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The Summer of May
The Summer of May
The Summer of May
Ebook210 pages2 hours

The Summer of May

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

3.5/5

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Now in paperback, a moving novel of loss and resilience, told in a voice that is “sometimes humorous, at times heartbreaking, and always authentic” (School Library Journal).

Twelve-year-old May lives with her grandmother, who is depressed about the absence of May’s mother, and her father, who works long hours and is almost never around. Due to her circumstance and her resentment over having to live in a low-income neighborhood, May often finds herself picking fights and getting into trouble.

But when May is caught defacing her least favorite teacher’s classroom, she has a choice: expulsion or one-on-one summer school with the teacher she most detests. Begrudgingly, May chooses summer school and ultimately learns that her teacher has a secret past—and might just hold the key to answers no one else will give May about her mother.
LanguageEnglish
PublisherAladdin
Release dateApr 26, 2011
ISBN9781416985907
The Summer of May
Author

Cecilia Galante

Cecilia Galante, who received an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Goddard College, Vermont, is the author of eightyoung adult novels and a children’s chapter-book series. She has been the recipient of many awards, including an NAIBA Best Book of the Year, and an Oprah’s Teen Read Selection for her first novel, The Patron Saint of Butterflies. She lives in Kingston, Pennsylvania with her three children.

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Rating: 3.6666666666666665 out of 5 stars
3.5/5

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Unlike any of the other middle grade novels that I have ever read, The Summer of May is not a "sunshine and rainbows" kind of book. Quite the opposite really. This is a tough read, filled with real life emotion that cuts down into your heart as you read. I'll be honest when I say that I literally cried while I read this.May is a 13-year-old girl who wants nothing more than to feel whole again. Navigating the trials of middle school, she tends to use anger as her defense mechanism against anything (or anyone) who she doesn't agree with. She doesn't enjoy the feelings that bubble up inside her and burst to the surface, but it is the one way that she knows how to deal. Angry words help to mask the hurt that she feels inside. This story is a look at how these feelings affect a person, as well as the people around them.May isn't the only character in this book who is learning something either. Amidst her tumultuous inner battle, Galante sets up other characters who are fighting the same sort of battle. Although they are much older than her, these characters show May that she isn't the only one who doesn't know quite how to deal with how she feels. Each character chooses their own defense mechanism, but they all have the anger and hurt beneath their surface. It isn't until May starts to spend more time with Mrs. Movado that she starts to make progress towards understanding what is inside her.At the heart of this book is really a message of forgiveness, and of making amends. This is a topic that is so rarely dealt with in tween/teen books, but I wish it was out there more often. As summer wanes on, May learns to look into herself through the use of writing and poetry. She learns to find the things that are buried deep inside her and come to terms with them. Most importantly of all she learns to forgive, and to ask for forgiveness, in an effort to heal herself from the inside out. If you're thinking that this sounds like a topic from a much older story, I would have agreed at one point. However now that I've finished reading this book I'm not sure I can look at middle grade literature the same again.Excellently written and brimming with honest emotions, The Summer of May is one of the most surprising and heartfelt books that I have read this year. I applaud Cecilia Galante for so carefully and sincerely dealing with such a tough topic. This is a book that I will recommend to tweens, teens and even adults a hundred times over. Dealing with the importance of family, the power of words, and the idea of forgiveness, I don't think it matters who is reading this book. Everyone can benefit from the messages between these pages.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Unfortunately for this day and age, it wasn't very realistic. No teacher could possibly have all that one-on-one time with an 8th grade student without serious repercussions. And taking her on "field trips" without parental consent? Shouldn't happen. I also didn't understand all the issues about her mother, I didn't feel like that was explained very well. But it was a sweet story.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Great story!! May gets in trouble and has to spend the summer with her teacher "Movado the Avocado." The story starts out with May hating this arrangement, but then things begin to change. A great coming-of-age story. The ending is quite sad so be aware, but all in all a wonderful book. Reminiscent of The Wednesday Wars.

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The Summer of May - Cecilia Galante

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