About book L'été Où J'ai Sauvé Le Monde En 65 Jours (2014)
I loved reading this book. I might have missed it if a coworker hadn't expressed concerns about its being in the children's section instead of the teen section. That aside, it is a delightful read about a thirteen-year-old girl who decides to do one good deed per day . . . and then see what happens! I think I'd like every 11 - 13-year-old to read this book and try the same experiment. Also has a light romance story.p. 4 "He said, "It is very often the ordinary things that go unnoticed that end up making a difference. As you embark upon your high school careers, be unnoticed, but be remarkable."Grandmas Simple Truths p. 6p.8 "For the first time in my life, I didn't wait for someone else to step up.And that is the beginning of everything."p. 127 "And what if the solution is just . . . good? Plain, simple, small good things, so unnoticed, so unremarkable that they're remarkable. And what if ordinary people could be the heroes?" I gesture to the dark houses. "Right here."p. 129 "some people - a lot of people just don't understand good. They're always looking for something else. Only thinking of themselves." . . . . "If you ask me, people are to messed up. This world is too messed up for little things to matter."p. 168 "Are there more people in the world like your dad, or more people like me? and you? . . ."It's not if you know; it's what you hope. You can't give up, not try."p. 231 "Not perfect. A little rusty.but still a family."See? Good stuff. Nina is at a crossroads in her life. It's the summer before she enters high school. Introspective Nina has a lot on her mind: Her big brother, Matt, is working all day at the pool and is who knows where at night, her lawyer parents are busy with the biggest divorce case of their careers and her best friend, Jorie, seems more interested in boys, make-up and clothes. While Nina feels a little left in the dust, the anniversary of her beloved grandmother's death is also upon her. Nina was always closer to her grandmother than anyone else in her family, even including her mom. It's been a tough year without her grandma to teach her life's STs, or Simple Truths, and Nina feels kind of adrift. As she is lying in the hammock in her backyard on one of the first days of summer, she notices her newly-widowed next door neighbor, Mrs. Chung, struggle to plant her yearly marigold garden due to a broken leg. Nina has always been one to sit back and watch, not the one to step in and get involved. But after Mrs. Chung gives up and goes inside, Nina decides to secretly plant them for her. "For the first time in my life, I didn't wait for someone else to step up. And that is the beginning of everything." Nina decides to use the last days of summer to do 65 kind, anonymous deeds for those in her neighborhood. She leaves brownies for Mr. Dembrowski who no one ever sees, she sews a torn superhero cape for Thomas, little brother of Eli (the boy Jorie hopes will take her to homecoming and who Nina secretly likes, too), cleans up Matt's car, leaves good luck pennies in all her neighbors mail boxes and befriends a quiet girl in her summer art class. She finds a comforting confidence in being Mystery Girl, completer of random acts of kindness, and this helps as she tries to adjust to Jorie and Eli's budding romance, her changing groups of friends, her parents' work schedule and missing her grandmother terribly.The book reminds me of Pay It Forward, a little Sarah Dessen romance and some Harriet the Spy (a more mature Harriet, though). Nina is introverted, artistic, kindhearted, and creative. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who wants to feel inspired, enjoy a little romance or friendship drama, is working through some changing family dynamics or a loss and who is maybe a little like Nina. Even though the protagonist is entering high school, I think both middle and younger high school students would enjoy Nina's story. Grades 6-10
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I loved this book.I am going to use it as a read aloud next year when we discuss kindness.
—saran
Excellent. Loved it. Quick read. Cute story. Hard to put down.
—billg
ITS A GOOD BOOK AND HAD A LITTLE SWEET MESSAGE
—Helen
