The Summer Scrapbook

by Florence Migga

Ava, Becca, and Cat are inseparable best friends who dread spending a summer apart after eighth grade. Outgoing Ava is dragged to London for her dad's job, anxious Becca is sent to summer camp, and quiet Cat is left at home. Phones aren't allowed at Becca's camp, and Ava's parents restrict her use of devices, so the friends vow to stay in touch through letters and collect souvenirs of their experiences to compile into a joint scrapbook at the end of the summer. As the girls step out of their comfort zones—and out of the roles they each play in the trio—they find themselves and their friendship changing and growing.

Genres: Middle Grade, Contemporary, Young Adult

328 pages, Hardcover

First published May 5, 2026

Reviews

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Copy provided by the publisher

Rising ninth graders Ava, Becca, and Cat are all upset because their summer has been ruined. While they would normally be hanging out at their Chatanooga hometown pool everyday and making plans, this summer they will be separated. Ava's father is doing a job swap with another professor, so the family will be living in London. Becca's parents, alarmed that all she wants to do is read the Reverse Elementals book series, are sending her to the Camp Whistling Ridge summer camp for eight weeks. Cat gets to stay at home, but her mother isn't content to let her write poetry and binge watch shows, and forces her to go to the pool by herself. Things are rocky at first for all of the girls, but they quickly improve. Ava, who is missing a summer at Girls State, keeps checking her phone and missing out on the sights, but her parents meet their neighbors and construct a scavenger hunt that Ava must do with Derrick, who is her age. They are given a list and a credit card, and are allowed to travel around the city on public transport. Ava slowly warms up to Derrick, although there are some bumps in their relationship. After initially keeping to herself at camp, Becca makes a friend in Allyson, connects with her small group, and participates actively in the game of Capture the Flag. Cat makes some new friends at the pool who invite her to do things with them, and she even develops a relationship with the cute Von... on whom Ava has a crush. The changes do cause some problems in the girls' friendship that are exacerbated by their distance, are solved by the end. The summer activities equip the girls with a new perspective, new life skills, and a new appreciation for their friendship.
Strengths: Like Holm's Sunny Makes a Splash, this is a book about summer vacation that makes me wonder why my OWN summers were never this much fun! My students often ask for happy, realistic novels, and summer settings are popular year round. This has a good mix of travel, summer camp, and staying at home. Ava and Cat both have sweet romances, and I really enjoyed that the girls each developed new skills and some perspective on what is important. Navigating friendship drama is always a popular topic, and the way the girls' handle their differences is realistic and constructive. Big bonus points for having all of the parents alive and involved, as well as a tiny bit annoying!
Weaknesses: Why do tweens today not want to travel anywhere or do anything? Some activities seem slightly dated; Ava's mother keeps scrapbooks, and the girls talk about making one for their summer experiences, although this isn't really followed up until the end. There's also a lot of hanging out at the mall, going to the movies, and even a visit to an arcade. When my daughters were in middle school 20 years ago, those activities were on their way out.
What I really think: Readers who live multiple points of view will enjoy seeing what summer is like thought Ava, Becca, and Cat's eyes. Hand to readers who were intrigued by the realistic problems in Shang's The Best Worsr Summer of Esme Sun, Wientge's Best Friends, Bikinis, and Other Summer Catastrophes, or Calonita's The Taylors.
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[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so nostalgic. It brought me back to middle school and just before high school. So we have three best friends, Ava, Becca, and Cat, in the summer before high school. They thought they would spend all summer together but their parents had other plans. Ava gets taken on a London vacation, Becca has to go to summer camp, and Cat is stuck at home. They all have to find out who they are without their best friends by their side. They all learn that they are all pretty cool girls. I liked seeing the girls grow when they are put in difficult situations. They all stepped up when they needed to. I thought back to my friends and the silly fights we would have and of course making back up. I thought of all of the sleepovers I had with my friends and sometimes it is awkward when you have different friend groups and trying to please them all. I definitely enjoyed the romances blossoming in the book. This is a great middle grade debut.

-"Some of the best things in life can't be captured. They only stay still in your mind."

-Maybe sometimes the scary things are also the beautiful things.

-...but friendship is its own special kind of magic.

-I love love.

-That's what friendship is. And forgiveness-because we all make mistakes, but it's what we do afterward that's more important.

[Ari Koontz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness, this book was JUST the slice of summer nostalgia I needed! Florence Migga has somehow managed to perfectly capture the essence of middle-school summer breaks with all their highs and lows, delights and heartbreaks, drama and boredom, freedom and impatience, through the eyes of three girls who have spent most of their lives together and are finally ready (or not) to discover who they are on their own.

Usually in multi-POV stories I end up having a favorite, but I honestly looked forward to Ava, Becca, and Cat's chapters equally because each of their journeys is so compelling in its own way. Ava's summer in London and the hurricane of emotions that comes with it was so relatable to me as someone who was also moved temporarily across an ocean around that age. Becca's summer at sleepaway camp made me so nostalgic for my own camp days, but with even more fun (and stressful) hijinks than I ever got to experience! And it was so beautiful to see Cat's quiet & poetic journey toward defining herself on her own terms. Together, this trio is truly unmatched, and I'm proud of all three of them for moving through messy conflict, chasing after new passions, and turning their dreaded first summer apart into one to remember. Also, I'm gonna need to get myself to a pool STAT because I am officially jealousssss!

