Running Through Sprinklers

by Michelle Kim

Two life-long best friends grow up and begin to grow apart in this honest, deeply felt middle grade debut.

Sara and Nadine.
Nadine and Sara.

It’s only ever been the two of them. Two halves of the same person. Best friends forever—until they aren’t.

Everything has changed this year. Nadine has suddenly skipped a grade and gone to high school without Sara. No matter how hard she fights to save their friendship, Sara can feel it slipping away.

But change can happen from the inside, too. The forever-friend days of running through sprinklers and slurping up ice cream cones may be over. Yet in their place, Sara just might discover something new and wonderful: herself.

Genres: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Young Adult, Fiction, Juvenile, Coming Of Age, Friendship

256 pages, Hardcover

First published April 17, 2018

Reviews

[Kaitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel hooked me with its whip smart, compelling voice from the start. By the end, I felt like I too had experienced the upheavals of young adulthood and had truly transitioned in a coming of age that the protagonist went through. I enjoyed the female friendships this novel explored in all their intimacy and intricacies. I think young readers will connect deeply with this story of what it’s like growing up in the suburbs, with the added nuance of race, sexuality, and mother-daughter relationships. A lovely, enjoyable read to recommend!

[Summer · Rating 4 out of 5]

It never outright says so, but given the hints throughout the story, I believe this is set in the early 1990’s, so if you’re an adult of a certain age there’s a great nostalgic feeling even without it being overly specific, and for kid readers, even without the present day touchstones like cellphones or social media, it very much captures what it’s like to be eleven or twelve years old. No matter where or when you grew up, everyone has been where Sara’s at in Running Through Sprinklers, struggling with the changes that come with growing up, friendships falling away, and the longing to play and do kid stuff yet at the same time you’re all too eager to be a teenager.

Sara, the main character, and Nadine, have lived across the street and been the best of friends since forever, but when Nadine skips a grade going to high school early, leaving Sara behind, their friendship is strained to the breaking point.

While I would have liked a little more interaction with the parents, the kids and their relationships were written in a believable way. There are times Sara says or does unlikeable things but it doesn’t make her an unlikeable character, you feel for her, you understand her hurt and frustation and why she’s acting out, it isn’t always pretty, but it’s human.

Running Through Sprinklers has one plot thread that remains unresolved at the end (to say what it is would be a spoiler), some readers might take issue with that, but to me, the lack of resolution was realistic, particularly since I suspect that part of the story may have been loosely inspired by a real-life event at that time that sadly remains unresolved to this day.

As for how things wrap up for Sara, it felt just right, the perfect amount of bittersweet.

I received this ARC from a Goodreads giveaway.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was interesting, and way too accurate for life. I found the MC to be a bit unlikable though she was not even a teen yet so I can't blame her for her actions right? She really was acting her age.

This hits on friend loss/gain/growing up and it does an accurate job - losing my best friend when I was in Grade 5 and her moving away was one of the hardest things ever - luckily for me we still talk to this day (YAY best friends) but people grow apart and this book accurately portrays that.

It's a middle gradeish book (there were some things in there for more older young girls, hello periods) but this is definitely one for girls around that age that are having it rough with friends - friends come and go, truly, SO SO ACCURATE.

[Aurélien · Rating 5 out of 5]

The constant push and pull between the softness and the harshness that the characters' relationship go through was riveting and constantly kept me on edge to see how, and if, the resolution would ever come.

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sara loves living next door to her best friend, Nadine Ando on their cul-de-sac in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. The two girls are inseparable, and Sara is looking forward to starting grade seven and experiencing all the milestones of the last year of elementary school with her best friend by her side. It comes as a huge shock, therefore, when Nadine drops the bombshell that she will actually be skipping a grade and going to high school (grade eight) a year early. Sara feels utterly betrayed by this news, and, over the school year, makes a host of mistakes as she tries to come to terms with the changes happening in her life.

