The Blossoming Summer

Gr 3-6–A sweet story of unity with a World War II backdrop. Thirteen-year-old Rosemary has been living with relatives for three years while her parents scrabble for work. Stuck in dreary London, Rosemary daydreams of Paradise, an idyllic home in the countryside with blooming flowers, open spaces, and her loving family beside her. As Hitler’s army advances, her parents retrieve Rosemary and her two younger brothers to flee the imminent threat. They arrive in Wisconsin to live with Rosemary’s estranged paternal grandmother on her vast property, a former lakeside resort. Aesthetically, Wisconsin is everything Rosemary dreamed Paradise would be, teeming with beautiful gardens. However, tensions mount between the adults, and Rosemary unexpectedly discovers she has Ojibwe and French ancestry. After learning of an upcoming gardening competition, Rosemary conspires to repair her fractured family, but she’ll need everyone’s cooperation to bring home a win. Readers will relate to how Rosemary struggles to meet her high expectations of herself. Her earnestness is clearly communicated via third-person narration. The inclusion of Anishinaabemowin words brings authenticity to the story, and Rosemary’s urge to learn more about her background rings true. At times, the motivations of the adult characters are unclear. The story is light on dramatic action, with a gentle, somewhat plodding plot. Themes of hope and the value of collective effort cultivate a lighthearted, optimistic tone.