Three Summers: A Memoir of Sisterhood, Summer Crushes, and Growing Up on the Eve of War

by Amra Sabic-El-Rayess, Laura L. Sullivan

An epic middle-grade memoir about sisterhood and coming-of-age in the three years leading up to the Bosnian Genocide.

Three Summers is the story of five young cousins who grow closer than sisters as ethnic tensions escalate over three summers in 1980s Bosnia. They navigate the joys and pitfalls of adolescence on their family’s little island in the middle of the Una River. When finally confronted with the harsh truths of the adult world around them, their bond gives them the resilience to discover and hold fast to their true selves.

Written with incredible warmth and tenderness, Amra Sabic-El-Rayess takes readers on a journey that will break their hearts and put them back together again.

Genres: Middle Grade, Nonfiction, Memoir, History, Historical, Juvenile, Biography Memoir

352 pages, Hardcover

First published April 9, 2024

About the author

Amra Sabic-El-Rayess is from Bihac, Bosnia and Herzegovina. She is an ethnic cleansing survivor. She emigrated to the United States in 1996. She earned a BA in Economics from Brown University and two Masters degrees and a Doctorate from Columbia University. Currently she is a professor at Columbia University’s Teachers College with research focus on how and why societies fall apart and what role education can play in rebuilding decimated countries. She has published numerous articles and research papers on education-related issues and has lectured around the world.

Reviews

[Ms. B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tweens gone wild! Dancing until midnight, staying out late without chaperones, flirting with boys and a little bit of kissing, this is the story of cousins Amra and Žana and their close-knit group of friends and family who from the ages of 11 to 13 spend three carefree summers of their life together. Oh to be young in the mid to late 1980s during those last years of a time of peace in Bihac, Yugoslavia (a country that no longer exists and is now made up of six separate countries; Slovenia, Croatia, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, and Montenegro).
Intended for tweens and young teens, adults may enjoy this story/memoir from a different era even more.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this title.

[Rebecca Shelton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Heartrending Ode to Sisterhood and Resilience

Having read "The Cat I Never Named," I was already primed for the emotional depth and cultural insights Amra Sabic-El-Rayess offers in her writing. But nothing could have prepared me for the sheer brilliance of this novel, a poignant prequel that manages to be both heartbreaking and beautiful in equal measure.

From the very beginning, as Sabic-El-Rayess shares the bittersweet tale of her relationship with her older brother, Amar, and the sorrow of his passing, I was hooked. Her words paint a vibrant tableau of Bosnian culture, steeped in traditions of hospitality, family, and deep-seated bonds of friendship. Woven through the narrative is a delicate thread of young love, a testament to the throes of adolescence and the challenges the five young cousins face.

As they navigate the treacherous waters of an escalating political crisis, what truly stands out is their resilience. The bond these young girls share, tighter than that of sisters, becomes their anchor amidst the storm. And it's this bond that shines a light on the true spirit of humanity, showing us that even in the darkest of times, love and unity prevail.

These kinds of books made me the empathetic person I am today. Authors like Sabic-El-Rayess craft such evocative narratives that shape our understanding of the world and our place in it. Every generation needs stories like these, stories that resonate, uplift, and, ultimately, heal.

"Three Summers" isn't just a book; it's an experience, a journey of the heart that will leave an indelible mark long after the last page is turned. Simply put, it was absolutely breathtaking.

[DaNae · Rating 2 out of 5]

I appreciated the historical (fairly recent history) territory this book covered. It can be hard to discover atrocities that were news stories in my own lifetime. The breakup of Yugoslavia was a distant story that I had very little context or understanding of. My issue with this book is the same reason I really don’t enjoy memoirs. The narrator’s voice was so intrusive and world-wise, it distracted from the genuine feel of the young people in the book. I know they were all real people, but they felt like caricatures.

