrist. More a light poke on the knuckle. I didn't quite buy it. Finally, there are moments when the book totters over the line from folksy and poignant (See: the sand dollar sequence) into cutesy. Having an old guy explain what "a finest-kind day" is sort of veers the book in the wrong direction. Fortunately it's momentary and everything falls back into place very quickly after that.
There isn't much like this book out there, but reading it I had a definite sense that it would pair particularly well with Suzanne LaFleur's Love Aubrey from a couple years ago. Like this book, that one did a good job of beginning with a very dark and potentially scary situation, carefully moving into safer territory and the (for lack of a better term) healing power of friendship. And it's awesome. Just awesome. Pennypacker has clearly been holding out on us all these years. If this is how she begins with longer chapter book fiction then I can only imagine how she will proceed. A truly remarkable debut from the fingertips of a pro.
For ages 9-12.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
November 9, 2012I started this a while ago and put it down when it seemed to be headed in a direction that didn't work for me. Then a friend on an award committee asked me to read it so now I have. I can certainly see kids who like a certain sort of realistic novel (Rules, So.B. It) enjoying this one. I did as it has some very nice touches --- the development of each girl's backstory, some very lyrical writing, and a lovely setting. But my reading was always compromised by the fact that I still found the situation improbable; that none of the adults checked in on these girls or on Louise over so many weeks just seemed impossible. I know we have to suspend disbelief, but this is a realistic novel and I found this hard to believe. That George didn't need to speak to Louise once? I mean, the poor woman had a broken bone and wouldn't he have wanted to chat with her firsthand? He was so amiable and willing to leave the girls alone and accept that Louise wasn't free to talk to him. And that she had a boyfriend? That her Bingo friends weren't coming around? That they had no way to get food? At one point one of the vacationers buys some stuff for the girls; couldn't they have asked them to buy stuff for them at other times, say food? Was the diner too far to walk? Kept having such questions as I read.
November 19, 2012
A show-stopper! I think everyone who reads 20 pages into this book would be completely immersed. While it certainly is a bit harrowing, I think it is harrowing done right. Adolescent books can be so important in providing perspective and helping children navigate difficult life concepts. All children eventually need to learn about the unsettling themes in this book, and what better place to vicariously navigate those themes than in a beautifully written, well-crafted book? The shock value alone would grabs kids, but I worry parents and teachers might think the subject matter to be too heavy. I would encourage these nay-sayers to see the book as a safe vehicle into these themes.
There is also beautiful symbolism, which many children's authors don't always bother to employ. There is a blueberry garden whose stages follow that of the girl's development and mental health throughout their dishonest summer. It is done so well, I think that some children would indeed pick up on it.
My only complaint is that the cover might be misleading. Girls picking it up, thinking it was a whimsical story about friendship and summer fun would be rather surprised at its content, I think. I was warned about its content, and was still a little shocked.
There is also beautiful symbolism, which many children's authors don't always bother to employ. There is a blueberry garden whose stages follow that of the girl's development and mental health throughout their dishonest summer. It is done so well, I think that some children would indeed pick up on it.
My only complaint is that the cover might be misleading. Girls picking it up, thinking it was a whimsical story about friendship and summer fun would be rather surprised at its content, I think. I was warned about its content, and was still a little shocked.
April 12, 2013
So many readers have already written reviews of this book that I want to add just a few comments. Those who find the basic situation hard to believe may not be aware of just how desperate kids can become and how clever and independent they can be. Most middle class children have closely supervised lives, but many poor or neglected children slip through the adult net and function basically on their own, using their wits. So I had no problem with the idea of two girls doing what these two did. In addition, in the story, I think the girls were actually on their own for four weeks -- not a whole summer. The other element of this book that I loved was the humor. Truly my kind of funny scenes, which reminded me of Hilary McKay's books.
April 16, 2012
THREE WORDS: A Stunning Surprise
MY REVIEW: Sara Pennypacker’s Summer of the Gypsy Moths surprised me in the most delicious way! Surprised me with its poignancy, humor, beauty and, most of all, with the way its story gripped my heart and still hasn’t let go.
Eleven year old Stella, armed with her collected household hints from infamous Heloise, loves order and rules, which is why she likes living with her great-aunt Louise on Cape Cod. After Stella’s grandmother dies, her flighty mother abandoned her in order to “find” herself, so Stella must stay with Louse until her mother can prove to the authorities that she’s a responsible parent. Louise also takes in twelve year old Angel, a foster child and she and Stella could not be more different and the two girls avoid each other as much as possible. But when Louise dies the two girls must work together to keep her death a secret so they won’t be taken away and sent to another foster home. The girls bury Louise in the garden and set out to take over her responsibilities as caretaker of four summer cottages and as they band together to keep their secret, the two girls find that maybe they aren’t so different.
That’s a heck of a book description (both the official one in the blue box and mine) right?! But honestly, neither summary can really do this book justice because Summer of the Gypsy Moths is such a wonderfully layered, written and entertaining MG book that one must simply read to fully appreciate…BUT I’ll do my best to explain why I loved this book and why you really must read it.
