Eleven-year-old Stella doesn't mind living with Great-Aunt Louise in her big beach house on Cape Cod while her mom is away finding herself. In fact, she loves it. After living with her very unreliable mother, Stella craves routine and order, and Louise provides just that. Perfectly content, Stella hopes to spend the rest of her life on the Cape. However, this dream is interrupted when Louise takes in a foster child. Angel is the polar opposite of Stella. She is tough and disagreeable--not someone Stella wants to be friends with. But when a tragic event happens, the girls are forced to put aside their differences and work together to survive. It turns out that Angel and Stella have something in common after all. They will stop at nothing to make their dreams come true.

Summer of the Gypsy Moths is a very cute and amusing book by Sara Pennypacker, the author of the popular younger children's series, Clementine. Pennypacker knows how to write for young girls and this book is no exception. This is the not-so-serious story of two girls who crave family and stability. When they finally get it, their caretaker (Aunt Louise) dies. The two unlikely friends decide to work together to hide Aunt Louise's death so they can continue their living arrangements. Readers must suspend reality for a bit here as as they drag Aunt Louise out back and bury her. They are very resourceful girls who live off the land and fool adults about their caretaker's whereabouts. While working together, they learn about friendship, teamwork, and loyalty. Ultimately, they get that sense of belonging and family they both crave. Although may the plot may seem a bit dark, it is actually not. It's a touching but also fun story for kids who will enjoy reading about two clever girls who live in a largely adult free world. Summer of the Gypsy Moths is a wholesome read and a great choice for older elementary school/younger middle school girls.

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