Summer Experiment

by Cathie Pelletier

Roberta McKinnon, age 11, is a science nerd and big dreamer. She likes to add to this resume, “And guess what? I'm blonde!” She and her best friend, Marilee Evans, are trying to figure out how to beat the impossibly brilliant Henry Horton Harris Helmsby---the 4 Hs of the Apocalypse---at the upcoming science fair. Allagash, Maine, their little hometown, is famous for something called “The Allagash Abductions,” when four men from Vermont claimed to have been taken aboard a spaceship while on a trip down the Allagash River. Robbie McKinnon puts her brain to work and comes up with a solution. “If aliens visited Allagash before, they might again. What if we try to contact them? If we interview them for the school paper, we’ll win science fair for sure!” But standing in the way is her annoying big brother Johnny, and his best friend, Billy, on whom Robbie has her first crush. After a mean trick played on the girls (it has to do with fake aliens appearing in town) Robbie decides revenge is in the air. It'll serve Johnny and Billy right. But it means they have to drive their 4-wheelers up on Peterson's Mountain after sundown. Everyone knows the mountain is haunted by the ghost of Cally Peterson. It’s while up on the mountain that the girls see for the first time those strange lights in the sky that many townsfolk have been spotting. “This time it isn't your crazy brother,” says a frightened Marilee. It’s a summer of excitement, but it’s also marked by sadness over a death in the family. By the time school is starting again, these two wise young girls have grown even wiser.

Genres: Middle Grade, Science Fiction, Young Adult, Fiction, Contemporary, Adventure, Childrens

287 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Pop Bop · Rating 5 out of 5]

Serious Wood Craft

When I think of engaging, authentic young girl narrators my mind automatically turns to Scout from "To Kill A Mockingbird". Today we have a wonderful choice of modern Scouts, each with a little bit of an individual hook. Some have a touch of snark, some are a bit geeky, some are poetic or romantic. Some young girl narrators have some teen angst going on or some family drama. Occasionally there's a touch of magic in their stories.

Here, Roberta is that character and she is the book and her voice is the story. The actual plot involves Roberta and her best pal trying to win a state science fair by communicating with, or even better getting abducted by, aliens. There have been UFO-ish sightings recently and Roberta's hometown of Allagash, Maine has a documented history of rumored abductions. For the purpose of this book that's pretty much all of the plot you need. As masters like Richard Peck, ("A Long Way From Chicago", "A Year Down Yonder"), have shown, you don't need a plot, you may not even want a plot, to create a classic.

But what you do need is a character. Roberta is not a real middle grader. Important as it may be to her, I don't want to read a real middle grade girl's blog. I want a Scout filtered through the adult perceptions and sensitivities of Harper Lee. I'm happy with a Roberta framed and filled out by Cathie Pelletier, who has created a bright, articulate, observant, vulnerable and authentic sounding heroine, (although she is too knowing and slightly world weary to be "realistic"). There is no twenty-first century snark and no pop culture references. Perhaps it is that and the rather gentle way the story unfolds that has led many to describe the book as vaguely old-fashioned. I think of it more as calm, bemused and generous, built with simple and direct, but still accomplished, craft.

The book is loaded, almost overloaded, with elegant little grace notes and observations with a bit of a twist. There are dozens of lines that just cause one to pause for a moment, and that may be the best aspect of the book. It also seems like it would offer a real reward to an adventurous middle grade reader new to "literary" fiction.

Pelletier was born in Allagash, Maine. Over the last 28 years she has written five well received adult novels based in Mattagash, Maine, a not so fictional stand-in for Allagash. This is her first middle grade book and I guess she just decided to put it in Allagash and leave it there. It is a Northern Maine book through and through. Allagash is certainly the next most important presence after Roberta. It's not "Bert & I" Maine, but a woodsier and yet more sophisticated and affectionate version of Maine. I was happy to spend some time there with Roberta.

Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.

