Three on a Theme - Beach Books About Growing Up (MG)
Growing up can be hard. Knowing you are not alone can make it easier. What ties these "Three on a Theme" books together are characters who experience growing up growing pains while living life at the beach.
Vacation time is fun for all "big kids," but the change that comes from a break in a routine can be trying and lonely too, especially for kids who don't see their school friends daily over the summer. Where I live, summer is synonymous with beach season so this post will discuss three middle-grade novels that are perfect for a quick read at the beach or anywhere you'd like a fast, engaging story where the characters have depth and learn about themselves.
Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer Holm
Set in during the Great Depression, eleven-year-old Turtle's mother cleans houses as a live-in maid. So when Turtle's mother starts working for a lady who doesn't like kids or cats, Turtle and her cat Smokey ship off to Key West to live with an aunt and uncle and cousins she's never met. Strong and spunky, Turtle is ready for anything...or so she thinks until she meets the Diaper Gang, stinging scorpions, spicy fruit, rumors of pirate treasure, and one tough old lady. Turtle in Paradise is full of adventure and surprising characters. It's a book great for "big kids" who love the beach and summer fun. Learning about life in Key West in 1935 is a bonus.
Junonia by Kevin Henkes
Junonia opens with almost-ten-year-old Alice crossing a bridge from mainland Florida to Sanibel Island just like her family does every year for their annual vacation. They will walk the beach and collect shells and spend time with the friends who meet them on the island every year. But the year Alice turns ten, things slowly, then quickly, start to change. Alice has trouble adapting to the changes that keep happening, but she learns from a new friend, Mallory, that some changes are worse than others. With Mallory's help, Alice gains a perspective she didn't have when she was nine-years-old. While turning ten means double digits, Alice comes to realize life is full of changes that we can't control, but we can control how we feel and what we do in response to change. A great bonus for this book is the beautiful line drawings of shells and sea creatures accompanying every chapter in Gulf-blue ink.
Dog Whisperer: The Rescue by Nicholas Edwards
Set on the coast of Maine, Dog Whisperer: The Rescue is a book full of suspense and heart. Twelve-year-old Emily feels like an outsider in her small town and small family. As a biracial, adopted girl, Emily keeps looking for a connection. She finds it in a large dog, nearly drowned, who washes up on the rocky beach outside of her home. Emily believes there is more to her connection with Zack than just the bond that builds between some humans and animals. But before Emily can explore or explain her connection to Zack, she first has to save him from the men who left him to die. This animal adventure story has a bit of mystery and a touch of paranormal that will hook readers while Emily's evolution as a character connects to readers who feel like no one can understand their story.
Vacation time is fun for all "big kids," but the change that comes from a break in a routine can be trying and lonely too, especially for kids who don't see their school friends daily over the summer. Where I live, summer is synonymous with beach season so this post will discuss three middle-grade novels that are perfect for a quick read at the beach or anywhere you'd like a fast, engaging story where the characters have depth and learn about themselves.
Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer Holm
Set in during the Great Depression, eleven-year-old Turtle's mother cleans houses as a live-in maid. So when Turtle's mother starts working for a lady who doesn't like kids or cats, Turtle and her cat Smokey ship off to Key West to live with an aunt and uncle and cousins she's never met. Strong and spunky, Turtle is ready for anything...or so she thinks until she meets the Diaper Gang, stinging scorpions, spicy fruit, rumors of pirate treasure, and one tough old lady. Turtle in Paradise is full of adventure and surprising characters. It's a book great for "big kids" who love the beach and summer fun. Learning about life in Key West in 1935 is a bonus.
Junonia by Kevin Henkes
Junonia opens with almost-ten-year-old Alice crossing a bridge from mainland Florida to Sanibel Island just like her family does every year for their annual vacation. They will walk the beach and collect shells and spend time with the friends who meet them on the island every year. But the year Alice turns ten, things slowly, then quickly, start to change. Alice has trouble adapting to the changes that keep happening, but she learns from a new friend, Mallory, that some changes are worse than others. With Mallory's help, Alice gains a perspective she didn't have when she was nine-years-old. While turning ten means double digits, Alice comes to realize life is full of changes that we can't control, but we can control how we feel and what we do in response to change. A great bonus for this book is the beautiful line drawings of shells and sea creatures accompanying every chapter in Gulf-blue ink.
Dog Whisperer: The Rescue by Nicholas Edwards
Set on the coast of Maine, Dog Whisperer: The Rescue is a book full of suspense and heart. Twelve-year-old Emily feels like an outsider in her small town and small family. As a biracial, adopted girl, Emily keeps looking for a connection. She finds it in a large dog, nearly drowned, who washes up on the rocky beach outside of her home. Emily believes there is more to her connection with Zack than just the bond that builds between some humans and animals. But before Emily can explore or explain her connection to Zack, she first has to save him from the men who left him to die. This animal adventure story has a bit of mystery and a touch of paranormal that will hook readers while Emily's evolution as a character connects to readers who feel like no one can understand their story.
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