Sixteenth Summer

Gr 7 Up—Anna thinks her upcoming summer is going to be just like her previous ones—surviving the heat of her Dune Island, GA, home by going to the beach; working in her family's ice-cream shop where she invents some popular flavors; and spending time planning her escape when she graduates. However, everything changes when she sees Will, a summer tourist (or "shoobee," as the locals call them), at the annual end-of-school bonfire. Anna and Will's relationship moves slowly, heating up with the temperature and hitting some rough patches as Anna tries to prevent herself from getting hurt at summer's end. Though equally smitten, Will is more philosophical—they should enjoy the time they have; maybe the relationship will survive beyond August and maybe it won't. Anna's first-person narration is appealingly genuine as she experiences the emotionally potent highs and lows of first love and reexamines her own self-image and life expectations with newfound perspective. The teen characters, and their interactions, are well drawn, as is the vividly described island setting. Pleasant and languid, and unfolding at the pace of an unhurried summer's day, this novel will appeal to girls who like their romances sweet and non-paranormal.—Suanne Roush, Osceola High School, Seminole, FL