Sara Pennypacker has crafted a stunning and startling story of heartache and hope, and has done so with bone-deep and heart-touching honesty, tenderness, beauty and thought-provoking situations. For some readers, the idea of two young girls burying their dead caretaker may make them wary and raise some eyebrows, but trust me when I say that the story couldn’t unfold in any other way and Pennypacker handles this unusual situation with the utmost care and sensitivity. The story is told from the vulnerable, yet captivating point of view of young Stella, and Pennypacker has captured the voice of an eleven year old girl, who has been forced to grow up far too fast, flawlessly.
In fact, the entire story is pitch-perfect and Pennypacker’s writing is simply lovely. The emotional tangibility in Summer of the Gypsy Moths is exquisite and impressive in its complexity; I felt every ounce of Stella and Angel’s grief, anger, confusion and hope. Both Stella and Angel are superbly crafted characters and I connected intrinsically with both girls (and I really miss them now that I’ve finished the book). Optimistic Stella relies on her handy Heloise hints and her love of order to keep her grounded and focused on the task of taking care of the summer cottages and Louise’s beloved garden, while hot headed Angel rather get lost in her music than clean and worry about finances. Such different personalities, yet these two girls are connected, not just by the secret they share, but by their longing to belong. I found myself completely captivated with their story and enjoyed every moment of rooting for these two characters through every struggle, obstacle and pain.
The vividly described Cape Cod setting makes for a fun and rich backdrop to the story.
Pennypacker takes her characters and her readers on a powerful and moving journey in Summer of the Gypsy Moths. I really loved the way the story ended, but I must share how the story begins because Pennypacker’s first paragraph is breathtaking:
The earth spins at a thousand miles an hour. Sometimes when I remember this, it’s all I can do to stay upright—the urge to flatten myself to the ground and clutch hold is that strong. Because gravity? Oh, gravity is no match for a force that equals ten simultaneous hurricanes. No, if we aren’t all flung off the earth like so many water droplets off a cartoon dog’s back, it must be because people are connected somehow. I like to imagine the ties between us as strands of spider silk: practically invisible, maybe, but strong as steel. I figure the trick is to spin out enough of them to weave ourselves into a net. (taken from ARC, final paragraph may differ).
MY FINAL THOUGHTS: I’m very much in love with Summer of the Gypsy Moths and I'm in awe of Sara Pennypacker’s ability to craft such a beautifully poignant story and two genuinely realistic and fascinating characters. This is an absolute MUST read MG novel!
MY REVIEW: Sara Pennypacker’s Summer of the Gypsy Moths surprised me in the most delicious way! Surprised me with its poignancy, humor, beauty and, most of all, with the way its story gripped my heart and still hasn’t let go.
Eleven year old Stella, armed with her collected household hints from infamous Heloise, loves order and rules, which is why she likes living with her great-aunt Louise on Cape Cod. After Stella’s grandmother dies, her flighty mother abandoned her in order to “find” herself, so Stella must stay with Louse until her mother can prove to the authorities that she’s a responsible parent. Louise also takes in twelve year old Angel, a foster child and she and Stella could not be more different and the two girls avoid each other as much as possible. But when Louise dies the two girls must work together to keep her death a secret so they won’t be taken away and sent to another foster home. The girls bury Louise in the garden and set out to take over her responsibilities as caretaker of four summer cottages and as they band together to keep their secret, the two girls find that maybe they aren’t so different.
That’s a heck of a book description (both the official one in the blue box and mine) right?! But honestly, neither summary can really do this book justice because Summer of the Gypsy Moths is such a wonderfully layered, written and entertaining MG book that one must simply read to fully appreciate…BUT I’ll do my best to explain why I loved this book and why you really must read it.
Sara Pennypacker has crafted a stunning and startling story of heartache and hope, and has done so with bone-deep and heart-touching honesty, tenderness, beauty and thought-provoking situations. For some readers, the idea of two young girls burying their dead caretaker may make them wary and raise some eyebrows, but trust me when I say that the story couldn’t unfold in any other way and Pennypacker handles this unusual situation with the utmost care and sensitivity. The story is told from the vulnerable, yet captivating point of view of young Stella, and Pennypacker has captured the voice of an eleven year old girl, who has been forced to grow up far too fast, flawlessly.
In fact, the entire story is pitch-perfect and Pennypacker’s writing is simply lovely. The emotional tangibility in Summer of the Gypsy Moths is exquisite and impressive in its complexity; I felt every ounce of Stella and Angel’s grief, anger, confusion and hope. Both Stella and Angel are superbly crafted characters and I connected intrinsically with both girls (and I really miss them now that I’ve finished the book). Optimistic Stella relies on her handy Heloise hints and her love of order to keep her grounded and focused on the task of taking care of the summer cottages and Louise’s beloved garden, while hot headed Angel rather get lost in her music than clean and worry about finances. Such different personalities, yet these two girls are connected, not just by the secret they share, but by their longing to belong. I found myself completely captivated with their story and enjoyed every moment of rooting for these two characters through every struggle, obstacle and pain.
The vividly described Cape Cod setting makes for a fun and rich backdrop to the story.
Pennypacker takes her characters and her readers on a powerful and moving journey in Summer of the Gypsy Moths. I really loved the way the story ended, but I must share how the story begins because Pennypacker’s first paragraph is breathtaking:
The earth spins at a thousand miles an hour. Sometimes when I remember this, it’s all I can do to stay upright—the urge to flatten myself to the ground and clutch hold is that strong. Because gravity? Oh, gravity is no match for a force that equals ten simultaneous hurricanes. No, if we aren’t all flung off the earth like so many water droplets off a cartoon dog’s back, it must be because people are connected somehow. I like to imagine the ties between us as strands of spider silk: practically invisible, maybe, but strong as steel. I figure the trick is to spin out enough of them to weave ourselves into a net. (taken from ARC, final paragraph may differ).
