 | Summer of a thousand pies Author: Dilloway, Margaret | |
| Price: $6.55 | ||
Summary:
After her father goes to jail, Cady Bennett, twelve, is taken from foster care to spend a summer with her estranged Aunt Michelle, trying to save her failing pie shop.
| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: MG Reading Level: 4.00 Points: 10.0 Quiz: 504637 | Reading Counts Information: Interest Level: 3-5 Reading Level: 3.30 Points: 16.0 Quiz: 77414 | |
Full Text Reviews:
School Library Journal - 12/01/2018 Gr 4–6—Since her mother's death, Cady's father has been adrift, struggling to maintain a job and provide a home and basic parental care. When long-standing sobriety issues land him in jail, 12-year-old Cady is once again placed in foster care, this time with her Aunt Shell, her mother's sister whom she hardly knows. Life in remote, yet close-knit Julian, CA, is quite different from living homeless on the San Diego streets. At Aunt Shell's pie shop, Cady discovers a sense of belonging she never knew, making friends with the employees and regular customers, while also learning some hard truths about her parents. But Aunt Shell's business struggles have jeopardized the future of the pie shop, and Cady's scrappiness, ingenuity, and drive to be a great pie-maker gets everyone in her newfound home involved to save the establishment. Eight recipes with notes from Cady are included as back matter. Memorable characters and strong writing make this more than just a book about pie. Homelessness, substance abuse, undocumented immigrants, and same-sex relationships are weaved into the plot, along with themes of belonging, acceptance, and finding one's place in the world. Though some social issues would have benefited from deeper development and others are not wholly rectified, they are present and, to the author's credit, vital aspects of the narrative. VERDICT Realistic fiction with substance. This would be a fine purchase for mid to large collections.—Rebecca Gueorguiev, New York Public Library - Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
Booklist - 04/01/2019 After Cady’s dad shows up drunk and disorderly to a school meeting, Cady is taken out of his custody. She’s been in foster care before, so she knows she can handle whatever comes next. What she doesn’t expect is for her estranged aunt Shell to appear and take her in, as Cady’s father always claimed Shell didn’t want anything to do with them. Shell and her partner, Suzanne, become the family Cady has always needed. Over the course of a summer, she befriends members of their small town and helps Shell save her struggling pie shop. Cady shows a lot of courage and strength throughout, and her growth is realistically portrayed as she learns to open up to her new family. Her reactions reflect the journey of a child who has had to take on too much responsibility, and her story is inspiring and hopeful without oversimplifying Cady’s experiences. The appended recipes for Cady’s pies add a sweet touch to this tender coming-of-age story, perfect for fans for Lynda Mullaly Hunt and Ali Benjamin. - Copyright 2019 Booklist.
