very good - Ruthie

Last Summer With Maizon didn't really seem to go anywhere. It had a plot, but even though the plot involved the death of the protagonist's father and her best (only?) friend going away to school, I didn't feel like any of it mattered much. I felt that I knew Margaret, but most of the other characters were too minimally developed.
The conclusion seemed a bit anticlimactic as well. Instead of moving in a direction and getting to a point, it felt more like it moved in a direction and then gave up and went back to where it started. ( )

Summary: Margaret stays inside and takes care of her brother Li'l Jay and looks after her mother everyday. She loves to hang out with her best friend Maizon too. Her father becomes very sick though and has to keep going to the hospital for tests. Maizon might go to a boarding school soon. Margaret is very jealous of Maizon's life. Soon Margaret's world turns upside down and she has to learn to adjust with out some of her favorite people.

Evaluation/Argument: This book does a very nice job of approaching real topics in life in a subtle way. There are a lot of topics discussed in this book that could happen to anyone in real life. For example, the author addresses the topics of friendship, family, separation, and death all throughout this book. I think the author does a great job of addressing these topics in a way for young readers to understand. I think that kids will love this book. Students have a lot of friends and usually a few very close friends, which will help this book to become more relatable to readers. Even as an adult reader the author was still able to keep my attention throughout the text.
The central message of the book is to value the time you have with everyone. Margaret and Maizon get separated once Maizon is accepted to Blue Hills so she has to move away from her best friend and grandmother. Margaret's father also passes away, which brings up the topic of death and how you should value your time with loved ones because you never when life will change. ( )

RGG: Heart-warming story about friendship between two middle-school African American girls, one of whose father dies and the other who goes off to attend a white boarding school in which she feels ostracized. Very readable start of a series. Reading Level: 10-14; FP - Q-R.

RGG: Heart-warming story about friendship between two middle-school African American girls, one of whose father dies and the other who goes off to attend a white boarding school in which she feels ostracized. Very readable start of a series. Reading Level: 10-14; FP - Q-R.