MY FINAL THOUGHTS: I’m very much in love with Summer of the Gypsy Moths and I'm in awe of Sara Pennypacker’s ability to craft such a beautifully poignant story and two genuinely realistic and fascinating characters. This is an absolute MUST read MG novel!
July 26, 2012
Summer of the Gypsy Moths was not what I was expecting from the author of the charming Clementine series. The title and cover implied, at least to me, a similarly innocent type of story but that didn't turn out to be the case.
Two girls who have been abandoned by their mothers are living with "Aunt Louise" as her foster kids, although one of them is actually her great niece. One day Louise unexpectedly dies of what is probably a heart attack, and the girls, reluctant to go back into the foster care system decide to bury the body in the vegetable patch instead of informing the police and spend all summer pretending that louise is upstairs in bed recovering from a broken ankle. They do a good job of taking over her role as caretaker for a group of summer rental cottages with the help of Heloise and her helpful hints and they lie very convincingly to any adults who ask questions. They ultimately decide to tell the truth and everything turns out quite well for all concerned. Except perhaps poor Louise who has been used as garden fertilizer all summer.
I had a hard time getting beyond the premise of the girls burying the body in the back yard. The scenes where the decomposing corpse is described, complete with flies and odors, where the girls liberally spray the corpse with febreeze and go about their usual daily business until they decide to go ahead with their plan to bury the body went a little too far along the path of the macabre for me.
This is another book where it appears that my opinion of it is in the minority but I notice that most reviewers of this book here are adults and I wonder what the kids this book is aimed at think of it. My daughter is almost 10, so firmly in the target audience of 8-12 yr olds and this book was a tough sell for her.
Two girls who have been abandoned by their mothers are living with "Aunt Louise" as her foster kids, although one of them is actually her great niece. One day Louise unexpectedly dies of what is probably a heart attack, and the girls, reluctant to go back into the foster care system decide to bury the body in the vegetable patch instead of informing the police and spend all summer pretending that louise is upstairs in bed recovering from a broken ankle. They do a good job of taking over her role as caretaker for a group of summer rental cottages with the help of Heloise and her helpful hints and they lie very convincingly to any adults who ask questions. They ultimately decide to tell the truth and everything turns out quite well for all concerned. Except perhaps poor Louise who has been used as garden fertilizer all summer.
I had a hard time getting beyond the premise of the girls burying the body in the back yard. The scenes where the decomposing corpse is described, complete with flies and odors, where the girls liberally spray the corpse with febreeze and go about their usual daily business until they decide to go ahead with their plan to bury the body went a little too far along the path of the macabre for me.
This is another book where it appears that my opinion of it is in the minority but I notice that most reviewers of this book here are adults and I wonder what the kids this book is aimed at think of it. My daughter is almost 10, so firmly in the target audience of 8-12 yr olds and this book was a tough sell for her.
July 12, 2012
I might have liked this okay if it didn't feel so very heavy... doughy or leaden comes to mind. There's no levity, and a surprising lack of sense of adventure. Usually I eat up "kids keeping house" books with a spoon. But in this, Stella's love of housekeeping/cleaning is pretty obviously pathological, which takes all the fun out of it.
As a Newbery possibility--I don't think so.The subjects do not come to life as they have in Pennypacker's other books. The setting is certainly well done. The plot requires large and frequent suspensions of disbelief, and I just don't think there's enough here to make up for it.
And I found it doubtful that a present-day twelve-year-old would use the TV show Friends as a reference point, especially regarding friendship. I think the show is still in frequent reruns on syndication, but so are others that would be more obvious to a child.
As a Newbery possibility--I don't think so.The subjects do not come to life as they have in Pennypacker's other books. The setting is certainly well done. The plot requires large and frequent suspensions of disbelief, and I just don't think there's enough here to make up for it.
And I found it doubtful that a present-day twelve-year-old would use the TV show Friends as a reference point, especially regarding friendship. I think the show is still in frequent reruns on syndication, but so are others that would be more obvious to a child.
August 26, 2023
2.5*.
didn’t hate it. didn’t like it. spoilers ahead //
CONS:
- so are we gonna ignore the fact that two 11 year olds left a dead adult in a living room for over 24 hours? hated that. it made me feel so weird to read.
- the “tragedy” happened so fast, like kapow. chapter 2. bRo what. but like the whole rest of the story is slow, so i’ll shut up.
- stella, our protagonist, is a cleaning, neat-freak, rule loving machine. i hate characters like that. we didn’t clash too well.
- boring a lot of the time. it wasn’t interesting.
- the fact that this is a middle grade book with burying a dead person scares me.
i find most middle grade protagonists to be annoying as heck, so this didn’t come as a surprise to me.
- fact is, i just need to stay away from middle grade. period.
-descriptions of stuff is way too much for me.
PROS:
- angel and stella’s friendship is nice. i don’t love it.
- i love george ;,)
- the story wasn’t unbearable
——
i found myself getting bored a lot of the time, so if you’re like me and you have a nonexistent attention span, then i don’t suggest this for you. i could only describe this book as one word and that word is, weird. so freaking weird.
didn’t hate it. didn’t like it. spoilers ahead //
CONS:
- so are we gonna ignore the fact that two 11 year olds left a dead adult in a living room for over 24 hours? hated that. it made me feel so weird to read.
