Gossamer Summer - by H M Bouwman

About the Book

Four sisters make a friend, find a grubby fairy, and defend the neighborhood against evil birds in this book about grief, magic, and the power of stories.

Book Synopsis

Four sisters find their summer vacation taking a magical turn when they stumble into the world of some rather unexpected fairies in this "heartwarming" (Kirkus Reviews) and "clever" (The Horn Book, starred review) middle grade story that's perfect for fans of The Penderwicks.

It all started when Jojo saw a fairy but said she didn't. After all, fairies aren't real--and if they were, they wouldn't look like that! No, Jojo did not see a small, green, muddy...person. Her sisters have no problem believing, though. They beg Jojo to finish the story she started telling long ago, but since the death of their beloved grandmother, Jojo hasn't felt like talking about magic, even if her sisters still believe.

Instead, the sisters decide to make fairy gardens to entice the new kid across the street to come play. Their plan works, but it also catches the attention of creatures that bear an uncanny resemblance to the bedraggled fairies Jojo invented. Stories can't come to life, though--can they? Yet the danger is real enough. With the questionable help of a very self-satisfied cat, the sisters and their new friend, Theo, set off on an adventure to save the fairies from a flock of terrifying birds made of bones.

But making everything right again will require a different kind of magic: the magic of sharing stories...and letting go.

Review Quotes

* "Cue trouble in fairyland and kids to the rescue. Bouwman pulls off this energetic slipperiness with such confidence and brio that we almost don't notice that the underlying story is one of bereavement, as the girls are coping with the death of their grandmother. The writing is a complete delight of originality and specificity. Reliably funny, never once twee, clever in the way of kids and fairies, and authentically moving."--Horn Book Magazine, STARRED REVIEW

"An omniscient narrator sets a playful tone and brisk pace in this humorous, E. Nesbit-feeling fantasy from Bouwman, and the fairies and younger sisters provide comic relief as Jojo and other characters unpack grief of their own."--Publishers Weekly

"Bouwman's clever middle-grade fantasy has a delightful throwback feel . . . Jojo directly references Narnia as inspiration for her tales, but the book also has much in common with The Neverending Story. . . A heartwarming fantasy exploring grief, friendship, and fairies."--Kirkus Reviews