Silver Meadows Summer

Synopsis: 

“Eleven-year-old Carolina’s summer—and life as she knows it—is upended when Papi loses his job, and she and her family must move from Puerto Rico to her Tía Cuca and Uncle Porter’s house in upstate New York. Now Carolina must attend Silver Meadows camp, where her bossy older cousin Gabriela rules the social scene.

Just as Carolina worries she’ll have to spend the entire summer in Gabriela’s shadow, she makes a friend of her own in Jennifer, a fellow artist. Carolina gets another welcome surprise when she stumbles upon a long-abandoned cottage in the woods near the campsite and immediately sees its potential as a creative haven for making art. There, with Jennifer, Carolina begins to reclaim the parts of the life she loved in Puerto Rico and forget about how her relationship with Mami has changed and how distant Papi has become.

But when the future of Silver Meadows and the cottage is thrown into jeopardy, Carolina and—to everyone’s surprise—Gabriela come up with a plan to save them. Will it work?”

Review:

As I just mentioned yesterday, I love when a setting becomes an integral part of the story I’m experiencing. Some authors are better at world-building than others and Emma truly painted the picture. I could see it all – Carolina’s home she left in Puerto Rico, Silver Meadows Farm, the forgotten cottage. Carolina sees the world through the eyes of an artist and can find the small magic of the natural world. Which includes the dew on the grass that makes everything shimmer like silver. Fairies must live in such a magical place, but Carolina’s mother wants a new start for her daughter.

Carolina’s mom wants her to spend time with her cousin and friends for her. But that means less time for drawing, painting, and the world Carolina knew and loved. Carolina spends much of the story struggling between doing what she loves and trying to please her mom in this new environment.

What I truly loved about Silver Meadows Summer is how Carolina is trying to find herself while honoring her island roots. She’s an immigrant in a new neighborhood where her cousin and brother are the only other children with Carribean roots. It’s also the story of family and friendship finding the balance. The balance between what you want for yourself and what your parents think is best for you. But at its heart, the story is truly about coming together for a cause that’s bigger than any one person. And in the end, choosing the path that’s right for you.

Need to Know:

Title: Silver Meadows Summer
Author: Emma Otheguy
Publisher: Random House Books for Kids
Publication Date: April 30, 2019
Page Number: 240 pgs.