The Summer I Learned to Fly

Gr 6—8—Fatherless teens' paths cross in Dana Reinhardt's story (Wendy Lamb Books, 2011) of evolving relationships. Thirteen-year-old Drew Robin Solo, a.k.a. Birdie, lives with her mom, cares for her pet rat, and is working at her mother's popular cheese shop during the summer. But she's itching to spread her wings. Drew is enamored with 19-year-old Nick, the shop's pasta artist. Nick views Robin fondly, but as a kid. One day a 14-year-old runaway who calls himself Emmett Crane suddenly appears in the alley behind the shop. Emmett left home on a quest to find a miracle cure for his seriously ill brother, but he keeps his life and mission a secret until he and Robin develop a close friendship. Entwined in all this is Robin's deceased father's journal of lists: his favorite things, his regrets, his embarrassments. Birdie joins Emmett in the final leg of his trek, abandoning her beloved pet rat. This incident seems to be an awkward reinforcement of the story's freedom theme. Shannon McManus's voice for Emmett is too suave and intimate for a young teen, a flaw which overshadows her otherwise fine performance. However, the lackluster story probably won't hold the attention of listeners.—Jennifer Ward, Albany Public Library, NY