[Stuti Rai · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

The Summer Experiment is a a middle-grade story but I wonder if kids could ever sit through it. Even I was bored. It's told in a narration which despite being honest in the beginning soon turned monotonous and took on the tone of a grown-up trying to get right a kid's voice.

I starts at the moment when poor Roberta, at the most inopportune moment, turns towards her house and misses the strange lights in the sky. And misses it again. Circumstances beget determination, and Roberta sets out to get herself abducted by what she presumes to be aliens. Before that there are mishaps and pranks foiled, and this was the time I had most fun with the characters- as Roberta and her best friend think and plan and grin evilly, also burn with mortification, on their quest to get revenge on her brother and his best friend, on whom Roberta happens to be crushing.

Then grown up matters and their alien world intervene and it's not a happy union of the two vastly different universes- deaths and parents on dates and runaways ensue. This is where the book becomes monotonous. Roberta's seems to lose her quirkiness and the haughtiness that make her distinct, and while it is reasonable in the shadow of all that befalls her and her friend, it's also too radical and washed out to captivate an audience. On the other hand, when it comes to her project, Roberta seems to regain her drive at the very least, so as not to completely alienate the reader from her.

The writing is okay, but sometimes the prose is trippy and too much.

Time crept on like a snail or an inchworm, slow as cold molasses.

I also had a couple of logistical problems with the theme of aliens and everything. As in, if they could teleport, then why did they bother beaming up Roberta and Marillee, which had the potential for causing unlimited trouble and revealing their existence had someone seen them taking those two up. Moreover, the construction and portrayal of the aliens, rather the robots, was flaccid. On the other hand, I liked that they were robots and not aliens.

I liked the ending, and the reasons for the ending, although it was way too incidental what they discover. All in all, it wasn't too great a book, nor did it have the most important message to deliver but I did like what it said at the end, even if the ride had been too slow and tedious for my patience.

Thank you SOURCEBOOKS Jabberwocky!

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the Militant Recommender Book Review Blog:
http://militantrecommender.blogspot.com/
The Summer Experiment by Cathie Pelletier is a lovely story that captures the feeling of what it's like to be young and growing up in a wild, rural place with a loving family (including an annoying big brother), a great best friend, and your first crush.
The author, herself, grew up in the story's setting of Allagash, Maine, not far from the Canadian border.

It's a summer of strange lights in the sky, something Roberta's family has seen, and everyone else in town, but not her. Could they be UFOs? Or something the Military is working on at the local base? Back in 1976, the area was famous for an alien abduction where 4 men were abducted from a canoe trip and ended up back at their campsite and missing time. Hypnosis confirmed their memories of alien beings on a space ship and one wrote a book called the Allagash Abductions.
Roberta hasn't seen anything, herself, but she has a plan that just might help her and her best friend Marilee win the Maine State Science Fair award and thwart Henry Horton Harris Helmsby, the boy who has beaten her twice before. Maybe she and Marilee can camp out and attract the UFO to them and make it the best science project ever! Will Roberta and Marilee contact the aliens and become world famous? Read The Summer Experiment and find out. A perfect summer read for kids of all ages.

[Megan (The Book Babe) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Summer Experiment I hate to be a hater, but honestly - I didn't really care for this one. I was more interested in the alien abduction story that Summer Experiment was based on/with than the actual book. I even went so far as to research the Allagash Abductions on Wikipedia and everything - and they're still more interesting than this story.
 
I found the main character, Roberta, to be ridiculously pretentious and annoying. A know-it-all, if you will. And I hope that's not the kind of characters that middle grade readers are looking for... because, well, I'll feel slightly bad then. I didn't care for any of the characters, to tell you the truth. They were all a little too naive, or too annoying, etc.
 
The ending was okay, but I was just hoping for more from this book. There just wasn't enough detail to keep me interested, and the storyline, along with the characters killed me. All in all, Summer Experiment REALLY wasn't the book for me. Sorry you guys had to read this super awkward review!