I really like the writing style in this middle grade novel, a review copy of which I received from the publisher via Edelweiss. The writing is descriptive, but also conversational, and the author (herself an actress and occasional screenwriter) writes many sections as though she is writing stage directions in a play. There are lots of details about Korean culture (Sara's family) and Japanese culture (Nadine's family), including food and family traditions associated with both, and Sara's city of Surrey also comes to life as wonderful place to grow up.

Sara herself is very much like I was in seventh grade: annoying without meaning to be, clingy to friends in an irritating way, and convinced of her own maturity despite being very immature. Though some reviews have indicated that this immaturity makes it hard to believe in Sara as a realistic character, I found her completely (and embarrassingly) authentic. Especially true-to-life is Sara's use of her friendship with Nadine's one-year-younger sister, Jen, to make Nadine jealous, and her brief flirtation with the "in" crowd.

The only thread of the story that gave me pause was the subplot involving a local boy who goes missing. I thought early on that this was going to be a main part of the plot, but it wound up being just part of the scenery. I think the way the author uses it works well enough, but because it caught my interest early on, it was a little disappointing to realize that there really wasn't a mystery element after all. I think it's also important to note that this book is set in the 1990s. There is a reference to Cabbage Patch Kids in chapter one that tipped me off, and other things, including some of the slang the characters use, and the lack of mobile devices, confirmed my suspicion. I don't think the time period has much impact on the ability of kids to enjoy the story, but it's worth pointing out to kids who might be particularly interested in preteen life 20 years ago.

Running Through Sprinklers reminds me of The Battle of Darcy Lane, Tara Altebrando's novel about the struggles of female friendship in early adolescence. It also reminds me a little bit of Judy Blume's books (especially when it comes to bras and periods) and Carol Weston's series about Ava and Pip. I would probably recommend it for ages 10-13, as this is the age group most likely to be going through difficult transitions in friendships for the first time.

This review also appears on my blog, Read-at-Home Mom.

[Emma Dyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a gorgeous book and a feast for the senses. It will speak to anyone of any age who has ever lost or found a close friend. And her descriptions of food are genius! I gobbled up the book whole in one sitting but it would be equally enjoyable to linger on each short chapter at a time and enjoy the vivid evocation of the lives of this close-knit group of characters ... what they eat, what they wear and what is most important in their lives. It's a beautiful fusion of poetry and prose and one that stays with you long after you have put the book down. Highly recommended.

[Janice Robertson · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a VERY disappointing read for me. The book received a high score from most readers so I thought it would be a fabulous read when actually it was quite dull. Sarah’s best friend goes to high school right after grade seven and leaves Sarah to find the way to survive middle school.
My chief complaint with the book is that it was hard to believe these girls were in grade 7 or going into grade 7 because they acted more like kids in grade 4 or 5.

[Marathon County Public Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sara and Nadine have always had each other, since forever, or at least since they were small and both living on the same cul-de-sac, literally minutes away from each other. That is, until everything changed. It was seventh grade and they were both supposed to be starting together as they always did, until Nadine suddenly announces, almost right before school starts, that she is skipping a grade and going straight to high school. High school! They won't even be at the same school! Sara is distraught and desperately tries everything she can think of to save their friendship and convince the school principal that she is smart too, and needs to skip a grade. Except, she hasn’t been able to concentrate and is not doing well at math, and the teachers know she only wants to skip to be with her best friend. As life spirals out of control around her Sara begins to see changes in Nadine, and slowly begins noticing changes in herself too. Written for tweens, this is an enjoyable and important story about the one constant in everyone's lives.

Sharyn H. / Marathon County Public Library
Find this book in our library catalog.

[Jill Jemmett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great middle grade novel about real life.

Sara tells this story through her memories and things that are happening to her right now. The story takes place throughout one year, her last year of elementary school. She experiences many things, such as losing friends, making friends, puberty, and even a friend going missing.

Some of the things that Sara goes through are sad, but it reflects real life. Her friendship with her best friend, Nadine, breaks apart when Nadine is moved ahead a grade and into high school. Also, Sara’s brother’s friend goes missing, and they are the last ones who saw him, so they feel like they have to help find him. Though these experiences are tough to read about, they are things that kids may experience in real life, so it is important that their books reflect that.

