Firefly Summer

Product Information

I would have loved this book at ages 9-11. The main character loves mystery books and has a mystery (or a few mysteries) to solve and her trying to get info about the mother who died when she was very young were all my cup of tea and would have also been when I was the target age for this story. The mysteries I could mostly guess from miles away but they were still entertaining. The whole scenario is a bit formulaic I suppose but it worked. I had to suspend disbelief just a bit regarding the main mystery being solved. The situation with Ryanna’s father and grandparents being happily resolved seemed believable because they are all good people. And then in mid-July, Ginger and I were going to fly out to Hungary and spend a few days on set, and then the three of us were going to tour around eastern Europe before heading home. It was the plan we’d worked out over weeks, and nowhere in that plan did I see room for hanging out with grandparents I didn’t even know. Like other Binchy titles, the novel depicts the changes affecting Ireland in the late twentieth century. It contrasts the small town's simple pastimes like fishing and swimming with the tastes of the free-spending Americans. [5] Reception [ edit ] I don't think Eddie was approached in quite the right way. I could believe that he enjoys being a wee hooligan, but Dara and Michael treat him horribly (this pissed me off because they're never corrected; if I EVER hear my children, especially the older ones, talk to a younger one the way Dara and Michael talk to Eddie, I'll figuratively snap their heads off like a Praying Mantis and eat them), Kate and John alternately ignore and punish him, and they simply can't figure out why he's a troublemaker all the time?? PLEASE. It's also inconsistent with the rest of Kate's character: a busy but very loving mother who wouldn't pretty much just *forget* 1 of her 4 children.

I was just talking to Ryanna about the… conversation,” my dad said to Ginger, widening his eyes at her. Morgan Matson grew up in New York City and Greenwich, Connecticut. She attended Occidental College in Los Angeles but halfway though a theater degree, she started working in the children's department of Vroman's Bookstore and fell in love with YA literature. My dad never talked about my mom’s family, so I only knew the basics. She was one of five siblings, the middle one. She had two brothers and two sisters. But mostly, all the facts I knew about my mom were from when she was older: Her name was Cassandra, but everyone called her Casey. She was gorgeous, with long blond hair and a big smile. She died when I was three. She was crossing the street in New York City when a taxi had run the light, and hadn’t seen her in time. And she was an actress who’d met my dad on the set of Bug Juice, the first movie he wrote.I know I've mentioned it twice already, but this book was just so much FUN. I haven't read a true middle grade novel in a while, and I forgot how genuinely comforting they feel. This book reminded me of the simple joys of being a kid and the endless possibilities of summer. Even if I wasn't a summer camp kid, I still felt nostalgic for the times my brother, cousin, and I would play together all summer long. The treasure hunt was really clever and I loved Ryanna's determination to see it through even when it was difficult. Ryanna wants to learn about her mom, so she accepts. She wants to uncover the mystery of why her father hasn’t spoken to her grandparents all these years. She’s even looking forward to a quiet summer by the lake. But what she finds are relatives— so many relatives! Aunts and uncles and cousins upon cousins—a motley, rambunctious crew of kids and eccentric, unconventional adults. People who have memories of her mom from when she was Ryanna’s age, clues to her past like a treasure map. Dr. Wendy was the therapist I used to see once a week—my dad had found her for me after my mom died. He’d been worried about me processing my mother’s death, which I didn’t really understand, since I couldn’t even remember my mom. But I liked Dr. Wendy, even though half the time I wasn’t really sure why we were talking. And while it was nice to have someone to talk to about friends and grades and the current Miss Terry mystery I was reading, I’d asked my dad if I could stop seeing her this past year. He’d agreed but let me know that she would always be available in case of an emergency. I jumped off the bed—Cumberbatch yowled at me, not happy that I stopped petting him—and took the steps downstairs two at a time.

As The Firefly Summer opens, readers are introduced to Ryanna as she enters the room and declares, “I could tell something was wrong the second I came downstairs.” (Chapter one) In what ways is Ryanna’s ability to read her father’s behaviors indicative of her understanding that something unusual is happening? Based on what her dad shares, predict how this new plan for her summer might shake things up for her family and specifically for her.I don't fully understand Grace's evolution. It's as if one day she is a genuinely sweet tween/teen and the next she is, as Kate puts it, "a little madam." By the end of the book she is practically unrecognizable, but the gradual changes in her personality and preferences seem to happen off-stage. This was a little frustrating.

Maeve Binchy was born on 28 May 1940 in Dalkey, County Dublin, Ireland, the eldest child of four. Her parents were very positive and provided her with a happy childhood. Although she described herself as an overweight child, her parents' attitude gave her the confidence to accept herself for who she was. My dad winced slightly, and Ginger reached out and gave his hand a squeeze. “Your grandparents. Your mother’s parents.”

Advance Praise

Sleepaway Camps: As Ryanna joins her mother’s family for their final summer at Camp Van Camp, she learns more about what life can be like at sleepaway camps. Begin by asking readers if any of them have been to a sleepaway camp, and if so, were any of their experiences like those in the novel? Next, have readers research the summer sleepaway camps in their area to discover the following: I stared down at the letter my grandparents had sent. My thoughts were whirring. What did while she still can actually mean? Did it mean that this was a onetime offer? My only chance to go to Pennsylvania—wherever that was—and see more pictures like this of my mom? Although fireflies in Florida are impressive, Texas has one of the longest firefly seasons in the nation. These lightning bugs make a forest or meadow look enchanted sometimes as late as November. Fireflies in the East In South Carolina, you can also see many fireflies starting in May. A popular spot to find fireflies in South Carolina is Congaree National Park from May through June.

In a nutshell, I would have liked a lot more depth. Even the ending, where a child catching a jar of fireflies is the catalyst for the sisters to begin talking about their brother, and a near tragedy causes Bridie to stop drinking - it all happens instantly! There's no stumbling, no bumps in the road, everything is suddenly perfect. Because suddenly that was all I wanted. I wanted to know more about her—much more than just the same stories I’d heard so often from my dad. And I wanted to know what had happened. Why hadn’t I heard from my mom’s family? What had gone on between my dad and my grandparents to cause a rift this big? On August 26, 2009, it was confirmed after much speculation that Glau would be joining the cast of Joss Whedon's Dollhouse for at least two episodes in season two's early part. She portrayed Bennett, the programmer for a rival Dollhouse. [7] On March 12, 2010, it was announced that she would be joining the cast of NBC's The Cape in a leading role. [8] In June 2010, she was confirmed as the female lead in the horror comedy film Knights of Badassdom. [9] On July 11, 2011, Glau was cast on Alphas as Skylar Adams, a recurring alpha and mother to Zoe Adams, and a former acquaintance of Dr. Rosen and Nina. [10] Glau voiced Kara Zor-El in the DC Comics original animated movie Superman/Batman: Apocalypse. [11] It’s this beautiful story about 11 year old Ryanna who lost her mom when she was 3 and is estranged from her moms family. She gets invited to stay at the grandparents old campgrounds on the park in PA and there she discovers she has many aunts, uncles, and cousins who she didn’t know beautiful. It was lovely seeing her forge these close relationships with her family and learn more about her Mom through her stay.Truly the best part of the book was the determination and stubbornness of the kids to save the camp from being torn down. I loved how it tied into the treasure hunt as well, and added some stakes to this otherwise fluffy and comforting book. The flow was terrible. An event would be brought up and we would get six people's POV on it. The whole book just lumbered until we got almost to the end.