- the “tragedy” happened so fast, like kapow. chapter 2. bRo what. but like the whole rest of the story is slow, so i’ll shut up.
- stella, our protagonist, is a cleaning, neat-freak, rule loving machine. i hate characters like that. we didn’t clash too well.
- boring a lot of the time. it wasn’t interesting.
- the fact that this is a middle grade book with burying a dead person scares me.
i find most middle grade protagonists to be annoying as heck, so this didn’t come as a surprise to me.
- fact is, i just need to stay away from middle grade. period.
-descriptions of stuff is way too much for me.
PROS:
- angel and stella’s friendship is nice. i don’t love it.
- i love george ;,)
- the story wasn’t unbearable
——
i found myself getting bored a lot of the time, so if you’re like me and you have a nonexistent attention span, then i don’t suggest this for you. i could only describe this book as one word and that word is, weird. so freaking weird.
August 13, 2012
Basically yet another MG novel featuring a plucky slightly quirky girl who has been a abandoned by parent(s) and is searching for home and community. Sara Pennypacker is a good writer so it is well written, but nothing new is explored that hasn't already been done and done again and then done some more in the genre. The voice of the novel is extremely introspective and I found myself getting bored in several places. Also there is a serious issue with the entire concept and its plausibility that it was impossible for me to see past.
May 20, 2023
Two preteen children without family find their place in a Cape Cod seaside home. The circumstances that bring them together are a bit improbable but this is fiction, right?
May 26, 2012
If you like a character-driven story then you can savor this emotional waltz through the eyes of Stella. If you are more of a shake 'n shimmy type person, then you might want a little more action. Personally? I'm a shimmy up the tree type person but I found the plot intriguing enough to suck me in from start to finish.
Eleven-year-old Stella likes rules and cleanliness. They give order to a not so orderly life. Her mother can't take care of her. Shoot. Her mother can't even take care of herself. Stella's grandma raised her and when she dies, Stella is stuck with mommy-on-the-run. Her mother flits from job-to-job, travels all over, and accepts no responsibility for her only child. Dad isn't even in the picture. When Stella's mom abandons her a few too many times, she has to go live with her aunt Louise. When Stella arrives she finds Angel, a foster child Louise thinks would be nice company for Stella over the summer. Problem? Stella's like orange juice and Angel is the pulp that settles on the bottom.
When Louise croaks one morning the two form an unlikely and tepid friendship as they pretend to the world that she is alive. No way are they going to go to foster homes. And don't worry. This isn't a spoiler considering the author tells you by the third paragraph that Louise dies. Actually, I found it hard to get past that foreshadowing. I thought, ugh... this is going to be a sappy, sad book. I'm gonna love this character and then, POW, she's killed off. But Pennypacker has the plot go kerflooey and pulls a Jack Gantos (The Love Curse of the Rumbaughs) - they don't stuff Aunt Louise but they have her propped by the window and bury her in a grotesque and endearing way that is mesmerizing. It isn't until the girls help with the cottages that I started to shake 'n shimmy a little. But I was hooked by then and exercised a rare moment of patience.
The writing is gorgeous in this book with beautiful images and strong character development. Pennypacker use images of webs, destructive gypsy moths, gravity, broken objects, music, and more, connecting them to the characters in the story giving depth and traits that make them identifiable to the reader. As a result even a shake 'n shimmy gal like myself had no problem waltzing through this book.
Reading Level 5.8
Eleven-year-old Stella likes rules and cleanliness. They give order to a not so orderly life. Her mother can't take care of her. Shoot. Her mother can't even take care of herself. Stella's grandma raised her and when she dies, Stella is stuck with mommy-on-the-run. Her mother flits from job-to-job, travels all over, and accepts no responsibility for her only child. Dad isn't even in the picture. When Stella's mom abandons her a few too many times, she has to go live with her aunt Louise. When Stella arrives she finds Angel, a foster child Louise thinks would be nice company for Stella over the summer. Problem? Stella's like orange juice and Angel is the pulp that settles on the bottom.
When Louise croaks one morning the two form an unlikely and tepid friendship as they pretend to the world that she is alive. No way are they going to go to foster homes. And don't worry. This isn't a spoiler considering the author tells you by the third paragraph that Louise dies. Actually, I found it hard to get past that foreshadowing. I thought, ugh... this is going to be a sappy, sad book. I'm gonna love this character and then, POW, she's killed off. But Pennypacker has the plot go kerflooey and pulls a Jack Gantos (The Love Curse of the Rumbaughs) - they don't stuff Aunt Louise but they have her propped by the window and bury her in a grotesque and endearing way that is mesmerizing. It isn't until the girls help with the cottages that I started to shake 'n shimmy a little. But I was hooked by then and exercised a rare moment of patience.
The writing is gorgeous in this book with beautiful images and strong character development. Pennypacker use images of webs, destructive gypsy moths, gravity, broken objects, music, and more, connecting them to the characters in the story giving depth and traits that make them identifiable to the reader. As a result even a shake 'n shimmy gal like myself had no problem waltzing through this book.