I enjoyed this book, and I recommend it for middle grade readers!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

[Mo · Rating 5 out of 5]

The thing I remember finding most puzzling about fiction when I was growing up was that friends played such an unimportant role in characters' lives. The central relationships in Running through Sprinklers are friendships and sibling relationships, and they are remarkably beautiful, bittersweet, and believable. The MC is likable, but there are times she treats people terribly in ways that felt so recognizable they made me squirm. I cannot say strongly enough how much I love this middle-grade debut novel.

[Cindy (leavemetomybooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet, funny, and heartbreaking story about best friends and growing up. My 9-yr-old read it and recommended it -
Loved this book so much.

[Joshua · Rating 5 out of 5]

Running Through Sprinklers is a touching reflection on growing up. Things will always change; hopefully we learn about ourselves in the process. There's a real theme through the book about the extent to which we know that things will change, but pretend otherwise as we cling to what we know; in the words of the last chapter, after one character whispers 'nothing is going to change': "we both know this is a lie, because things always change. Still, it sounds better and feels better to say this, to pretend to believe it." This book proceeds with wonderful morsels of chapters and a consistent pacing that combines elements of nostalgia, whimsy, and introspection in equal measure. Here's hoping this becomes a series and we get to see where Sara is taken next!

[Tiffani Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

* I received this book from Goodreads in exchange for an honest review.

This book is cute and an easy read for sure but I found myself wondering what it’s actually about. Sara is immature and at times selfish, which could be perfectly normal but it just seemed to go against the grain of the story. At the beginning of the book her best friend (Nadine) skips a grade, landing her in high school. This is apparently the worst thing that can happen in Sara’s eyes and she spends a majority of the rest of the book obsessing over it. To the point that the story actually suffers a bit.

There were parts of the story that I really liked, it’s based where I live, the family dynamics but the good didn’t outweigh the bad unfortunately.

[Lindsay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sara was highly immature for a 12 year old. I'm not sure what Daniel's purpose in this story was. And this read like a play, for instance:

Me: It's sunny today.
Nadine: Very nice.
Me: Let's eat ice-cream.
Later:
At ice cream store: I got bubblegum ice-cream and Nadine got strawberry.

[Sheridan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, I loved this book. What a beautiful story of a girl coming into herself. I really didn't always like Sara, but I loved getting a glimpse into her life! I've never had a book give me so much nostalgia - even for things I am so glad to be done with as an adult (like sneaking around behind my mother's back, or dressing a certain way and then immediately regretting it, or even just saying something simply to gain a reaction)! This is, to me, basically a perfect portrait of girlhood - especially in (small town) Canada where your neighbourhood growing up is so easily and intrinsically tied to your identity. I felt the ending was a smidge fast, compared to how much turmoil Sara and the Andos went through up until their breaking point, but I understand that it usually works that way. Also, Sara's view of Nadine was pretty interesting - I really enjoyed the perspective of how intense and integral best friendships can often feel (and how losing them is usually worse than a breakup), but there were several moments where I thought the clues were leading to Sara being genuinely in love with Nadine, which I think would have been a lovely addition to her understanding of herself. Alas, the message is still wonderful and I can't wait to booktalk this to my grade 7s!

[Irene · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the book that was in my "Blind Date with a Book" package that I purchased at a pocket-sized bookstore on vacation recently. The brown wrapping over the book had descriptors like "friendships," "Canada," "young adult," "coming of age story." (There were only two blind date books left from which to choose, this one or one that sounded like a cozy mystery involving an animal.)

I will say that this book definitely is a coming of age story that involves friendships and Canada, but it reads on the young end of "young adult." There's drama between friends and family, drama surrounding a missing person, and coming to terms with growing up. While I don't think the book states when the story takes place (or I glossed over it -- I'm thinking the 1980s or 1990s), the story is joyfully devoid of (kids glued to) devices like cell phones. I liked how author Michelle Kim portrays a simpler childhood, as the title "Running Through Sprinklers" indicates; the book would be great for middle schoolers and younger high schoolers to read.

