Author: Morgan Matson
Reviewed by Chloe Fuksa, Putnam Six Bookstore
Ask any kiddo to describe their ideal summer vacation and the result would probably be pretty close to The Firefly Summer. Hanging out with cousins, swimming at the lake, eating s’mores for dessert, enjoying Fourth of July fireworks – this middle-grade debut from author Morgan Matson has it all.
Ryanna has her summer all planned out when she receives an unexpected letter – she’s invited to visit her grandparents’ summer camp on the opposite side of the country. Ryanna doesn’t have any memories of that part of her family, but she decides it would be a good opportunity to learn more about the mother she lost at a really young age. Ryanna meets cousins and aunts and uncles she never knew existed, and they tell her stories about her mom, show her pictures, and pass down her mom’s old possessions. The best part is that amongst the items is a treasure map that Ryanna’s mom left for her. The kids dig underground, they climb trees, they dive beneath a dock, all trying to find the next clue. The map is a fun adventure in and of itself, but could the reward at the end actually be incredibly important and valuable? When the kids learn that a local developer is going to tear down their camp to build condos instead, they realize they have to find the treasure as quickly as possible.
The Firefly Summer can sometimes feel like it is trying to tackle too many issues – it is nearly 400 pages after all – but the author does manage to connect them all together by the end. And while the book just came out in May 2023, it definitely seems like a sequel could happen in the future. The Firefly Summer is a really fun, highly entertaining read that is an utterly perfect ode to summer vacations.
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