Review by Booklist Review
News of a house-swap vacation sets off alarm bells for both Sage, an only child living with her parents in Southern California, and Allie, the middle child of three living with their parents in an English village. Picking up snatches of phone conversations, Sage suspects that her parents are considering a divorce. Meanwhile, Allie's dog gets sick on the morning of departure, so she and her mum stay home while he recuperates. By the time they arrive in California, Sage and Allie have planned a desperate scheme to ferret out the truth about Sage's parents' relationship in hopes that, Parent Trap--style, things will turn out well. For each girl, the vacation brings challenges, unforeseen benefits, and a new perspective. The author of Glitter Gets Everywhere (2021), Clark reveals the hearts and minds of these two very different main characters through their alternating first-person narratives. In interesting, nicely integrated subplots, Sage follows a genealogy trail that leads her to Bletchley Park, while Allie discovers that she doesn't hate surfboarding (or her older brother) after all. A well-paced, very readable book.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In a charming novel positioned as The Parent Trap meets The Holiday, Clark (Glitter Gets Everywhere) centers two 11-year-olds navigating their place within their families. Aspiring spy Allegra "Allie" Greenwood, who lives in a small English village near Bletchley Park, is interpersonally direct but still feels invisible within her bustling family. Shy only child Sage Grayson, who's into crystals, resides in a big L.A. house, where she's focused on reminding her parents that they still love one another. When Sage's mother arranges a girls' trip for herself and Sage--a house swap with the Greenwood family--and a pet's illness keeps Allie and her mother from leaving as planned, Allie and Sage quickly become friends. In alternating, distinct voices, they narrate their growing friendship, which involves sharing confidences and conspiring to save Sage's parents' marriage by getting her dad to England. Clark cozily portrays Allie's tight-knit Costwolds village, where Sage is researching her British great-great-grandmother, and establishes both girls' arc toward learning to talk about their feelings and ask for what they need. Involving some basic spycraft, the result is a likable, low-key tale about life's surprises as well as the trials and rewards of family life. Main characters cue as white. Ages 8--12. Agent: Elizabeth Bewley, Sterling Lord Literistic. (Feb.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 3--7--Odd-couple duo Allie and Sage will warm readers' hearts as they find themselves in a unique situation where their families swap homes for for the summer, leading to adventures as they discover more about themselves and their new countries. Sage lives a carefree life in California, surrounded by sunshine and the ocean, and all the fun that comes with being a Cali girl. Allie, who is British, dreams of someday being able to investigate unsolved mysteries. The girls are quite different in terms of personality, culture, and family style. While Sage is used to being an only child in a small family, Allie is used to a more crowded home, one that at times makes her feel like she is hidden in the background. Tweens will enjoy getting to know Sage and Allie through their alternating perspectives and will likely connect to their relatable struggles. Sage fears her parents might get separated and Allie feels lost, trying to make sense of how it feels to be a part of such a different family unit than Sage's. In the end, readers will find themselves emotionally invested as both characters learn about what it truly means to be a family, the challenges that come with growing up in different environments, and how hard it can be to find yourself. Both main characters are white. VERDICT A strong, heartwarming coming-of-age tale for tweens, teens, and even adults.--Aurora Dominguez
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A tender story of two girls navigating complicated family lives. Allie, with her red hair and fair, freckled skin, is the overlooked middle child of a family living in Oxfordshire. Blond-haired, blue-eyed Sage is an only child living near the ocean outside Los Angeles. Their families have decided to swap houses for their vacation, but Allie's dog's illness delays her family's departure, allowing the girls to meet in person. Although their personalities are polar opposites, they text and FaceTime, confiding in each other about their situations: Allie feels overshadowed by both her talented older brother and her exuberant 6-year-old sister. Her pain is palpable as her anger toward her siblings grows, and she resents Mum and Dad's hands-off parenting style. Sage believes her parents are heading for divorce, and she is terrified of this possibility and determined to figure out what is going on in their marriage. The chapters alternate between the two girls' first-person perspectives; both fear that voicing their worries out loud might make them real. Having the support of a new friend provides Allie and Sage with the courage to act on their problems, teaching them that talking about hard things is better than keeping everything bottled up. A captivating connection to World War II code-breaking at Bletchley Park mirrors the theme of the importance of finding out the truth. This novel provides two poignant storylines that illustrate the value of learning to have hard conversations. A gentle look at emotional growth. (historical note) (Fiction. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
