The Hidden Summer

The Hidden Summer By: Gin Phillips

Nell does not have a happy life. She lives with her mother and has had many step dads. Nell does not know when her mom is going to be nice or mean, and she knows her mother does not want her around.  The worst thing happens when Lydia, Nell's best and only friend, is told that she cannot spend time with Nell.  But Nell has a plan.  Nell makes up a summer camp for Lydia and  summer school for her so that they can spend their days together hiding in the abandoned putt putt golf course. Here they have many adventures and meet a family that is living in the 9th hole.  Lydia gets tired of living at the golf course and Nell knows that she must eventually return home, but is having trouble doing it.

I really  liked this book.  I thought that it showed the resilient strength of kids that live with parents that are not doing well.  It breaks my heart that there are many kids that live with people that maybe do not even wan them.  I thought that the strong friendship between Nell and Lydia helped each of them find someone that accepted them and made them feel loved.

I borrowed this from the public library.
ISBN: 978-0-8037-3836-2