Middle Grade Review: The Summer of Bad Ideas

 

Title: The Summer of Bad Ideas

Author: Kiera Stewart

Publication Info: HarperCollins, 2017. 304 pages

Source: Library digital resources

Publisher’s Blurb:

In this funny, big-hearted friendship story, perfect for fans of Wendy Mass and Linda Urban, twelve-year-old Edie and her impossibly cool cousin, Rae, set out to complete a mysterious list of “Good Ideas for Summertime” that their eccentric late grandmother wrote back when she was their age.

But good ideas? Most of them seem like bad ideas. Reckless. Foolish. Ridiculous. Still, by accomplishing everything on the list, rule-abiding Edie feels certain that she can become the effortlessly brave adventurer she dreams of being, just like her daring cousin and bold grandmother. For this one summer at least, bad ideas are the best shot she has at becoming who she wants to be.

Bad Idea Number One: It’s time for a new set of rules.

My Review:

I took my sweet time finishing this one, but that was because of distractions (like driving across the country), not any real problem with the book. I did seem to be easily distracted in the first few chapters, but that's pretty normal for me.

Edith--Edie--is a likeable and relatable heroine. I could certainly relate to the geeky misfit aspect of her character, though not to the over-protective parents problem (my parents were blessedly trusting and liberal, as were many in the 1960s and 70s before we all became paranoid). In a way, there are two issues being developed here: Edie's need to learn to accept herself so that she can make and have friends (and her need to discover that she's not really so very unique with her anxieties and failings), and her need to break out of the fear-limits that have been in part developed out of her mother's over-protective parenting. Honestly, someone should have shaken that woman a long time ago, but with luck it's not too late for Edie. 

Some of the things on Petunia's (the grandmother's) list might be bad ideas, and most lead to trouble, but the idea behind the list is a good one: push your limits and find out who you are, or make yourself who you want to be. Of course, that's easier said than done, and doesn't Edie know it! In a different sort of way, this is a coming-of-age novel that has something for everyone, as we watch Edie discover herself and learn what makes a real friendship.

My Recommendation:

Ages 9 or so and up (the issues Edie faces are somewhat particular to middle school, but the friendship-insecurities start much younger for many). This is required reading for any geek who is scared of the outdoors, and anyone who thinks that she is the only not-cool kid around. It might also be required reading for any parent who is afraid to let their 7th-grader go to the store by herself. 

Full Disclosure: I borrowed an electronic copy of The Summer of Bad Ideas from my library, and received nothing from the author or the publisher in exchange for my honest review. The opinions expressed are my own and those of no one else. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."    

Photo Friday: Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Unit

Two weeks ago I shared our adventures in the South Unit of TRNP.  It's time now for the North Unit. We only spent one night there, but still managed to get in two adventures, at least as much as we did in the South Unit (it helped that our time in the North Unit was unhampered by rain--the weather was beautiful). For more about the park in general, see the previous post.

We left the South Unit on a chilly morning, but the day heated up during the 60-mile drive north. On the road into the Park, we had a minor  delay, the local version of a traffic jam.

A herd of 15 or 20 cows and calves and a bull or two (young ones? Not sure why these were with the females) ambled across the road, supremely indifferent to the inferior beings in their metal boxes.

We found a campsite in the attractive Juniper Campground (in a peaceful cottonwood grove; I don't recall seeing any junipers...).  After a trip to town for supplies and a nap (and some serious time spent cleaning our bikes, which had gotten rather nasty what with the rain and dirt roads), we mounted up for a late-afternoon ride.

Juniper campground is in that grove of cottonwoods.

The park road offered a perfect 19-mile round trip ride from the campground, and almost no traffic on this weekday in late August. I think we saw about 6 cars the whole time we were out. Of course, for most people it was dinner time. For us, it was the perfect time for riding and photos.

The little viewing pavilion was a 1930s CCC project.

Even right along the road the badlands geology was on show.

Layers with varying degrees of erosion resistance, as well as different mineral make-ups, create striped slopes and platforms.

The "Cannonballs" are accretions, but I missed the explanation (if any) of why and how they formed in this cliff.

 Low afternoon light over the river and the bluffs provided the motivation for timing our ride just before sunset.