[Jen Malone]

This is a really sweet and fun story with a bit of an old-fashioned feeI. I love that the kids are having ordinary summer adventures in the woods of Maine and playing silly pranks on each other based on the old myth (or is it?) of an alien abduction that had taken place in the town years ago. Definitely reminded me of books I loved when I was younger and the writing is literary, but still very accessible to younger readers.

[Dyllan Getz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a super cute book! I would definitely recommend it :)!! It had such a sweet moral of not doing things for others attention, and to just be a kid and have fun!

I loved the setting in Allagash, Maine; and have never read anything to do with aliens. But I enjoyed it! Not too scary.

I will give this book a 3.5! I thought it was a super cute and wholesome story. Recommended age: 10+.

Happy reading 📖 🫶🏼

[Angela Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was.... interesting. Some important coming of age topics (crushes, sibling wars, death, blended families) but... throw in some UFOs too. Still an engaging read and I loved Roberta! Just an interesting storyline.

[Anna Dart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Choice book 4 quarter 2

The summer experiment is written by Cathie Pelletier and is a fantasy book.

The summer experiment takes place in Allagash, Maine.

The main characters in the book are Roberta and Marilee ( the main, main ones).

Roberta is a happy, very smart, creative, adventurous , and very curious. She has a lot of fun with Marilee (her best friend) and they like to explore there neighborhood. Once out exploring, they almost die once, and the second time they go out... she also had to deal with her grandpa's death throughout the book. She is a static character, because she dosen't ever change through out the book, she dosen't change her mind, but becomes more cautious everyday, since grandpa's death.

Marilee is a shyer girl and less outgoing then Roberta. She dosen't like to explore like Roberta and is always more worry and scared then Roberta. She goes on multiple trips to Frog Lake and Peterson Mountain to catch aliens, but something may or may not happen to them... Marilee is a static character, as well because she dosen't change at all either, she stays the same the whole book.

The main problem, well there isn't really one, but they are trying to become 1st in the science fair project, trying to catch aliens. The conflict is person vs. nature, because they have to deal with their surroundings for catching aliens and where they are at, at all times.

The author believes, that even when the world is against you, your best friend will be there.
1. When they are in the woods, Roberta comforts Marilee.
2. When they get scared by Roberta's brother, Marilee is there for her.
3. They stayed by each other and help each other when it was dark, and when they were in the woods.

In my opinion I enjoyed the book, because it felt like you where in the book yourself. I also liked how much detail was in the book. My favorite part, was the climax, which I wont spoil, but it was a little frustrating, but good. The book felt incomplete because it ended just plain and simple, with no hook or anything, it was kinda a boring ending to the book. If i were to compare it to other fantasy books I have read, it is on my lower end of the scale, because of other books I've read are just more fantasy, and less boring. i would have taken out boring parts, and made the ending better. If you want to know what happens in the book the summer experiment, read to find out...

[Jeanette "Josie" Cook M.A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love reading about the journey to growing up and how it becomes a brilliant memory to cherish with adulthood.

There is magic inside these pages that makes the reader feel deep emotions as the story unfolds about a girl and her best friend sharing their time together without others becoming too involved in their bond to each other. This writer conveys this so beautifully.

The book is like a fine, red wine to taste slowly, but also think about the refined flavors it takes to make it. Robbie has a wonderful connection to her community, the people around her, and her family members. She experiences the land around her with her bestie on their bikes, riding to Frog Pond. They ride the trails and go up the mountain to visit the caves. Canada is near Peterson's Mountain, and one cave is a special place.

Their houses are among the pine trees and close to nature. Robbie is a genius among her classmates. Her dream seems so real about the visit to space. They are five hours from Stephen King. She remembers the cold spot on her head. Was it real or just her dream? Snowmobiles cross the snowy meadows as cold, gray puffs of air land in the winter air like the fog inside the space cabin. Memories, real or a dream that lasted two hours? The violet lights and blue lights did this happen that night, as the two friends were inside the cave or spaceship?