Summer-mini24: 14) WATER POLO: A book that made a splash

RATL24: Biography/Memoir

[Kirin · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is difficult and probably rather inappropriate for me to offer a "review" of a memoir, after all who am I to have opinions on someone's lived experience.  And this non fiction book in particular is so desperately needed and important, as OWN voice middle grade literature about Bosnia is fairly non existent. So continue reading my thoughts with a grain of salt, suffice it to say, that I enjoyed the book, and loved the author's YA book The Cat I Never Named, but ultimately I struggle to suggest this for the intended audience of 8-12 year olds.  As a child my family was involved with Bosnian refugees in the 90s, as an adult I understand that Islam, and being Muslim, is not a monolith, as someone who can empathize with loss and heartache, I couldn't put the book down.  Yet, I truly doubt that many fourth graders will feel the emotional climaxes that are not shown, but told.  That they will understand the timeline and what is about to happen if the book were to continue.  That they will feel a connection to the characters who read so much older than them.  If the book was fiction, I would say the characters read YA, with the bikinis and details of body growth, kissing, making out, having boyfriends, and dancing at the discotheque, cigarette smoking, backless dresses, noting which neighbors are having affairs, and trying to become their "truest self," but the book is a memoir, this is the author's life when she was 11, 12, and 13.  In an environment where her maturity is noted as being heightened because of the loss of her brother and her personality, the book shows cultural norms, that will still strike contemporary reader as being much more adult in nature. Islamically, the label of Muslim and Bosniaks, is ever present.  Bosniaks were massacred for being Muslim, period.  The book never shows them praying, or mentions Allah swt or the Quran, covering is something only the older generations did, they do drink alcohol on occasion, but they have a cow slaughtered Islamically and burials are done in accordance with Islamic principles.  There is kissing, having boyfriends is not problematic unless they are Serb, the only imam mentioned does weird black magic type things.  So while the label of "Muslim" may feel to Muslims readers more like a cultural marker at times, it is none-the-less incredibly empowering to see that Amra takes pride in her Bosniak identity and doesn't shy away from it. Other flags/triggers are domestic abuse, bullying, physical violence, attempted drowning, accidental drowning, death of a sibling, kidnapping, imprisonment, threat of war, racism, Islamophobia, music, fortune tellers, lying, threatening.  The backmatter offers a timeline and thus gives some information about the rape, torture, genocide, abuse, and destruction.  

SYNOPSIS:

The book starts with a visiting fortune teller giving Amra and her family hope that her older brother Amar will be pain free soon. Amar suffers from Marfan syndrome, and is frequently weak, teased, and in pain.  But he is also wise and patient, brilliant and gentle, and beloved by so many, and Amra is broken when he passes away.  To help break her from her debilitating grief, her parents reach out to a cousin in Belgrade, who has long been estranged for marrying a Serb, to come visit for the summer.  Zana and her younger sister Vedrana, engulf Amra in warmth and adventure and the summer on the River Una is just what Amra needs.  The next summer Zana and Amra resume their idyllic adventures of swimming, make-up, crushes, and coming of age, with only a hint of fracture based on religious lines creeping in the final days.  The following summer Amra is starting to mature on her own and understand the world around her.  Her father has lost his job, been kidnapped essentially and tortured, and while nights dancing at the discotheque give laughter and light, the girls final summer, is the end of peace, and innocence for all Bosniaks. 

WHY I LIKE IT:

I love the end, that there are real life updates of the people in the book.  It made me cry.  It is also so timely to what is occurring in Gaza and how no matter how clear it is that it is genocide, and it is oppression, and it is racism, some just cannot see it.  The book is joyful, but the reality of the backmatter is heavy, and real, and important.  

I like that the book shows Bosnia and the culture and the traditions, the few books I've read focus on the war, and the rich culture and deep history doesn't get to shine like it does here.

I do wish the book was more showing than telling.  I know it is a memoir, but at times it was just too advanced commentary and insight.  I fully believe the author is brilliant, and at 11 years old was pondering her life, but most readers just aren't at that age, and the tangents keep the readers at arms length.  The book says it is about crushes, so I don't want to keep harping on it, but it really is Amra and Zana and a gaggle of other female cousins quite often worrying about boys, and crushes, and kissing.  It doesn't get obnoxious, but it isn't a line here or there, it is the bulk of the book.

FLAGS:

Domestic abuse, bullying, physical violence, attempted drowning, accidental drowning, death of a sibling, kidnapping, imprisonment, threat of war, racism, Islamophobia, music, fortune tellers, lying, threatening, death, loss, grief, affairs, cheating, racism, bare bodies, crude jokes, crushes, kissing, making out, sneaking out, smoking, drinking, developing bodies, bullying, internalized Islamophobia, kidnapping, imprisonment, dancing, black magic imams.  The backmatter offers a timeline and thus gives some information about the rape, torture, genocide, abuse, starvation, and destruction during the Bosnian genocide. 

