Summer Unscripted

Gr 8 Up—High school junior Rainie Langdon has a "finishing" problem—she never finishes anything. She flits from activity to activity until dreamy Tuck performs a monologue that expresses Rainie's sense of aimlessness perfectly. Rainie enlists Ella, her ex—best friend, to help her follow Tuck to a summer theater program in Greece, where Rainie can make Tuck fall for her. By tracking Rainie's budding self-awareness, Klein breathes new life into the classic story of a girl chasing the wrong boy, all the while unaware that the right one has been there all along. Miscues, misdirection, and unspoken desire create the tension that drives the narrative forward. The great hidden romantic truth will be evident long before the very public reveal, but the laugh-out-loud dialogue and Greek mythology—based comedic stage antics, including slapstick scenes, paired with the subplot of the maturing friendship between Rainie and Ella, will deeply satisfy readers. While there is no cathartic moment of self-discovery for the protagonist, she does complete the summer program and find the right partner to support her. She begins senior year with a better understanding of her strengths and an open mind, empowered to rely on her own talents and interests and less concerned with what others might think of her. The book contains mature themes such as underage drinking.