A grandfather who made his stories last for Robbie. Family ties that will last a lifetime. These are things discovered inside these pages. Friendships between two young girls and a best friend's dream that will not come true but she often thinks about it and discusses it with Robbie.

The acknowledgments of what life often brings to us, but sometimes it is not what we want.

[Michelle Mallette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best friends Roberta and Marilee are 11 years old, and enjoying summer holidays in the northwoods of Maine. They spend their time eating ice cream, devising ways to win the annual science fair, plotting revenge on Robbi’s older brother Johnny and his best friend Billy, discussing who they’d like to kiss one day, and generally enjoy an old-fashioned rural summer. When mysterious lights appear in the evening sky, Robbi is unlucky enough to be in the house and misses it. And misses it again! Determined to witness a UFO herself, and perhaps win the science fair at the same time, she and Marilee embark on a series of adventures as they also lean on each other to deal with the difficult issues of death and divorce. This character-driven story moves fairly slowly, like a summer holiday should. It has an old-fashioned feel with its quirky small town residents. It feels pretty Canadian, actually, and I was not surprised to find author Pelletier has lived in Montréal. Pelletier creates an authentic voice for Robbi, though she comes across as a bit too adult at times, with her nostalgic appreciation of her small-town life and family. The references to apps and iPhone models dates the book quickly, and I found it irritating. Any old cellphone would have done the trick and not seemed like a product placement. But overall this is a solid coming of age novel for tween readers who are not yet ready for YA fiction. And the cover is spectacular – very appealing! My thanks to the Grand Forks (B.C.) & District Public Library for including this novel in its junior fiction collection.

[Bella G · Rating 2 out of 5]

honestly the last time I read this was in 6th grade and I remember it took me forever to finish it because a lot of times it was just straight boring. I did find the book at the dollar store so I wasn’t really expecting an extravagant story, which is kinda a reflection of the book itself with the whole alien thing. I should probably reread it, but rn I just can’t really be bothered because of how bored I was at times and that’s really not what I look for in a book. Maybe I should read some Dostoevsky and then I’ll be craving for a book like this.

My final thoughts: it’s okay. It’s just not for me.

2/5

[Jessa Franco · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is one of those books where the author thinks they've done a great job writing from a kids perspective, but in reality they just made a mini adult and fluffed it up with tropes and stereotypes. Not worth anyone's time.

[Crystal M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Plot was a little slow and hard to classify in terms of genre. And like.......what was the point?haha It kind of feels like nothing really happened, like subplots got in the way of the overall plot, which ended up coming to nothing.

but I liked the characters and premise fine enough.

[Michael Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Main ah

A fun story about aliens,family,friends and Northern Most Maine. Will keep you reading and wondering if a true experience or "just a dream". Dreams do come true. Friends and family are forever. " Enjoy"

[Kären Marroquin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun summer read complete with UFO's. I loved that the girls were so obsessed with winning the Science Fair!

[Thomas Ray · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not bad..... If it had been much longer, I probably wouldn't have finished it, though.

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this after reading One Way Bridge. It was good, but not as good as previous read.

[Lucy Poponak · Rating 3 out of 5]

Truthfully, the book was not too bad, but I was not thrilled with it. I think that there were not that many exiting moments, and that the author emphasized boring moments so that the moment almost two chapters. The author spent not enough time talking about the alien encounter and too much time talking about her grandfather. So over all the book was not great, but I support anybody who thinks that this book was terrific.