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

I think with some context about war, about communism, the Ottoman empire even, this book could be used in a teaching setting to allow the time frame to be seen from those living it, but, for more mature middle school to early high school readers.  It is a lot for MG and that it is non fiction makes me want it to be understood and appreciated and I don't know that for the intended demographic, even with context and guidance it would be achieved. There really isn't a plot, it is a memoir, and the pacing and assumed context knowledge I feel like, just wouldn't be there for the typical western middle grade reader.

[Vik Joshi · Rating 5 out of 5]

​After reading Amra Sabic-El-Rayess' Three Summers, I felt an enduring sense of gratitude that such a story has been written. The story testifies to the three summers, as the title eludes, prior to the beginning of the Bosnian Genocide. The Cat I Never Named (penned in 2020) describes Amra's story of survival during the Genocide when she is older, but Three Summers introduces us to the coming-of-age story of a pre-teen Bosniak (Bosnian-Muslim) girl who is navigating the complexities of her own identity alongside sisters, brothers, friends, and family.

I am excited by the prospect of young readers being introduced to a range of thoughtfully portrayed characters, all of whom have imperfections that they explore through the everyday activities of a summer in Bihać, Bosnia - swimming in the frigid, swirling Una river, enjoying Bosnian delicacies alongside family (some of whom have intermarried across ethnic communities), and exploring the discotheque and nascent crushes. Sabic-El-Rayess has a special ability to bring the atmosphere and spirit of Bihać and Bosnian culture to the foreground of a story steeped in the search for belonging within family and among a broader community of peers. The swirling Una symbolizes the various cultures, customs, and communities that constitute Bosnia and Sabic-El-Rayess' stories across the three summers raise meaningful questions about what it means to explore one's own identity and the resilience of human beings to choose love over hate.

Without divulging more about the fascinating trajectory of every character in this polyvalent narrative, I found myself deeply touched by the fact that a first-person narrator (Amra, in this case) does not take away from the diversity of perspectives and voices whose stories, like threads in a fabric of many colours, are interwoven in a beautiful tapestry that emerges through reading.

I would like to close by saying that what I find most extraordinary about this story is the respect for childhood expressed through the book. Children and all their dreams, questions, wonders, and ways of seeing (and interpreting) the world of Bihać, Bosnia, and beyond are offered without explanation or qualification. It is said that to respect childhood is to let childhood mature in the child, and Amra Sabic-El-Rayess' story highlights the wisdom of children to see beyond categories of identity and perceive the wholeness of human beings. This story of resilience and sisterhood is, in many ways, a celebration of the power of children and childhood as a reminder that nobody is born to hate; they are taught to hate.

[Lesly ୨ৎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

“𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙙𝙜𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙣𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙟𝙤𝙮𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙨𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙨, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙢𝙨, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮, 𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙪𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣.”

What I truly enjoyed in the writing was how the first part of the novel we are focused on Amra; her grief and her troubles. We see how she moves about in the world after her brother, Amar dies. However after a magical week in the summer with her cousin Žana, she begins to see the world in a new light. She isn’t hyper focused on herself which was justified given what she experienced, however, she extends a hand to others and steps in to help them. She realizes that she’s not the only one that goes through horrible things, others have it worse. As the second summer and third summer roll around, Amra is even more aware of the world around her. The things that are unsaid but so loud in her environment, the stirrings that would eventually turn into the genocide in Bosnia.

“But part of me feels like I need to know more about the real world, beyond my happy family, beyond Bihać. I’ve started to see that everyone walks on their own unique path, shaped by their family and environment. People are pushed to be one way, pulled to be another, and I can’t judge everyone by the same standards. How can you judge a person’s decisions until you know the options they had to choose from?”

So many quotable quotes in this book I swear! But also many life lessons and ways of viewing certain aspects of life that I will hold with me for the rest of my life. The progression of each summer, you could tell things were changing and drifting. One summer it’s splashing in the Una all day everyday and the next, the teenage hormones are in full gear looking for cute boys and young love.

“𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙙𝙤 𝙬𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙫𝙚𝙨, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙙𝙤 𝙬𝙚 𝙡𝙚𝙩 𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙪𝙨? 𝙄𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚.”

