Author: Gae Polisner
Publisher:  Algonquin Young Readers                  
Genre:  Young Adult
Source:  BEA

Goodreads:  Just when everything seems to be going wrong, hope and love can appear in the most unexpected places.

Summer has begun, the beach beckons and Francesca Schnell is going nowhere. Four years ago, Francesca’s little brother, Simon, drowned, and Francesca is the one who should have been watching. Now Francesca is about to turn sixteen, but guilt keeps her stuck in the past. Meanwhile, her best friend, Lisette, is moving on most recently with the boy Francesca wants but can’t have. At loose ends, Francesca trails her father, who may be having an affair, to the local country club. There she meets four-year-old Frankie Sky, a little boy who bears an almost eerie resemblance to Simon, and Francesca begins to wonder if it’s possible Frankie could be his reincarnation. Knowing Frankie leads Francesca to places she thought she’d never dare to go and it begins to seem possible to forgive herself, grow up, and even fall in love, whether or not she solves the riddle of Frankie Sky.

Ope’s Opinion:  This book was very hard to rate and review.  Through most of it, I did not get into it.  The ending redeemed itself, but I still had some issues with it.

This is suppose to be a young adult book – the writing was on the young adult level, but the issues in the story line seemed to be much too mature for a young adult reader.  I don’t think young adult readers should be in the middle of parents figuring out if one of them is having an affair.  Another issue I felt was too adult for young readers was the whole question about reincarnation.

I am not sure what all Francesca let go of this summer.

On the positive side, I did like that Francesca had a good relationship with Frankie.  Although, she did not treat Lisette like she should have, it was nice to see the female friendship in this book.

Rating:  Three Chairs – I like the book enough to suggest it to a friend or two.