[Gina (My Precious Blog) · Rating 3 out of 5]

When two country girls spend the summer researching alien abductions in their small town called Allagash, Maine they end up having endless adventures and plenty of memories to last a lifetime. The Summer Experiment is told in a third person narrative thought the confident voice of our young eleven year old narrator Roberta or Robbie for short. Its a fun filled read with plenty of antics and shenanigans. Writing is easy to read, descriptive enough and laced with humor and sarcasm. The two main characters Robbie and Marilee are polar opposites. Marilee has blonde hair, while Robbie's is dark brown. Robbie is fearless, where Marilee is a self-proclaimed coward. Both girls get straight A's. Robbie is very self-confident, sure of herself and outgoing, while Marilee is a bit more reserved. These two gals are admirable heroines, best friends and together create a very memorable summer.

Robbie and Marilee's main goal for the summer is to come up with a science project which will beat Henry, the guy who's one it the last couple of years. In order to to this, the girls need something super big! When the townspeople start reporting UFO siting, the girls decided that a science project on alien abductions would certainly make them famous and win the science fair. The story is about how they spend their summer together trying to achieve this goal.

One aspect of the book which I couldn't appreciate as much was the fact that I really thought this book was going to be more about aliens. I felt like the alien abductions, though part of the story, was actually a lot more in the background. This wasn't what I was expecting going into the book, so my expectations of this were high and what transpired was definitely a bit of a let down.

The Summer Experiment is mainly a contemporary read. Its realistic middle grade fiction dealing with common problems youngsters face. The girls have their ups and downs dealing with divorces, new marriages, getting grounded, running away and even death. The setting is small town, country living. I like how when things get tough, a trip to the ice cream store will smooth everything over. The girls spend the summer galavanting around Peterson's Mountain, riding bikes, playing pranks and overall just having great times over summer break. I enjoyed the lightheartedness of this book, its an uplifting and spirited read.

The ending of this book felt complete. All of the problems were resolved. The main character did experience growth. One of the main lessons of the book is that childhood doesn't last for ever, so enjoy it while its there. Live in the present and don't try and grow up too fast. I would recommend this book to the target audience. I believe middle grade guys and gals will both find a lot to enjoy about this story. Adults may find the story a little slow or mundane at times, but for the most part could probably find more to like about this book than not.

[2017alicea · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Summer Experiement by Cathie Pelletier is an enchanting adventure throughout a summer in the life of Roberta McKinnon and Marilee Evans. These two girls are just two innocent, geeky 11 ( almost 12! ) year olds. They are intent on winning the science fair, to prove their smarts ( Roberta is a blonde ) and to beat the Henry, the annoying next door neighbor to Marilee who seems to win every science fair. Lucky for the girls, this emotion packed mystery takes a turn in their favor. Poturns and hollydock don't stand a chance against aliens.

Allagash, Maine, is experiencing alien sightings.In the beginning of the book, I was frightened. I'm not too keen on aliens. But I was much too engrossed in the book to give up. Because it is a kids book, it soon switches over from creepy, mysterious abductions by giant bugs to a very emotional period in the book, in which Roberta's grandfather dies and Marilee runs away. It of course, switches to the two girls getting abducted by adorable aliens / machines made by aliens, and because the aliens are way more advanced then us humans, the two forget all of what happened.

Allagash is a story of its own. It is a beautiful, small town (there is a map in the book) with meadows, caves, farms, and ice cream parlors. A large portion of the book seems to take place on Peterson's Mountain. I almost wish I lived in Allagash, because you really can get to know everyone in such a small town, and many of the towns characters and very enjoyable and pleasant. Sheriff Mallory, for example, is a strait forward sheriff that is friend with Roberta and her family, and makes sur ethe town is in order. There is a time when my trust for him wavers, but it is soon regained. Most of the book characters are like this. You don't like them, and then they say something funny or nice or sweet, and suddenly, you like everyone.

After they were abducted, they received a chance to become world famous. But know, they are two humble and too loyal to their families. Of course, I forgot all about the aliens while I fantasized about being friends with Roberta. not only is she clever, kind , and funny, but also incredibly smart. She is loyal, creative, curious, and adventurous, as well. I almost want to BE her! But Marilee is much closer to the real me. Quieter, and she chooses the safer options. There is a safety switch inside of us that Roberta simply doesn't have. That is the only set back I have from hunting down a real Roberta and making her be my friend.

