The Summer Before Boys

The Summer Before Boys
Author:Nora Raleigh Baskin
Publication Date:May 10 2011
pages:196





Summary:
Julia and Eliza are best friends, spending the summer together. Julia's mother is serving in the National Guard and Julia spends all of her time trying not to think about what could happen. So the girls lose themselves in their summer, hanging out at the resort where Eliza's father works. But when they meet a new boy, neither one of them is prepared for what it does to their friendship.

Nora Raleigh Baskin delivers a poignant look at the way a first crush can come between best friends and the importance of hanging on to the time you have as a kid before rushing into growing up.



Review:

I actually had no idea what this book was going to be about when I first started it. I had no idea how the storyline was going to play out as I was reading it.

Julia’s mom is heading off to serve in Iraq and her dad has to work so she goes and lives with her older sister who she calls her aunt. Because Julia and her older sister are so spread apart in age, she calls her sister and brother in law her aunt and uncle and her niece she calls her cousin.

Julia and her cousin, Eliza cannot be separated, even when they were young they would be together constantly, making up imaginary worlds, and as they grew up it never stopped.

Although both Julia and Eliza are a little immature at times (which is reasonable because there only twelve years old) they hang out and explore everywhere.

Julia and Eliza like to go up to the hotel where Eliza’s dad worked, they would go and get free ice cream, hang out at the lake and a fun time. Only one day when they went to visit at the hotel Julia met Michael.

Michael is a guest up at the hotel for the summer and Julia was instantly attracted to him. Soon she would make up excuses to go up to the hotel just so she could see Michael. Julia made sure to keep it a secret from Eliza. They exchanged phone numbers and it all started there.

Let me just say that when I was twelve I still thought boy’s had cooties. That may have also been because I didn’t hang out with boys much because I was home schooled; I think I was still worried about having the next Polly pocket doll.

I did get a little bored reading this book, it’s definitely more for the younger YA group but I still was very fascinated with the story.  A lot of adults and kids can relate to this story and missing a loved one.

 4/5 stars