Reading Level 5.8
July 24, 2018
If not for the elegantly composed sentences, I would give this One Star. The major conflict of the plot is something many readers have cited as unwelcome or unbelievable yet overall they were impressed with the book. I was not.
Neither of the girls pictured on the beautiful cover seemed real or likable. Stella basically hates herself and is constantly trying to make herself worthy of approval. I have no clue how any adult reader found her to be a "strong, independent" character. I kept waiting for the "reveal," of Stella diagnosed with either autism or, most likely, OCD. OCD is not about being a neat and clean person, but it is about keeping things orderly and controlled, which gives a false sense of emotional well-being.
The setting and the plot never seemed congruent with any possible real life situations. Also, George, the supposedly mature late-middle-aged man, was consistently weak and stupid. Are we supposed to believe that he never personally checked on his decades-old friend, in a story whose theme purports to be Friendship?
I did not give up on finishing the book merely because I can't ever quit a horror once it's begun -- you know, to see what happened. Because this is very much a horror story, so some parents out there should beware if you find that genre inappropriate for your kids.
Nothing about this story was uplifting. Even if the horror doesn't bother a kid, the isolation and deep sadness page after page might get to them. I would not allow any children with a tendency towards melancholy (depression) to read this. However, suddenly at the end, our characters find hope, but it doesn't feel like a natural crop after the mental instability sown before it.
The author also seemed merely to be expressing her personal social commentary rather than telling a story. The time it takes to read the book could be better spent noticing forgotten people around you.
Could anyone out there tell me the opinion of a child they know who read the book? What did they like or dislike about it? I find reviews of juvenile books slightly odd when they do not consider the perspective of the intended audience.
I recommend a much more positive fiction for middle grade readers along the lines of Pennypacker's theme, which is, Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt.
Neither of the girls pictured on the beautiful cover seemed real or likable. Stella basically hates herself and is constantly trying to make herself worthy of approval. I have no clue how any adult reader found her to be a "strong, independent" character. I kept waiting for the "reveal," of Stella diagnosed with either autism or, most likely, OCD. OCD is not about being a neat and clean person, but it is about keeping things orderly and controlled, which gives a false sense of emotional well-being.
The setting and the plot never seemed congruent with any possible real life situations. Also, George, the supposedly mature late-middle-aged man, was consistently weak and stupid. Are we supposed to believe that he never personally checked on his decades-old friend, in a story whose theme purports to be Friendship?
I did not give up on finishing the book merely because I can't ever quit a horror once it's begun -- you know, to see what happened. Because this is very much a horror story, so some parents out there should beware if you find that genre inappropriate for your kids.
Nothing about this story was uplifting. Even if the horror doesn't bother a kid, the isolation and deep sadness page after page might get to them. I would not allow any children with a tendency towards melancholy (depression) to read this. However, suddenly at the end, our characters find hope, but it doesn't feel like a natural crop after the mental instability sown before it.
The author also seemed merely to be expressing her personal social commentary rather than telling a story. The time it takes to read the book could be better spent noticing forgotten people around you.
Could anyone out there tell me the opinion of a child they know who read the book? What did they like or dislike about it? I find reviews of juvenile books slightly odd when they do not consider the perspective of the intended audience.
I recommend a much more positive fiction for middle grade readers along the lines of Pennypacker's theme, which is, Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt.
May 10, 2012
What a macabre little story that never gets strange enough to justify the odd beginning: Stella and Angel are staying with Stella's great-aunt Louise for the summer (Stella's mother abandoned her, and Angel is a foster kid), and when Great-Aunt Louise dies unexpectedly one day, the girls bury her in the backyard so they don't have to go back into the foster system. Angel and Stella are very different and don't get along, but they must learn to work together to hide the fact that Louise has died. Over time, you can imagine that Angel and Stella learn to accept each other and become friends.
As far as this sort of thing happening, I think it probably has or even could happen. But I'm not sure I like it. I don't think Sara Pennypacker is encouraging children to do this, but more weight ought to be given to this. Stella tells the story and spends a lot of appropriate time reflecting on why her mother just can't seem to get it together. That to me seems like the story here, but it gets swallowed up by the side plot of trying to cover up Louise's demise. The author tries for some black comedy but doesn't really succeed, and instead it mostly just comes across as being in poor taste.
This book could have worked just as well without the whole "Louise is buried in the garden" premise. Two different girls are forced together and become friends... that could happen without the strange twist, and I think it would be more accessible to children, most of whom haven't buried their dead relatives in the backyard. Things don't wrap up entirely neatly at the end, but too neatly for my taste. You'll see. Stella's mother was too absent of a factor for me to really care that she never did turn up in person. Seems a bit convenient for me. Maybe fifth grade and up as far as audience? I'm not recommending it any time soon though.
As far as this sort of thing happening, I think it probably has or even could happen. But I'm not sure I like it. I don't think Sara Pennypacker is encouraging children to do this, but more weight ought to be given to this. Stella tells the story and spends a lot of appropriate time reflecting on why her mother just can't seem to get it together. That to me seems like the story here, but it gets swallowed up by the side plot of trying to cover up Louise's demise. The author tries for some black comedy but doesn't really succeed, and instead it mostly just comes across as being in poor taste.