Despite the creepy aliens depicted in the beginning, this book has to be one of my favorites. It has amazing characters, a beautiful small town, and plenty of aliens.

[Vincenza Wall · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a children’s book, age 9 and up.

I enjoyed this very much. Roberta “Robbie” McKinnon and her best friend, Marilee Evans are almost twelve years old and it’s summer time. They live in a small town in Maine, called Allagash, just 5 hours north of where Stephen King lives.

They know just about everyone in town and the town is so safe, they pretty much wander all over on their bikes or 4 – wheelers, even spending nights out camping alone.

This summer, they are trying to come up with an experiment to win the Science Fair when they go back to school. A boy they know, Henry, always wins and this year they are determined it will be them instead of him.

Allagash has a history of UFO sightings and abductions, so when their Sherriff goes on TV and tells the town that he saw a UFO, they are convinced that meeting the aliens is the way to win the project.

They spend much of their summer doing kid stuff; tormenting Robbie’s older brother, talking about boys and music, eating ice cream and riding their bikes – but also time planning and plotting how they are going to get in touch with the UFO and the aliens aboard.

There are some funny moments and I think Pelletier does a wonderful job of capturing the feelings and emotions of 11 year old girls. I like that she portrays them as smart, albeit not street-smart. She does an excellent job of chronicling the girls’ summer.

The only criticism I have is that the novel dates itself by its references to Justin Bieber, Stephen King, Taylor Swift and Katey Perry – even 5 years from now, 9 year old girls are unlikely to know who they are.

This is a well-written, entertaining and educational novel and although I am far from 9 years old, it was worth reading.

Disclosure: I won this book from Goodreads through the First Reads program. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Sometimes kids have good reasons to mistrust the alien world of adults." I received this book as a giveaway and couldn't wait to read it. It reminded me a little of what it was like to be a kid who didn't understand the alien world of adults, and made me feel a little guilty for trading summer adventures for more "age-appropriate" endeavors. Pelletier made me nostalgic for the summers I spent growing up in rural Maine. It was a Maine-based fiction that actually reflected the culture of Maine. Whether it was the junebugs flying against a screen door, mud rooms, summer thunderstorms, opinionated Uncles, true Mainer grandparents, or suddenly needing a passport to go into Canada, "The Summer Experiment" truly captured the spirit up North. I'll admit the storyline was a bit slow and not motivated by any sort of action, which would be fine if there was compelling thought to motivate it, but there wasn't. I love everything about Roberta. In my opinion she is what makes the book such a cute little story, she has such a big attitude forced into such a small girl. Her quirkiness is brilliant. She's full of fresh, eleven-year-old ideas, like ice cream being good for the brain and how to contact aliens. Roberta is a little girl who doesn't flinch from the hard facts of life. I was impressed with some of the deeper subjects being handled in a young-adult's book from a reliable eleven-year-old's point of view. Overall, I would give "The Summer Experiment" a 3.5. It wasn't anything like I expected, but I was not disappointed.

[Joelene · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It was cute and silly and a lot of it are things that really happen in real life. A best friend, playing pranks on your siblings, having a crush on the guy up the street and even heart break. It’s easy sometimes to forget that the narrator is a very young girl, sometimes you can almost imagine that she’s a teenager.

It had a way of keeping me interested right from the very beginning and I liked that.

