The summer of bad ideas

Kiera Stewart

Book - 2017

Two mismatched cousins from estranged branches of a family spend an adventure-filled summer together in Florida, completing a list of "Good Ideas for Summertime" as recommended by their eccentric late grandmother.

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Subjects
Published
New York, NY : Harper, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers [2017]
Language
English
Main Author
Kiera Stewart (author)
Edition
First edition
Physical Description
296 pages ; 22 cm
ISBN
9780062360212
Contents unavailable.
Review by Booklist Review

Sometimes a bad idea is exactly what you need. Forced to spend the summer in a small, swampy town in Florida after her grandmother Petunia's death, Edie is desperate for a summer of freedom and adventure. While her overbearing mother, geeky father, and annoying, genius younger twin siblings are preoccupied repairing Petunia's house to sell, Edie and her übercool, almost-famous cousin Rae decide to honor Petunia in a different way: by attempting to complete her old list of Good Ideas for Summertime she wrote back when she was Edie's age. But what if all of Petunia's good ideas were actually bad ones? Is Edie prepared to face the consequences that come with her new adventurous, rule-breaking self? A fun, quick read, this novel's handling of the death of a grandparent is at once skillful, nuanced, and age appropriate. With charm, wit, and just the right amount of awkwardness, Stewart offers a fresh take on the classic coming-of-age tale, one that remembers with ease a time when summer meant freedom and freedom meant finding yourself.--Kuss, Rebecca Copyright 2017 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review

Gr 4-6-Edith, her academic parents, and her eight-year old twin siblings (both already members of Mensa) together return to rural Pinne, FL, to prepare Edith's recently deceased grandmother Petunia's house for sale. In the Florida swamp, surrounded by her grandmother's pet snakes and lizards, Edith meets her cousin Rae for the first time. Rae is everything Edith wishes she could be: brave, glamorous, and popular-with a viral Instagram feed and a long-distance boyfriend she met while doing a Shakespeare play. When Edith discovers her grandmother's long-lost list from childhood, "Petunia's Good Ideas for Summertime," she sets out to create "Edie," a new version of herself. These adventurous challenges, though seemingly "bad ideas" at first glance, once actualized allow Edith to find out who she is and what she values in ways that are both comforting and somewhat unexpected. Stewart's whimsical contemporary coming-of-age story is full of sweetness and moments of sheer chutzpah. VERDICT A fine supplementary addition to medium and large collections in need of summer reads.-Alpha DeLap, St. Thomas School, Medina, WA © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review

Cautious Edie spends the summer stuck in Florida, helping fix up her late grandmother's house; that grandmother's list of "Good Ideas for Summertime" sets off a string of antics for Edie and adventurous cousin Rae. Tweens unsure of how much independence they want should relate to Edie's constant mental tug of war between her overprotective mom's voice and her desire to be cool. (c) Copyright 2017. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review

Sometimes getting grounded is the first step to freedom, especially when you're using bad ideas to guide your path. Edith and her quirky, offbeat family travel to Florida for the summer after the passing of her grandmother Petunia. Though she never met her grandma, she feels an odd kinship with the nontraditional woman, especially after finding Petunia's old list of goals, which comes with a warning: "Not for the Fainthearted!!!" Feeling abandoned by her back-home friend, Taylor, and lost in her family dynamicoverprotective mother, wannabe cool dad, and obnoxious, genius younger twin siblings, she is desperately in need of an identity of her own. Preferably one that does not include "boring" as a description, a moniker she overheard at a recent social gathering where Taylor was accepted but she was not. Renaming herself Edie and working with her almost-famous cousin Rae (she's acted in commercials) for the summer as the family repairs Petunia's old house to sell forces the reluctant dare-taker to want to push her limits. However, a mishmash of lies and half-truths between Edie and Rae threatens to destroy their budding friendship. Through Edie's candid voice, Stewart pens a bright, funny gem that charms with its spot-on sarcasm and wit. Readers will appreciate the clever way she re-creates the awkwardness of trying to figure yourself out. This middle-grade friendship book makes a fun, quick read. (Fiction. 8-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.