A Summer to Die

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What to expect

Acclaimed author Lois Lowry's first novel, A Summer to Die is a poignant and perceptive tale of love and tragedy.

Meg isn't thrilled when she gets stuck sharing a bedroom with her older sister Molly. The two of them couldn't be more different, and it's hard for Meg to hide her resentment of Molly's beauty and easy popularity. But now that the family has moved to a small house in the country, Meg has a lot to accept.

Just as the sisters begin to adjust to their new home, Meg feels that Molly is starting up again by being a real nuisance. But Molly's constant grouchiness, changing appearance, and other complaints are not just part of a new mood. And the day Molly is rushed to the hospital, Meg has to accept that there is something terribly wrong with her sister. That's the day Meg's world changes forever. Is it too late for Meg to show her true feelings?

Critics Review

  • “A warm picture emerges of a family bound together by caring
    and closeness…Meg’s sorrow as well as her joy comes pouring out in this
    perceptive tale.”

    Booklist (starred review)
  • “Not simply another story on a subject currently in
    vogue, this book is memorable as a well-crafted reaffirmation of universal
    values.”

    Horn Book
  • “An appealing first novel—brisk, witty, affecting…An
    attractive, laconic heroine in an upbeat presentation of a most difficult
    subject.”

    Kirkus Reviews
  • “Like her growing acceptance of Molly’s
    imminent death, the novel’s impact gradually intensifies toward the climax but
    only after healing forces are also in place and Meg is ready to accept them.
    The novel is a keenly sensitive look at the death of a sibling, especially appropriate
    for the younger ‘young adult.’”

    Children's Literature

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