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"Stella's Very Special Summer" is a heartwarming tale that takes us back to the summer of 1955, when families packed up their cars and headed to the mountains, beaches, and other vacation spots to escape the city. The author has crafted a nostalgic and captivating story that transports readers back to a simpler time and will open the eyes of young readers with delight.
Eleven-year-old Stella leaves her small hometown with her mother, brother, a set of four-year-old twins, and their dog to spend the summer in their cabin along the river, just a few hours from New York City. Her father can only join them on weekends due to work. The family's cabin is part of a fish camp, where they rent out small cabins, rowboats and sell bait of various types to supplement the family income.
For Stella, this is a summer of emotional losses and growth. She forms a special relationship with a huge white horse and his owner. The challenge to complete a rite of passage by swimming the entire river looms over her. Then a tragic fire affects close family friends and special animals, and the infamous Hurricane Diane of August 1955 devastates the Northeast, including the fish camp, reignites the fear of polio, and nearly drowns Stella's mother.
The book's plot includes a Mafia gangster, One-Hand Sid, who roams the mountains after a botched jewelry heist, avoiding police and trying to stay alive. Sid becomes a critical piece of the family's puzzle to keep the cabin.
For readers who grew up in the 1950s or earlier, the book is a nostalgic trip down memory lane, evoking memories of summer vacations spent with family and friends.
But the book also addresses a critical aspect that young readers who have never experienced life without TVs, iPads and Play Stations will discover. Stella's adventures in the forest and on the river demonstrate the joy of exploring nature and the rewards of being self-sufficient.
The story gives a fascinating glimpse into a time when kids had to rely on their imagination and creativity to entertain themselves.
