Possum Summer [Englisch] [Gebundene Ausgabe]

P (short for Princess) isn't your typical 11 y.o. girl. Her idea of fun is running barefoot through the river bottoms and rescuing orphaned possums. She doesn't just rescue the critter, but becomes its surrogate mother. Learning to care for a wild animal forces P to make difficult choices and instead of running away, P faces them head-on. The trouble she gets herself into will make you laugh, and her friendship with the possum will make you cry. With a well-developed cast of secondary characters, Possum Summer is sure to be a classic.

Princess ("ick" she thinks, please call me P) is a nature-loving tomboy, a little perturbed that she isn't maturing as fast as some friends, but mostly concerned with her dad's safety (he is in the military overseas ), the changes in her friendship with her neighbor Mart, caring for the donkey and cows on the farm, and reports of rabid animals in the area. An orphaned possum focuses the story lines in this rural adventure. This would be a good choice for readers who enjoyed RASCAL, THE YEARLING and WHERE THE RED FERN GROWS, and anyone who likes a heroine who prefers to spend her time barefoot and out-of-doors. Note: This review is from an advance reading copy. The book jacket notes that the finished book will have line drawings by Omar Rayyan.

This is a heartwarming story with a realistic portrayal of growing up on a rural farm in the heart of the midwest. Eleven year old P's adventure during one heartbreaking summer are relatable to anyone who's grown up in the country and has learned to deal with love, lost, and growing up.

Young P's summer adventures start when she and her family's dog Blackie, take to the creek bottoms to explore. After all, that's the fun part of living out in the country as a kid even if it's a place she shouldn't be going. This exploration will forever change P's summer, making it an unforgettable one as she ends up adopting a baby possum. That wouldn't be so hard if one, she knew how to care for it and two, there wasn't an epidemic of rabies going on. This young girl isn't one to be deterred and she does whatever she can to save this little guy and what ensues is a bond of friendship.

I enjoyed seeing how P and Ike's relationship bloomed. I for one think baby possums are adorable, but I wouldn't have the drive that P does to take care of it and raise him. There relationship is one that reminded me of my childhood pet and the bond I had with her. By creating this realistic bond of trust and friendship, Jen really pulled at my heartstrings when P has to make the tough choice to protect Ike. Young P is a strong, stubborn character whom I enjoyed getting to know. Her adventures reminded me of ones I took when I was younger. Though I didn't grow up in the heart of Oklahoma like she does, she's a character who's easy to relate to. I admired Young P for her bravery and for taking responsibility for chores and other things that happen around her farm. While her father is at war and her mother works long hours at the hospital, this young girl learns to grow up fast.

P deals with a lot of things in a short amount of time, and without giving much away, I'll just say she made a little teary eyed towards the end of her story. Lucky for P she's got a great support group around her and I adored her best friend and her grandmother. While I'm a little sad P's story is over, I can honesty really enjoyed getting to meet her. I'd definitely recommend picking it up! It's a quick read and one of those stories that reads like the classics we grew up with.