There’s also politics and the tension that comes with it brewing in Bosnia during this time period that Amra slowly opens her eyes to. The social dynamics of Muslim women being married to Serb men to shun that part of themselves away in a marriage, the way they parent their children by banishing them from dating Muslim teenagers. How Amra’s father is concerned with toning down the fact that they’re Muslim because it can bring trouble their way. There is so much depth when it comes to that and outlines some of the history really well. If you haven’t read The Cat I Never Named, I would also highly recommend reading that book as well since it focuses on life during the Bosnian genocide.

”And yet people keep talking about war. War against who? I want to ask. And how do you go to war without a military? Bosnia doesn’t have an army.”

At this story’s core is the theme of sisterhood, of evolving and growing up, and ultimately, falling apart. The “Where are they now?” section of this book ripped my heart apart because throughout the memoir we see everyone in their youthful, free-spirited selves. But that section highlights how the genocide changed everyone in a multitude of ways. Žana echoing the same ideologies that her father would bark out was so disheartening, it is scary how people can change for the worse. That the environment and their family/upbringing is enough to set them on a path of bigotry.

It goes without saying, this memoir was phenomenally written. Its themes of sisterhood, love, and heartbreak are what drive this story forward. The characters are the life of this story, they’re what makes Bihać come alive on the page. Individually, they have their own set of worries and struggles but when they come together, they are the embodiment of a summer full of joy.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore middle-grade memoirs - I love reading stories about growing up in different times and places. This is a story about resilience, surviving trauma, and sisterhood.

Set over the course of three epic summers, Amra tells us about her cousin and best friend, Zana, and how she was able to help her heal after the grief of losing her brother. It's about teen crushes and coming of age in the 1980s, but what I loved most about this book is Amra's window, giving us a glimpse of what life was like at this time. We get to see the last vestiges of Yugoslavia, Bosnian culture, and the stirrings of the war to come through the innocent eyes of a young girl who is just trying to figure out who she is and navigate the transition from young girl to teenager.

While I loved the book, I struggled with the middle-grade designation. I feel like most 8 - 12-year-olds will not get the nuance or the depth of the story. There are some really dark moments, from losing her brother, the racism Serbs had toward Bosniaks, and grappling with poverty, but also, there is a lot about boys and crushes and makeup that most younger middle-grade readers won't relate to yet. This is one of those books that straddles the line between middle grade and YA. I think the target audience will be 12 - 14 year olds.

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading "The Cat I Never Named", this book was on my to-read list for a while before it was even published, and now after finishing it I can say it didn't disappoint!

Amra is telling an important story - a story about a kid growing up in the years leading up to the Bosnian war and the genocide. A story in which that kid becomes a teenager that discovers makeup, boys, sisterhood... and the fact that some people hate her because of her religion, despite living side by side with her and speaking the same language as her.

The knowledge of what happens to Amra and her family afterwards - having read the first book set during the war - is always creeping in the background. War is coming and I suppose the inevitability of that is what makes this book so touching and heartbreaking.

There are still too many people denying the Bosnian genocide so Amra has my admiration and gratitude for telling her story. Hvala!

[Katie Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible, especially in terms of understanding the culture(s) of the former Yugoslavia leading up to the fall of communism and the subsequent genocide.

[Maida Poprženović · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oduševila me, ugrijala, rastužila, učvrstila moje biće, podsjetila me na zajedničku izvornost koju dijelim sa autoricom - od pripadnosti do obala naše rijeke Une. Priča, lekcija, koja će dugo živjeti💚💙

[Addyson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an enchanting novel of summers on the beach, crush's and girl drama.
Amras cousin Zana came and acted like Amras sister. Amra was there for Zana when she went through heartbreak. Amra had no one there for her when she went through the grief of losing her brother. She wanted to be there for her because no-one was there for Amra. This book shows how hard it was for them during the war. I loved this book, five stars for sure.

[Heather McLaughlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing story. I found this through audio-roulette and it's one of the best I've run across. Highly recommend.

[AL · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am devastated after reading Three Summers.

Amra is a homely young girl, sheltered from much of what her preteen/teen counterparts have been exposed to-makeup, crushes, fashion. She’s living in late 80s Bosnia at a time when Serbs are increasingly isolating and discriminating against Bosniaks, serving as a backdrop to an already tumultuous time. Amra has survived a personal tragedy and is left feeling like she has no one.