There is just one thing…The rating on this book says ages 9 and up. I do have to disagree with this. This is the only part of the book that I am disagreeing with. I have a 9 year old and I read over some stuff before she reads it because she is very sensitive to some things and although she does like the thought of aliens (what kids don’t? lol), I don’t think that she’s completely ready for this type of thing. Also, at one point in the book it does mention the tooth fairy and the Easter bunny and a reference to whether or not they are real, my 9 year old still believes in these things and I do not want to take that away from her just yet, we all know what that’s like. With that said, I know that some kids probably already know these things and know how to take them but I’m just stating this from my own experience. Also, with all that being said, in a couple more years, she defiantly will be giving this book a read but in the meantime, I will be letting my 14 year old read it because I believe he will enjoy it as well.

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

Best friends Roberta and Marilee want to beat their rival Henry Horton Harris Helmsby, also known as “The 4Hs of the Apocalypse” in the upcoming state science fair. Inspired by recent reports of UFO sightings in their hometown of Allagash, Maine, and an unexplained loss of time during a late-night mountain prowl, the girls decide to try and contact aliens, in the hopes of recording their experiences and winning first prize.

There aren’t enough books about science-minded girls so this one fulfills an immediate need and for that reason, it’s likely to be snatched up by school and public libraries alike. Unfortunately, though the story has a strong sense of place, a spirited main character, and relatable secondary plots, the main alien-themed storyline doesn’t quite succeed. The final quarter of the book is very different in tone from the earlier chapters, and the main question of the story - will the girls win the science fair? - is utterly abandoned. In fact, the ending is so abrupt, almost nothing is resolved, and the reader is left wishing for much, much more. Though The Summer Experiment has some beautiful writing and memorable characters, budding astronomers will be much better off with Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass.

[Jenni Frencham · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a good read-alike for My Mixed-Up Berry Blue Summer or Bluffton. It takes place in Maine during the summer, and two kids are trying to get abducted by a spaceship for their science project. In between, not much else happens. The pace is pretty slow, but I could see this book being popular with girls who are finally literate enough to read chapter books on their own. I won't be getting this book for my library, but if I worked in an elementary school, I might.

Recommended for: middle grade
Red Flags:none
Overall Rating: 3/5 stars

[Maggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has a really fun concept--who isn't intrigued by the possibility that alien abductions might be real?--and it's refreshing to have a science-loving female protagonist. The writing at the sentence level is just fine. Unfortunately, the narrator's voice is not at all convincing as a pre-teen girl, even considering that she is supposed to be unusually precocious. On top of that, the characterizations in general were rather flat. The ending was also disappointing and seemed more like an easy way out for the author than a logical conclusion for the story. One of those books that is pretty good, but I really wish had been better.

[Meghan Nels · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Summer Experiment reminds me of many of my summers growing up. With a month left to go in summer vacation, the summer feels both too short and too long at the same time. Days seems to run into each other but also seem to speed by too quickly. Well, two girls in Allagash, Maine are determined to make the best of their summer vacation by finding aliens and creating best science fair project ever. I think many students will relate to this summer adventure story of aliens, family, and friendship.

[Allison Celeste · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was intrigued to read "The Summer Experiment" by Cathie Pelletier. I've never really known much about Maine so it was enjoyable to read about that area and the rural town, Allagash. What a fun journey to share with Roberta and her best friend, Marilee in trying to uncover alien abductions to win the science fair award. I think kids, young adults, grown adults will enjoy, "The Summer Experiment" as much as I did. It's a fun read!

[Lynn Plourde · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm a big Cathie Pelletier fan--love her books for adults, and so I was excited to see she'd written a middle grade novel set in her hometown of Allagash, Maine. But unfortunately, this novel did not work for me. It was slow and repetitive in the beginning and the pace did not pickup until the last third of the book. I didn't find the characters to be believable middle graders. Guess I'll have to save my Pelletier love for her books for adults.

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think it is something different for kids to read. It deals with aliens in a non scary way. I felt like the author started a whole bunch of different stories and never developed them fully. For example there is romance (first crush), family issues and the aliens. I do have to remember that it is a children's book and not adult. I did like how the numbers look like alien type style on the pages and how the first letter of each new chapter is long like you would an alien would look.