Milestone Summer

by Nicolete Meredith

Deep in the bucket seat of the Sprite, Judy Princeton leaned back happily., her face glowing in the flashing headlights. "You're beautiful." Kent said softly. "Judy everything was much more fun with you in Carmel. It was only yesterday that you moved and already it seems like forever."

Genres: Young Adult

216 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1962

Reviews

[Kathy Browne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had a copy of this book as a little girl. Somewhere along the way I lost it. couldn't remember the title or the author, just that the cover was blue and the girl lived in Carmel, CA. Recently I found a copy at an estate sale and snapped it up! So happy to have it again! It really takes me back.

[Gina House · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.75🌟 Wow! Milestone Summer was wonderful!

This was a very inexpensive and quick pick from the thrift store book section. I'm SOO glad that I took a chance on it. I love vintage books that have a season in the title so, of course, I had to grab it. The cover art wasn't awesome, but I loved the font (I know, weird...lol).

I think this is the third Whitman Teen/YA Novel that I've really enjoyed—it's so surprising! Usually, it's full-on vintage romance or middle grade that I tend to love the most. But, the Whitman books have been killing it with awesome, lighthearted stories. Woo!

There's so much that I loved about this early 1960s book:

💓 All about house set up (like 80%)
💓 Glorious summer weather details (beach, barbecues, picnics, late summer dances)
💓 Tons of interior decorating detail
💓 Supportive small family that has lost their father
💓 Fun and encouraging new friends (many of them are seniors in high school)
💓 A young lady main protagonist (Judy Princeton) who you see grow up and mature after her father's death and the changes and sacrifices her family must make for their future life.
💓 Setting of Carmel and Monterey, CA

This was a lovely, fun, light and absolutely terrific book to read at the end of June. It would be even better in late July. Highly, highly recommended!

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this back when I was 15....thought about it the other day and found a copy on Thriftbooks. Wow...so many things came back to me - especially the part about the Royal Daulton figurines. That is where I first learned about the Balloon Seller. And now one sits on my bookshelf. Books really influence your life !

[Melody · Rating 3 out of 5]

SUMMARY:
Judy Princeton's father has just passed away a month go leaving the family to struggle along without him emotionally and financially. Now without enough money to stay in their lovely house in Carmel they must move into the old run down Victorian house three miles away in Monterey. The house had been built by Judy's great grandparents and has gone through numerous tenants, becoming rundown.

Mrs. Princeton has plans to fix up the house but has no idea how to go about it and has limited funds. Her only idea so far is to remove the gingerbread wood work from the outside and clear away the vines. While her and Judy are standing outside discussing this they are approached by José, a man who had worked for Judy's grandparents. He offers to help clear away the vines. While he does this a crowd begins to form along the side walk with 2 people in the crowd being members of the Urban Renewal League, a new group whose mission is to make the area more attractive without destroying historical landmarks. The group has applied for a government grant and thinks the Princeton house would be a good example of the type of work they're trying to do. If approved as a project this means the group will fund the work but the Princeton's don't get to make the ultimate decision on what gets done. The project is of course approved and soon workers show up to clean away the overgrown foliage, cut off the gingerbread, and paint the house moss green, a color which Judy suggested. They also plan on tearing down the 2 little cottages on the property. Judy is appalled to hear this since redecorating the cottages and renting them out is the only bright side she can find in moving to Monterey. She's able to talk her way into keeping the cottages and excitedly begins making plans to remodel one of them. She wants to fix it up the way she would want it if she were to live there, daydreaming about soon living in it with her longtime boyfriend Kent.

Her daydream is destroyed when...
You can read the rest of this summary on my blog, vintagegirlsbooks.blogspot.com

REVIEW:
- The way Judy's mother speaks with her is interesting and sometimes strange. She asks Judy to make decisions and sometime almost even for permission for things, such as asking Judy if they can go to the Urban Renewal meeting. Maybe this is because she just lost her husband and would normally have asked him these things. It just seems weird at times.

- I'm very confused on how the house and grounds of the Victorian house are suppose to look, as well as the cottages, or "shacks" as they are referred to. There is an illustration on the books end pages but I doesn't appear accurate. The house is apparently situated right next to the ocean, is on a somewhat busy corner, has streets behind it, but also is above rundown shacks inhabited by poorer residents. The cottages are also apparently the size of a studio home, as that's what Judy plans to rent them out as, but also portable and don't have bathrooms. Judy plans on building a bathroom onto it, mentioning this as if its as easy as hanging up curtains, and moving them to face the "other street"...which I'm assuming is maybe the street behind the house? I don't know, I'm so confused by it.

- Judy never seems to miss her father. He only passed a month ago and yet she appears to have completed her grieving. Many people ask if she's the daughter of THE Phillip Princeton and she's always just like "mhm, yep". Never once getting teary eyed.

- Kent and Judy have been dating since she was 12 yet the second she's gone Kent falls for Diane. It makes it seem like Kent is basing his love life of proximity, apparently he only dates whatever girl lives next door.

- You can read the rest of this review on my blog, vintagegirlsbooks.blogspot.com

- You can see all the art work for this book and many others at Pinterest.com/nancydrewart

- You can support me at Ko-fi.com/vintagegirlsbooks

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit blah among the Whitman's for teen girls, and not especially well known, perhaps for that reason?

[Tashina Knight · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good plot, lovely setting, and interesting characters but the story is a little bland.