This book could have worked just as well without the whole "Louise is buried in the garden" premise. Two different girls are forced together and become friends... that could happen without the strange twist, and I think it would be more accessible to children, most of whom haven't buried their dead relatives in the backyard. Things don't wrap up entirely neatly at the end, but too neatly for my taste. You'll see. Stella's mother was too absent of a factor for me to really care that she never did turn up in person. Seems a bit convenient for me. Maybe fifth grade and up as far as audience? I'm not recommending it any time soon though.
June 2, 2012
An uncomfortable premise to an enjoyable read.
The hidden parts do not contain any true spoilers and the major event I refer to happens within the first few pages. But to be kind to those who hate knowing any plot points in a book....
Here's a quote in which Stella discusses her favorite parts of books:
"I liked it when two characters were getting to know each other. Just talking. It was best if they were inside a house, and the author spent a little time describing the room, so I could feel like I was there, too, sipping cocoa and watching the curtains billow in and out."
The hidden parts do not contain any true spoilers and the major event I refer to happens within the first few pages. But to be kind to those who hate knowing any plot points in a book....
Here's a quote in which Stella discusses her favorite parts of books:
"I liked it when two characters were getting to know each other. Just talking. It was best if they were inside a house, and the author spent a little time describing the room, so I could feel like I was there, too, sipping cocoa and watching the curtains billow in and out."
August 24, 2014
I've read a lot of reviews for this book, and while it's loved by many, I've seen the criticism that you have to suspend disbelief far too much to accept the story. I sat and thought about it a long time after finishing the story, and realize that it's the adults who take issue with the book, perhaps because no one wants to think that children could be left this neglected, be this independent so long without anyone noticing at all.
The fact is, it happens. It HAS happened that children have been found living alone for very long periods of time. It can and probably will happen again, because people don't see things they don't want to. It's that simple. They see what they expect to see, or want to see. And so...in this book the same thing happens over and over again. A reasonable story is given and so the adults around these resourceful girls see what they expect to, and not the reality of children starving in front of their eyes, and struggling to do grown-up jobs.
Some things I have problems with. They were able to walk to the store once, so why not go again? Why not ask someone to bring them more than just cake mix from the store? Yes, there are flaws in the plot. But the language of the story paints a picture that is vivid and thoughtful. I find myself not letting go of the characters very quickly when the last page is turned.
I'm giving the book 3 stars because the ending is a little too much 'happily ever after' with all the neat and tidy squaring away of things that you'd expect to find in a Hallmark movie. The flaws in the story detract, despite the things I enjoyed. Overall though, the story wasn't enjoyable so much as it was unsettling. And interesting.
Sometimes those are the best books of all.
The fact is, it happens. It HAS happened that children have been found living alone for very long periods of time. It can and probably will happen again, because people don't see things they don't want to. It's that simple. They see what they expect to see, or want to see. And so...in this book the same thing happens over and over again. A reasonable story is given and so the adults around these resourceful girls see what they expect to, and not the reality of children starving in front of their eyes, and struggling to do grown-up jobs.
Some things I have problems with. They were able to walk to the store once, so why not go again? Why not ask someone to bring them more than just cake mix from the store? Yes, there are flaws in the plot. But the language of the story paints a picture that is vivid and thoughtful. I find myself not letting go of the characters very quickly when the last page is turned.
I'm giving the book 3 stars because the ending is a little too much 'happily ever after' with all the neat and tidy squaring away of things that you'd expect to find in a Hallmark movie. The flaws in the story detract, despite the things I enjoyed. Overall though, the story wasn't enjoyable so much as it was unsettling. And interesting.
Sometimes those are the best books of all.
October 5, 2012
I found myself enjoying this more than I thought I would, given the weird premise. Two young girls, trying (fairly successfully) to hide the fact that they are on their own for a summer. Stella is living in her great-aunt's house on Cape Cod, with Angel, a foster child. As one would expect, at first they don't get along, but then have to work together to pull off their plan. The strongest point for me was Stella's thoughtfulness -- she's a practical kid, yet musing at the same time. I loved her descriptions of the holiday motel next to their house -- it was so vivid and I could absolutely believe it was a real, wonderful place.
Slightly on the downside, I was surprised that their plan wasn't more of a plan, I was hoping for more ingenious solutions to the obstacles they faced, but mostly they slid by on luck and relying on the cluelessness of other characters. Even so, while reading it on my morning commute, I was so engrossed in the story that I missed my stop, which, while annoying in the moment (especially because I had something at work that I really needed to be on time for), is always the sign of a good book for me.
Slightly on the downside, I was surprised that their plan wasn't more of a plan, I was hoping for more ingenious solutions to the obstacles they faced, but mostly they slid by on luck and relying on the cluelessness of other characters. Even so, while reading it on my morning commute, I was so engrossed in the story that I missed my stop, which, while annoying in the moment (especially because I had something at work that I really needed to be on time for), is always the sign of a good book for me.
March 7, 2013
Floated as a potential Newbery winner for 2013, this book does not disappoint.
It is yet another YA book dealing with the subject of children wise way beyond their years because of situations life has dealt them.
Stella's mother is unpredictable. Parenthood is not a concept or reality her mind can comprehend. Leaving Stella alone, without supervision or food, is a common occurrence. Making empty promises that sound convincing, sooner than later prove unfounded and hurtful.
When the authorities intervene, Stella is shipped to a great Aunt in Cape Cod. Trust is difficult for Stella, but gradually she grows to love the routine and stability that Aunt Louise provides.