Three Summers changes everything. She’s introduced to cousins that become light, motivation, excitement, and adventure in her life when they gather each summer, growing older and developing their interests.

Sabic-El-Rayess does THE MOST incredible writing and transports the reader directly to those awkward teen years as she perfectly describes butterflies due to a crush, first try makeup fails, figuring out how to love our bodies. Being immersed in those familiar feelings makes the horrors of impending genocide even more shocking.

Friendships, lives, families are all at stake when opposing sides butt heads and not one character can prepare for what politics and religion can do to a homeland, to the people you identify as your own.

I’m thankful this memoir gives us so many happy moments but, man, I was crushed when reading the follow ups.

This memoir is dazzling with memories and hope for each summer. All the same, it’s a tragic open wound. Raw and absolutely going to leave a scar.

[Edina L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an absolutely beautiful, heartfelt story that I loved deeply. It captures the warmth of friendship, the joy of long summer days, and the freedom of swimming in the river—bringing back so many memories of my summers spent on the river Neretva. 💚💚 Despite the looming spectre of war, the book wraps you in a nostalgic, cozy, and beautiful atmosphere. It’s a moving tribute to innocence, resilience, and the unbreakable bonds of youth. ❤️‍🩹
I loved the fact that she did not leave us hanging, but she wrote those notes later about each character - I loved it!

[Eliana Peach · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, so beautiful.
I love the relatability of girlhood! It's so fun to imagine that being a teen girl is the same on the other side of the world. ❤️
I really wish she would write more!

[Katie Altman · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first found this book I thought it was a historical fiction novel. What I discovered as I began reading it though is that this book is actually a memoir (which, had I paid a little more attention to the subtitle of the novel, I really should have seen). Normally averse to nonfiction, I was a tad bit wary but found this book genuinely fascinating. The story telling was superbly done, the characters were very relatable (any teenager girl can connect with Amra and Žana) and the subject matter of the book was so important. This novel deals not only with the mounting tensions of the Bosnian Genocide but also with grief, as well as growing up and navigating being a sister, a daughter, and a friend. It was simultaneously exciting, heart warm, terrifying, and heart wrenching. The structure of the book-split up into three summers with a before and after section-worked very well in pacing the story. The structure lent itself to the build up of the mounting tensions, as well as describing how we, as well as the world around us, change as we grow up. I found the additional information of the Author’s note, timeline of the Bosnian Genocide, sources page, and a breakdown of what happened to many of the characters in the book to be incredibly helpful and fascinating. I was pretty much unaware of the Bosnia genocide until I read another book (a historical fiction novel) titled “The Thing I’m Most Afraid Of”. That book is set in Austria but references the Bosnia Genocide as one of the characters in it is a young woman who had escaped the genocide and is working as a nanny in Austria (it’s a great read as well, I highly recommend it). I was curious and wanted to learn more since the Bosnia Genocide is not generally taught in high school history classes. I found this book to not only be a wonderful resource for historical knowledge but also a compelling story full of hope and heart. It was a tremendously enjoyable read that challenged, inspired, and educated me while invoking the full range of emotions within me along the way!

[Samantha Matherne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe because I read her memoir of her teenage years during the Bosnian War, The Cat I Never Named, first, but I found the after pieces more impactful than the rest of the narrative. Hearing how semi-carefree Amra's life was in the few years immediately before the war makes me believe looking back on the early signs of discontent & unrest in her country and among her people must be heartbreaking. Missing what happens right in front of you when it transpires slowly is easier than sudden onslaughts of events.

I appreciate how this memoir of her three summers spent with cousins shows how normal life was. Young Amra was just like any other tween or teen, seeking freedom from parents and solace with friends her own age. The world knows about the Holocaust, but the rape of Nanking, the genocide of Bosniaks, and so many more atrocities against humanity are skipped over. The fall of the Berlin Wall wasn't all sunshine rainbows, as Americans are raised to believe. In the following years, innocence was robbed from a generation that was taught hatred, Amra's generation, and she explains here how that didn't happen overnight. She saw glimpses into the hatred but never expected the end of life as she knew it and sisterhood as she came to love until it was too late. Readers could learn from this book and her earlier work. No one should be hated based on their ethnicity, race, nationality, religion, etc. Blanket statements do not work, and hate like this tore families and friends apart across Eastern Europe. Amazing what she has accomplished since the war, especially using her voice to share her experiences, even when remembering is painful.

