A Summer of Sundays

I really enjoyed this book, much more than I expected. Sunday is a middle child and she feels like she's often forgotten in the chaos of family life. But this summer, Sunday determines will be different. She will make her mark in some way making it impossible for her family to forget her like they did at the gas station. While helping her father renovate Alma's library she makes a discovery that she believes will help her in her quest. Her new friend, Jude, is recruited to help Sunday make a statement, but her plan will only work if she can figure out who wrote the manuscript she found. Sunday's efforts to uncover the author lead to the revealing of secrets that others don't want shared. Sunday must make a choice about what is truly important to her before it is too late.Strengths: The relationships between Sunday and her family are priceless, in my mind the best part of the book. Like many children, Sunday struggles to get along with her siblings, especially when it seems they get more attention than she does. The other relationships in the book are well done as well, Sunday's friendship with Jude, her attempts to get to know Ben Folger, the town hermit, as well as the thrift store owners with a huge dog they can't control. The relationships feel very real and are quite enjoyable to read about. Also the mystery unfolds in a believable manner. While I figured it out quite early in the story it was interesting to read about Sunday's thoughts as she uncovered clues. Reminded me in some ways of The Penderwicks.Weaknesses: I'm not sure how much middle grade readers will enjoy the literary mystery. They certainly won't see the parallels to Harper Lee (author of To Kill a Mockingbird) that I saw very clearly as I read.

My daughter join a book club, All the girls like this book

Gave this book to a school requested by a teacher.

Loved this book!

The writing style of this book was rather simplistic - too simplistic for my 6th grader but would be suitable for 5th grade or below or a reader who doesn't want to have to work too hard.Initially the main character was too whiny for my taste but grows up over the course of the story.Perhaps that was the writer's intention.Was a little sparse for a bookclub pick - this was one of the least interesting discussions the girls had since there wasn't a great deal to analyze.