When Aunt Louise takes in a foster child whose parents have died, she and Stella are like oil and water. Angel is tough and rough and unpredictable.
When Aunt Louise dies suddenly, fearing authority and the fact they will be shipped out again, they devise what they believe is a safe plan.
Relying on each other and reaching out through their pain, these two very stubborn and strong willed girls learn to define family as more than biological.
It is yet another YA book dealing with the subject of children wise way beyond their years because of situations life has dealt them.
Stella's mother is unpredictable. Parenthood is not a concept or reality her mind can comprehend. Leaving Stella alone, without supervision or food, is a common occurrence. Making empty promises that sound convincing, sooner than later prove unfounded and hurtful.
When the authorities intervene, Stella is shipped to a great Aunt in Cape Cod. Trust is difficult for Stella, but gradually she grows to love the routine and stability that Aunt Louise provides.
When Aunt Louise takes in a foster child whose parents have died, she and Stella are like oil and water. Angel is tough and rough and unpredictable.
When Aunt Louise dies suddenly, fearing authority and the fact they will be shipped out again, they devise what they believe is a safe plan.
Relying on each other and reaching out through their pain, these two very stubborn and strong willed girls learn to define family as more than biological.
June 4, 2012
I was honestly a little shocked by the direction this book took. Shocked, a little grossed out, and kind of disbelieving. Two young girls make a wild decision to take charge of their lives when tragedy befalls their caregiver. Can you guess what happens?
Stella and Angel's emotional lives were very well written and the story was moving, but I really couldn't get over the strangeness of what they did and how hard Pennypacker had to work to make it okay for the reader. Eventually the story moves on from the dark and creepy into more familiar territory of sweet and heartwarming. That was nice. The old man character George was super nice as well, but I kept thinking he must be the most credulous homeowner on the planet.
Recommended for book groups, as there's lots to talk about here. Here are some sample questions:
Does any kid really love cleaning as much as Stella does?
What would YOU have done if you were Angel or Stella?
Why do you think Stella's mom is always running away?
Did this book make you super hungry for blueberries or what?
Stella and Angel's emotional lives were very well written and the story was moving, but I really couldn't get over the strangeness of what they did and how hard Pennypacker had to work to make it okay for the reader. Eventually the story moves on from the dark and creepy into more familiar territory of sweet and heartwarming. That was nice. The old man character George was super nice as well, but I kept thinking he must be the most credulous homeowner on the planet.
Recommended for book groups, as there's lots to talk about here. Here are some sample questions:
Does any kid really love cleaning as much as Stella does?
What would YOU have done if you were Angel or Stella?
Why do you think Stella's mom is always running away?
Did this book make you super hungry for blueberries or what?
January 8, 2014
Was surprised this had gotten so much press from the Washington Post last summer. It was ok, but nothing special. I was a little turned off by the graphic details of the dead aunt (the flies crawling on her lip, the smell, etc) and the callousness of the girls dumping her body in the garden. Doesn't seem appropriate for ages as young as 8!! It seemed like the author just needed an excuse to have the girls' living alone and thought this would seem plausible. I don't think it worked, and think Pennypacker should stick with Clementine stories.
September 17, 2016
Don't judge the book by *this* cover. The cover gives the impression of a light, carefree girly book. Instead it's realistic fiction about two foster girls struggling to hide the fact that their foster parent died. Although the book isn't very gristly or grim, it does include finding and burying a dead body. As an adult reading the book, I appreciated the story, but found it a little ho-hum. As a librarian, I would put it in the hands of kids who could appreciate reading about absentee parents, foster care and kids surviving on their own.
August 11, 2012
Really liked the story of Stella, an almost-twelve-year-old who is living with her great-aunt Louise in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and the not-so-friendly Angel, a twelve-year-old foster girl living with Louise. With neither of them having much family, when Louise dies in her reclining chair one day, Stella and Angel decide to take care of themselves rather than face foster care. Lovely, well-written, thoughtful.
November 24, 2016
Too many things were too improbable about this, even beyond the premise. But there were some nice touches, too, like the Lucky Charm colors of the cottages, and bits of Puerto Rican heritage that influence Angel. I'm just not sure who is going to read this, or why. The only reason that I did is because I love the author's Clementine.
April 7, 2019
5 Stars
This book has been on my want to read list for awhile now and I did get a change to read it and I really enjoyed this book. I thought that it was really cute little story to read. I would definitely read this book again. I would recommend this book too anyone that is looking for a cute little book to read.
This book has been on my want to read list for awhile now and I did get a change to read it and I really enjoyed this book. I thought that it was really cute little story to read. I would definitely read this book again. I would recommend this book too anyone that is looking for a cute little book to read.
March 3, 2019
The audiobook is WONDERFUL.
May 26, 2024
i loved this book growing up!! yes it’s far fetched but it’s an enjoyable read ok
July 31, 2017
Adorable. Sad. Sweet. Unexpected. A little morbid.
Fav.
Fav.
May 25, 2020
While the ideas of two young girls burying a dead body and hiding the fact successfully all summer is disturbing and preposterous, the overarching story of the two orphans is sweet. I loved George.
Jenna Lamia did a fabulous job, as always.
Jenna Lamia did a fabulous job, as always.