[Jael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amra's book is an extraordinary work of art. On one hand, it is easy to read, humorous and with lots of beautifully painted descriptions of nature, life in a small town and the local traditions. On the other hand, it is painfully honest about the big questions of life circling in every teenager's head: is true love possible, what makes me to be the real me, how to deal with difficult people around me, how to stay true to my values in the midst of peer pressure. Adding to that, this is a true story of a teenage girl whose life got shattered to pieces many times. Her older brother dies of incurable diagnosis- and her home country is getting ready for a war. Is it still possible to love and trust each other and enjoy fun with friends, when the whole world is changing around them? Amra's story - her own story in this book - shows that yes, it is possible, even if it is sometimes very difficult. I would recommend this book whole-heartedly to all of my friends, young and old alike.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this autobiographical, coming-of-age book, we meet Amra and get a glimpse into her life in Bosnia over the course of three summers leading up to the Bosnian conflict, but the story ends there. There is considerable information regarding the events surrounding the war in the Afterword sections.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC of this title.

Publication Date: 9 April 2024

[As You Wish · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting look into the life of the average preteen/teen before the Bosnian War. I learned so much about the history of Yugoslavia and the region, and that subtle, insidious rise of the Serbs and dehumanization of the Bosniaks. This was a great primer for me on the topic, as I was too young and far removed when the war happened to understand the history.

[Azra Balić · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book!! It is easy to read and nicely written - moreover the storytelling is written in a nice way and pictures the life of a young girl before the war. Interesting to see how someone growing up while experiencing such a large loss at the start of her life experiences different things

[Megan Laplante · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so good. I learned so much.

[Noor · Rating 5 out of 5]

‎السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته

Sister Amra, thank you so much for bringing us with you to the Una, thank you for sharing your memories, your love, your lost, your pain. I hope that if there are any open wounds that are not fully healed, that Allah continues to pour His mercy into them and unto you and your family. You have persevered through something really intense. Thank you for growing through what you went through and giving us important life lessons.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

This memoir is of a Bosnian girl the three summers before war breaks out in her country. Her cousin is half Serb/Christian. The growing conflict between the Serbs and Bosnians is seen in increasingly less subtle ways.

[Liza · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed the author’s note—wish the memoir was more about what she wrote about there.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was very well written. I’m definitely going to read her first memoir.

[Dževada · Rating 5 out of 5]

Odlična knjiga!

[Danielle Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great, moving, and emotional memoir. Newbery material for sure.

[vi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Named her daughter after you 🙁

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historical fiction/memoir set just before the Bosnian genocide and inside a heart-warming and fun-filled story of family.

THREE SUMMERS focuses on Amra, a Muslim tween/early teen born and raised in Bosnia, who loves her family deeply and that family extends to cousins, uncles, and aunts both near and distant in both blood and geography. Over the course of three summers, Amra develops a bond with her cousin Zana that, on the surface, seems unlikely as they live in different cities and Zana’s mom, who is Muslim, married a Serbian/non-Muslim and has become estranged from the family. Zana helps Amra recover from the devastating death of her older brother and to become more comfortable in her own skin and both girls join with friends and families in celebrating life and each other on the banks of the Una River. While Amra’s story does not turn dark, the spector of hate against one group of people begins to rise and mixes with the youthful zest for life that Amra, Zana and others find during their summers together. Back matter elaborates on the genocide and violence perpetrated by Serbian radicals determined to exterminate what one politician called ”genetically deformed material” when referring to Muslim Bosniaks. Also included is a timeline of this dark period in history as well as a “Where Are They Now” section for those in book based on real people in Amra Sabic-El-Rayess’ life during these pivotal years.

In addition to being an engaging story, sure to capture the attention of readers in grades 5 and up, THREE SUMMERS will shed light on a period in history not often discussed despite its importance and with that light, hopefully give those readers not only a knowledge of the events but the understanding that hate directed towards any group or individual can lead people down a scary road. History has proven that and we, as citizens of the world, have got to get this lesson figured out.

Thanks for the print arc, MacMillan Kids.