Children's Literature – Justina Engebretson
For fifteen-year-old Clare, the dark cloud that seems to be hovering over her summer fun continues to build. Having married husband number three, Clare’s mother is headed off on her honeymoon, while Clare is being shipped off to Cape Code to stay with the father she has not seen since she was a toddler. Clare can only imagine how miserable the next three weeks of her life are going to be. After an initially awkward reunion, Clare and her stranger father slowly begin to get reacquainted with one another. During the weeks she is visiting, Clare learns firsthand about her father’s strange fascination with the island turtles and discovers a secret she almost wishes she had not. However, her summer of doom may turn out to be the summer she will never forget—for good reasons. This young adult novel is a heartbreakingly tender father-daughter tale that will not leave its readers untouched. Clare, with her deep emotions and conflicting thoughts, is a character that many teenage girls will love and understand. Her powerfully moving relationship with her father is the focal point of the plot. Themes of forgiveness, love, discovery, acceptance, and coming home are brought to life with eloquent prose that will bring tears to one’s eyes. Some topics included in the novel are homosexuality, divorce, and remarriage. There is some minor profanity, so this book may not be appropriate for middle school students. Reviewer: Justina Engebretson; Ages 14 up.