[Rie Neal · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re looking for the perfect MG summer read, THIS IS IT.
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Lifelong best friends Ava, Becca, and Cat are being forced apart for the summer before high school, and to make the separation more bearable, they commit to writing letters and saving mementos for a summer scrapbook (very Sisterhood-of-the-Traveling-Pants). During their months apart, outgoing Ava explores London with the cute boy next door; shy Becca learns to speak up for herself at camp; and creative Cat makes friends with the “popular” girls (and the new boy!) at the local pool. Apart but together in spirit, all three girls learn more about who they are on their own, which causes long-distance friction at first, but ultimately brings them closer together.
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I loved the way the stories of the three girls were woven together with repeating phrases and themes in the different storylines, and how they supported each other even when they weren’t together. Such a sweet, fun friendship story! I was rooting for them all from page one. 😊

[Jenny Mattern · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so glad I was able to read an ARC of The Summer Scrapbook, a sweet upper-middle-grade friendship story. It's told from the points of view of 3 teenage girls who have been best friends for as long as any of them can remember. For the first time ever, they won't be spending the summer togther. Bold Ava is headed to London. Shy Becca will be spending eight weeks at summer camp. And Creative Cat is staying behind in Chattanooga, wondering how she will fill the long, empty days. Throughout the summer, each girl has to learn to navigate life without the comfort of her best friends beside her...and each is surprised by the results. A satisfying read with three lovable, unique main characters!

[Stephanie Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

This would be fun to read while on a summer vacation, (or even a “staycation”!)
Three inseparable teen girls are indeed separated the summer before ninth grade. One is off to London due to her dad’s job, one is hitting the wilderness scene at a camp, and one is staying home. None of them are thrilled about these summer plans, and predictions of boredom, loneliness, and anxiety run amok. Once in place in their various locations, however, the girls discover surprising things about themselves, and about their life-long friendship…

* I received a digital copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.*

[Rebecca Bendheim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved getting to go with Ava to London, Becca to camp, and Cat to new places around her own town! I think my favorite was Becca; it made me emotional seeing her come out of her shell! And it was so cool to see Cat find new friends and passions. This was SUCH a fun read filled with strong friendship, sweet moments with new crushes, exciting drama, and so much character growth. I can't wait to read Migga's next middle grade because she so perfectly captures what it's like to change and feel your friendships shift during those important years!

[Marissa Macy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect summer read that captures the sometimes tricky in between space between middle school and high school. Reminded me of Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (an all-time favorite of mine), and I loved how much Ava, Cat, and Becca grew into themselves during their summer apart. Made me nostalgic for pool days & first crushes; I wish I had been reading it on a lawn chair with a big floppy hat!

[T.C. Kemper · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun, nostalgic story soaked in summer sun and middle school drama! I loved joining Ava, Becca, and Cat as they survived (then found ways to thrive!) in their summer breaks spent apart from one another. Middle school friendships can be tricky, and Migga writes with an accuracy that will make you remember your own middle school summers! I especially loved the London scenes.

[The Page Ladies Book Club · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Summer Scrapbook gave us all the soft, nostalgic vibes. I loved how it captures that moment when friendships start to shift and grow. Watching Ava, Becca, and Cat step outside their comfort zones and communicate through letters felt real and relatable. It’s quieter and more reflective, but perfect if you love coming-of-age stories about change and connection.

[Vicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great bi abt 3 best friends doing diff things this summer-Ava w fam in London, Becca at summer camp, and quiet Cat at home. They all make new friends, but things happen and the girls get mad. What happens?

[Liralen · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's the last summer before high school, but it's not what the ABCs* had planned. Instead of spending the summer together, hanging out at the pool, they'll be doing parent-planned things: Ava is off to London with her family, Becca is going to sleepaway camp (no phones allowed), and only Cat will be home in Chattanooga. The solution to staying connected: snail mail letters and collection of material for a summer scrapbook.

I love me a friendship story, and once upon a time I read as many YA and MG summer travel stories as I could (who am I kidding? I still read them). This is basically three summer stories in one (camp, hometown, abroad), plus the friendship thread to tie them together. I'm also thrilled to see a book featuring three Black tweenagers; there's way too little diversity/representation in this sort of YA/MG summer-adventure book, and it's about time.

The downside of having three different summer stories is that it's harder to pack in as much characterization and so on as I'd have liked. Early on in the book I gave myself a little mnemonic to remember who was who—Ava was off on an Adventure, Cat was home in Chattanooga (I figured that was enough, so I didn't work Becca into it, but then when I got to the part about Becca feeling like the afterthought sometimes I felt bad. Becca was in Bunk beds at camp all summer). That helped, but I struggled to find serious differences between Cat and Becca in particular (both quiet, a bit shy; Becca's the reader; Cat's the writer; one of them develops an interest in fashion, but I didn't even realize that was an interest until she mentions it at the end of the book). Ava's easier, as she's more outgoing, but I would have liked a bit more space to get to know each girl, quirks and warts and all. Ditto the new friends they make; we get a bit of the personalities and interests of Cat's new crowd, but there's just not really the time to get to know three separate girls in different locations, and the shape and arc of their friendship, and their new friends, and in some cases their new romantic interests. (The romance is sweet and pretty mild, but in a MG book especially I'd always rather that the romance be chucked in favor of friendship content. But if it's going to be in there, at least it's done well.)

All that being said—I liked all three of these storylines (and all three of these main characters), and if I would have preferred them broken into three different books, then...oh well, that's probably a me problem. Yes to the summer vibes, yes to themes of friendship and navigating growing up, yes to tweenagers being forced off their phones for a summer, yes to supportive families and snail mail and tromping all over London.

*That they do not call themselves this is one of the book's few serious flaws.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.