Summerhouse Time

by Eileen Spinelli

Book Overview

Every year a rented pink cottage full of family, swapping stories, and riding waves mean Summerhouse Time for Sophie. Best of all is sharing a room with her favorite cousin and laughing and trading... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0375840613
• ISBN13: 9780375840616
• Release Date: May 2007
• Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
• Length: 218 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.0" x 7.3"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

Great for Beginning Chapter Book Readers

When you hear the name Spinelli in relation to children's literature, it instantly grabs your attention. However, Eileen Spinelli, author of the delightful Summerhouse Time, is the wife of the famous award winning author, Jerry Spinelli, of Maniac McGee fame. But obviously the great writing technique must be abundant in the Spinelli home as Mrs. Spinelli gives us a book that is a delight for children just learning to read chapter books. The style of writing in almost a diary like format, gives the young reader much confidence, as well as fun, as they can read though the "chapters" so quickly! Summerhouse Time is a story about Sophie who like most children that are 11 years old, can't wait for summer vacation. In the case of Sophie, she is anxious for her family to go on their yearly trip to the Jersey shore and spend the warm, fun summer days in the rented pink cottage with some of their other family members including her older cousin Colleen. Sophie adores Colleen as she looks up to her and likes to emulate her cousin. The trip as Sophie puts it is "better than Christmas". With Sophie's best friend, Katie Johnson gone to spend the summer with her dad, Sophie is even more eager for August to come so she and her family can leave for New Jersey. One wrinkle in Sophie's waiting for the best part of the year, is the "new boy" on the block with the wonderful laugh and beagle puppy named Dakota. Sophie arranges to "accidentally" meet this boy when he helps her climb down from a tree she is up, supposedly looking for her cat, Orange. Sophie is quite interested in Jimmy Gabbiano to say the least. Sophie goes so far as to try and learn Italian because she decides it would impress him. As summer moves on and a friendship grows between Sophie and Jimmy (a friendship that she imagines might become more as she daydreams about him wanting to kiss her), Sophie realizes she will miss Jimmy and can't wait to be able to introduce him to Katie when they all are back home before school starts. Sophie talks Jimmy into writing letters to keep in touch while she is gone. She doesn't think he is that keen about it but when her mom hands her a package left on the porch the afternoon before they leave, Sophie changes her mind. Jimmy has left her a silver necklace with a tiny silver spider on it. Jimmy has a great interest in spiders so this is symbolic to Sophie and the note attached wishes her a great time on her holiday! When Sophie and her family arrive at the pink house on the New Jersey shore, she runs to greet her idol, cousin Colleen, who is a bit standoffish to say the least. Colleen even says she is getting her own room this summer. When Sophie questions her aunt about why Colleen is mad, she is told the Colleen is "mad at the world". And so, Sophie begrudgingly rooms with Tammy, her 5-year-old cousin who calls her "Soapy". Sophie doesn't realize that to Tammy, she is the idol, just as Colleen is, or was, to Sophie. The rest of August is spent filled with ever

A Wonderful Story

This story follows a family during their summer vacation at the shore - in fact, several family members meet at the summerhouse every year, it's a tradition. This year, some things change, especially for 11 year-old Sophie; her favorite cousin has a bad attitude towards her, she loses her cat, her aunt loses her job, and other problems come up for Sophie during her summer vacation. It is a coming-of-age story for Sophie as she realizes that things do not remain the same from year to year. I loved how the book was written - I *thought* the book was going to be one long poem, but it was a complete story with small chapters. The chapters are very short and written in a way that resembles a poem - very unique and interesting. I enjoyed the story and felt that it would be a great book for a young girl (or boy) to read.

Perfect leisure reading for summer!

Eileen Spinelli's SUMMERHOUSE TIME tells of cousins who share yet another summer together and who find their worlds are changing. As they grow up. From blossoming romances to new interests, SUMMERHOUSE TIME charts the evolution of family closeness against the backdrop of a summer off. Perfect leisure reading for summer!

It's about the strength and importance of family

Eleven-year old Sophie can't wait for August to arrive. As soon as school lets out for summer vacation, Sophie counts the days until the first day of that month. For as long as she can remember, August 1st is when her family leaves for the New Jersey shore and Summerhouse Time. She and her parents pack the car, crate up Orange (the cat) and spend a month at a rented cottage with her aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins. But this year is different. Sophie's dad is a high school American History teacher who has always had a part-time job during his summer break --- except, of course, during the month of August. This year Dad works hard at his part-time job, but he is unusually cranky and doesn't look well. Mom is a substitute teacher whose favorite saying is "The best things in life aren't things." She practices simple living, shops at thrift stores and gets upset when her old bathing suit no longer fits but refuses to buy a new one. Also, a boy named Jimmy Gabbiano has just moved into Sophie's neighborhood. He is cute and shy and has a beagle puppy. Sophie wants him to notice her and thinks up ways to meet him without looking too obvious. After they finally become acquainted with each other, she decides to learn Italian and feels sad when she has to leave him for a whole month. Sophie can't wait to share a room --- and some secrets --- with her favorite cousin, 14-year old Colleen, who has always made Sophie feel grown up and special during Summerhouse Time. After Sophie and her family arrive at the cottage on the beach, she is excited to see Colleen, but Colleen acts bored and ignores her. Then Sophie discovers that she won't be sharing a room with Colleen after all. Instead, Sophie is rooming with five-year-old cousin Tammy, a chatterbox who acts like a baby. And Sophie's cousin Cooper is afraid of water and won't swim in the ocean. This year, Summerhouse Time isn't anything at all like it has been in the past. To pass time, Sophie practices her Italian, teaches Cooper to swim and writes letters to Jimmy while awaiting one from him. She fears that Jimmy has forgotten her and wonders if things will get any better before the month is over and it's time to return home. SUMMERHOUSE TIME is a story about events that change and shape our lives. But most of all it's about the strength and importance of family, no matter what time of year. --- Reviewed by Donna Volkenannt