October 3, 2012
Richie’s Picks: SUMMER OF THE GYPSY MOTHS by Sara Pennypacker, Balzer+Bray/HarperCollins, April 2012, 288p., ISBN: 978-0-06-196420-6
“There you stood on the edge of your feather
Expecting to fly”
-- Neil Young (1967)
“We sat there for a minute, looking down the empty road. Angel was probably thinking, in a few minutes I’m on my way. I was thinking that I kind of liked this new Angel, the girl who talked to me. And that in a few minutes I would be left alone. With…
“’Because it would be too hard,’ Angel said.
“’Impossible.’
“’I mean, I didn’t even understand half of what he was saying, never mind be able to do it.’
“I turned to Angel. ‘Who? Do what?’
“Angel stared at me. ‘George! Run the cottages. Do all that changeover stuff he was talking about?’
“It was my turn to stare. ‘No, Angel, that part would be easy. It’s…’ I waved my hands behind me.
“’Louise? Oh, Louise just needs to be buried. We had to bury a goat once. It wasn’t even ours, it just wandered into our yard and died. Are you serious about us being able to do it, run things?’
“’She’s not a goat, Angel! She’s my great Aunt!’
“’I know that. I’m just saying, you dig a big hole…’”
Up to now, eleven year-old Stella has had a pretty challenging life with a mother whose “personal gravity was a little weak,” meaning that her mother was in the habit of floating away. Things were manageable when Stella’s mother could rely on her own mother (Stella’s maternal grandmother) to pick up the slack – but that was before Stella’s grandmother died.
Stella and her mother were then on their own for a while. But having gotten in trouble with child protection authorities after one of her instances of floating off and leaving Stella alone, Stella’s mother parked Stella with her late mother’s sister -- Stella’s great Aunt Louise who lives on Cape Cod -- and promptly took off to environs unknown.
Knowing Stella’s mother and apparently figuring that Stella would be around for a while, Great Aunt Louise decided to also take in a foster child named Angel. Unfortunately, Stella and Angel are like oil and water and have not gotten along together from the get-go.
But, just as summer approaches and Louise is expected to begin weekly “changeover” cleanings of the four rental summer cabins next door -- the Linger Longer Cottage Colony -- that are owned by George (who is living elsewhere), Stella and Angel come home from school and find great Aunt Louise sprawled out in her recliner. Dead.
With her undependable mother out of reach, Stella wants to stay in this one seemingly safe place. And Angel doesn’t want any part of being shipped off to yet another foster home. So, after some debate, they do it! They bury great Aunt Louise in the garden, make up a series of excuses for her being perpetually indisposed, learn to do the cabin changeovers for George, and survive on tips, food left behind by the renters, and the growing understanding and camaraderie that develops between the two.
But how long can they survive like this, and what will happen with Stella and Angel when someone finally figures out what has befallen great Aunt Louise?
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.com
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_... http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/people/facult...
“There you stood on the edge of your feather
Expecting to fly”
-- Neil Young (1967)
“We sat there for a minute, looking down the empty road. Angel was probably thinking, in a few minutes I’m on my way. I was thinking that I kind of liked this new Angel, the girl who talked to me. And that in a few minutes I would be left alone. With…
“’Because it would be too hard,’ Angel said.
“’Impossible.’
“’I mean, I didn’t even understand half of what he was saying, never mind be able to do it.’
“I turned to Angel. ‘Who? Do what?’
“Angel stared at me. ‘George! Run the cottages. Do all that changeover stuff he was talking about?’
“It was my turn to stare. ‘No, Angel, that part would be easy. It’s…’ I waved my hands behind me.
“’Louise? Oh, Louise just needs to be buried. We had to bury a goat once. It wasn’t even ours, it just wandered into our yard and died. Are you serious about us being able to do it, run things?’
“’She’s not a goat, Angel! She’s my great Aunt!’
“’I know that. I’m just saying, you dig a big hole…’”
Up to now, eleven year-old Stella has had a pretty challenging life with a mother whose “personal gravity was a little weak,” meaning that her mother was in the habit of floating away. Things were manageable when Stella’s mother could rely on her own mother (Stella’s maternal grandmother) to pick up the slack – but that was before Stella’s grandmother died.
Stella and her mother were then on their own for a while. But having gotten in trouble with child protection authorities after one of her instances of floating off and leaving Stella alone, Stella’s mother parked Stella with her late mother’s sister -- Stella’s great Aunt Louise who lives on Cape Cod -- and promptly took off to environs unknown.
Knowing Stella’s mother and apparently figuring that Stella would be around for a while, Great Aunt Louise decided to also take in a foster child named Angel. Unfortunately, Stella and Angel are like oil and water and have not gotten along together from the get-go.
But, just as summer approaches and Louise is expected to begin weekly “changeover” cleanings of the four rental summer cabins next door -- the Linger Longer Cottage Colony -- that are owned by George (who is living elsewhere), Stella and Angel come home from school and find great Aunt Louise sprawled out in her recliner. Dead.
With her undependable mother out of reach, Stella wants to stay in this one seemingly safe place. And Angel doesn’t want any part of being shipped off to yet another foster home. So, after some debate, they do it! They bury great Aunt Louise in the garden, make up a series of excuses for her being perpetually indisposed, learn to do the cabin changeovers for George, and survive on tips, food left behind by the renters, and the growing understanding and camaraderie that develops between the two.
But how long can they survive like this, and what will happen with Stella and Angel when someone finally figures out what has befallen great Aunt Louise?
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.com
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_... http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/people/facult...
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