By: Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Genre: YFQ - Humorous stories (Children's / Teenage)
Published by: Penguin
Published: 7 May 2019
ISBN: 9781984816238

Description

Delsie loves tracking the weather  -  lately, though, it seems the squalls are in her own life. She's always lived with her kindhearted Grammy, but now she's looking at their life with new eyes and wishing she could have a "regular family." Delsie observes other changes in the air, too  -  the most painful being a friend who's outgrown her.


Luckily, she has neighbors with strong shoulders to support her, and Ronan, a new friend who is caring and courageous but also troubled by the losses he's endured. As Ronan and Delsie traipse around Cape Cod on their adventures, they both learn what it means to be angry versus sad, broken versus whole, and abandoned versus loved. And that, together, they can weather any storm.


Review

Delsie lives with her grandmother, who she calls Grammy, in the holiday village of Cape Cod.


Every year her friend Brady returns for the holidays and they spend all their time together. But this year, Brady has made a new friend and Delsie is feeling unwanted.


But then she meets Ronan who has troubles of his own. Together, they face their problems and realise that your family doesn't need to be a blood relative to be the only anchor in your life.


This is a beautifully written novel about one young girl being raised by her lovable grandmother and the incredible neighbours who help her. Delsie faces head-on feelings of abandonment when she realises that she is an orphan as her Mum left her with her grandmother.


Her friend Ronan is also fighting the same feelings as his mum sent him to live with his Dad, who he doesn't really know. A story of facing your past and embracing your present and the future, and realising that the people who truly care about you will always love you, regardless of whether they are family or not.


The book is set in the USA, and it is a wonderful story of changing friendships, growing up and making your own choices. As it has strong female and male lead characters, and will appeal to both  boys and girls in Year 7 and up.


Reviewed by Michelle