[Danielle Hammelef · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writing style and immediate POV hooked me in right away and I connected with Sara. I enjoyed this story of family and friendship and think the voice was spot-on middle grade. The story takes place in the past, so the characters lived in a more "simple" time without the immediacy technology brings, so this was a refreshing change from other recent books I've read. One reason I didn't rate this book a 5 star, was towards the end, I felt some of Sara's actions were uncharacteristic and out of place and therefore, withdrew me from the story. Overall, I enjoyed my time in the Canadian suburbs and will read more of this author's work.

[Hope · Rating 1 out of 5]

2/10. In my opinion, the quality of writing of this book is subpar at best. The writing seems really rudimentary even for a middle-grade book, the plot is all over the place and hard to follow in some areas, and the storyline itself is just not well written or developed. There are some important conversations and plot points in there (figuring out where you fit in, separating yourself from your friends, experiencing racism, learning to cope with big, dark subjects, etc.) but even these points are not as developed as they could have been and the bad parts of the book were quite bad.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Explores friendship at that awkward age. Great read for girls 5 - 8 grade? Even a little older. I thought the author did a good job weaving a normal suburban existence into the concerns of a pre-teen/teen life.
A good mentor text for contemporary fiction without too much technology. It feels a little like it was set in the early 80's. No cell phone or internet really included but still felt current.

[Ellie M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall good, but what exactly is the time period of this book? I'm guessing 1990s, but I'm not entirely sure (nobody uses cell phones, the movie Ghost is alluded to)
I have cousins who remind me a lot of Nadine and Jen (14 and 12) who I've grown up with. The older one is super smart and skipped a grade, and she's always there for me too.
Also, WHAT HAPPENED TO DANIEL? That should have been resolved. I don't think it ever was.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

There was not much about this book that I liked. I don't read middle level books often, so I don't have a lot to compare it to. The style felt disconnected. Things were happening to the main character that she didn't understand, and they were not resolved through the story. I would think that a young reader would not walk away with an understanding of how to handle those situations. The ending resolved in a truthful manner.

[Char · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was not well written. I felt like I was reading a middle schooler’s work. The character, Daniel was redundant in the book. The squabbles and broken friendships were not well explained. I had a hard time completing the book and when I did complete it, I was disappointed. I believe this book would have taught the author a lot about areas for improvements in her next book. So to Michelle Kim, don’t give up writing.

[Leon Chen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very charming story with an immersive character development. Though a little bit immature at times, the story is very well-written and has a great touch of humour throughout. The important concepts of friendship and dealing with loss is illustrated in a both serious and adorable fashion, which makes this book a very enjoyable and relatable read for a teenager like myself.

[Richard Janzen · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful book! Captures the "coming of age" experiences of the grade 7 year of a young lady in Surrey BC going through complicated friendship, school and family issues. I especially liked the nostalgic glimpse of growing up in a suburban multicultural community, and the how a child might understand her own mixed culture identity.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this novel as an ARC from Book Portage for an honest review.
This book took me back to my junior high days and reminded me how I never want to relive the feelings, hormones, and confusion over who I was and where I fit in. The author did a fantastic job of pulling me into the main character and making me care and empathize for her.

[sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice. But I've never really read a book where a friendship has deteriorated so rapidly. It's almost hard to believe.
BUT ALSO THE CLIFFHANGER?? LIKE ARE WE NOT GONNA TALK ABOUT THE WHOLE DING DANG MYSTERY THAT WASN'T EVEN SOLVED??!??!

[Sallyeah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so cute! I loved it!!! ^ .^

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This debut middle reader is perfectly paced. Recounting how two twelve-year-olds grow apart as friends, this coming of age novel captures the best and worst of being a tween.

[Amita MV · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reminded me of what I was like when I was 12!

[Laurie Burns · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet little YA that I will definitely passing on to the young girls in my life. A true delight!