The Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies, Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2007. This is a great read for a hot summer day. Evan and his younger sister, Jessie, have always been good buddies. But everything changes the summer before fourth grade when Evan discovers that Jessie, a math whiz, will skip 3rd grade and move on to 4th grade with him. Evan is furious and they start arguing and competing about everything. Things start to escalate to war proportions and with only a few days left before school starts they decide to settle things off by setting a lemonade stand and seeing who will be the first one to earn $100 . It’s an all-out war as they try everything—including dirty tricks—to get the most cash. Can they resolve their problems with each other…or will fourth-grade be a disaster?
Seaglass Summer by Anjali Banerjee, Wendy Lamb Books, 2010. I liked this story a lot more than I thought I was going to, it turned out to be inspirational sort of story and one that I would love to see kids reading and relating to. Poppy Ray is our main character; she is eleven-year-old and full of confidence, already knowing she is going to be a veterinarian, just like her Uncle Sanjay when she grows up. Granted, she has never had a pet because of her mom’s terrible allergies. This year for her summer vacation she convinces her parents to let her go to Nisqually Island off the coast of Washington State where her Uncle lives and work with him at the Furry Friends Animal Clinic. Her lack of experience won’t stop her from trying to help but she would soon realize that there is a lot more to being a veterinarian than cuddling fuzzy puppies & cats. In her journey, she discovers suffering, scary emergencies, quirky owners, and lots of gross stuff. Will Poppy ever be able to stay cool in the face of pain, learn to handle animal emergencies, cope with heartbreaking cases of abandonment, and deal with persnickety owners? Is she truly meant to be a veterinarian?