The Little Missouri River marks the line between Mountain Time and Central Time right here. South Unit runs on the former, North Unit on the latter. The parts of the North Unit across the river are wilderness, so no one cares what time it is there.

 Next morning we made an early start to get in a 4-mile hike before it got hot. This proved to be a great choice--the trail routed us through a bit of everything, from coulees (canyons) to badlands to the rim. We had wanted to do a much longer hike/bike combo, but with a long drive ahead of us, decided we couldn't afford the time. Another one to come back to some day! Actually, I'd like to do an overnight loop through the wilderness section of the park someday.

Walking up the coulee, with some really interesting layers of mud/mudstone on the walls above us. The dark grey is something that clearly oozes and slides with every rain, or nearly.

The is petrified wood in the badlands as well.

This was well above the trail, but in any case, however tempting, good people don't steal pieces of petrified wood.

We had noticed as we hiked that many of the trail markers appeared to be posts with plain metal pieces attached. We finally figured out why the markers were blank and the posts so smooth.

All that hair gives bison itchy faces. And the post are perfect for scratching those itches... even if it means leaving some of that hair behind.

We broke out onto the high prairie after a couple of miles.

The road crossing was a popular spot. This reminded me of something... ;)

Wild turkeys. Not that different from British rock stars?

On through more badlands. I wouldn't want to do this trail when it was wet (as we learned in the South Unit, the mud turns ice-rink slick).

  And then we dropped back down to the car, to clean up and drive 6 or 7 hours to Minnesota and a new kind of terrain.

This was really a beautifully designed trail, and hiking it in the recommended direction early in the morning was perfect.

Next stop in a week or two: Lake Superior--my first Great Lake.

 ©Rebecca M. Douglass, 2018

 As always, please ask permission to use any photos or text. Link-backs appreciated.

IWSG: Major Life Events and Writing

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds! Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time - and return comments. This group is all about connecting! Be sure to link to the IWSG page and display the badge in your post. And please be sure your avatar links back to your blog! If it links to Google+, be sure your blog is listed there. Otherwise, when you leave a comment, people can't find you to comment back.

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

October 3 question - How do major life events affect your writing? Has writing ever helped you through something?

The awesome co-hosts for the October 3 posting of the IWSG are Dolorah @ Book Lover, Christopher D. Votey, Tanya Miranda, and Chemist Ken!

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Oh, wow--I think our IWSG leaders chose this prompt for me. Do life events affect my writing? Well, yeah. You know that, because I've been whining about it all year!

This has been a year of change for us, though in fact the change didn't happen until June. But we have spent much of the year planning for the big events: retirement and the sale of our home of 20 years (last year was the year of empty-nesting, as our second son started college), followed by major travels. Just the planning badly disrupted my writing--I think that any significant writing stopped by early March, and I am only now starting to get at it again.

A lot of that disruption to my writing was what I'll call physical: my time was eaten up by preparing the house for sale, then by our summer backpacking extravaganza, and finally by moving out, putting all our goods in storage, and driving across the country to begin our year of vagabonding.

The other aspect that has made it hard to write, though, is the psychic and emotional burden of these life changes. Having our last kid move out (a year ago) was one thing, but ripping my life up by the roots is quite another. Part of the point of this exercise (besides getting to see more of the world) is to shake us up and keep us sharp by forcing us to adapt to new situations. That's not an easy thing for me, so facing the prospect (maybe even more than actually doing it), left me often unhappy and upset, and in search of the comforts and consolations of re-reading old favorites, rather than the adventure of diving into new stories of my own.

I'd like to say that through it all, writing has been my point of stability. But I'd be lying. Writing is my calling, but that doesn't mean it isn't hard. And, being hard, when everything around me is in chaos, I find it all too easy to find something else to do. I'll give myself credit for keeping this blog going the whole time, the one writing task I managed to sustain. I still have visions of writing my way around the world--but I think that I'll do very little beyond maintaining my journal of our travels, and, I hope, sharing them here.

How about you? Can you treat writing as your rock when chaos erupts around you? Or are you with me--in search of a nice novel and a bowl of ice cream? Leave your answer below, then follow the link in the logo to visit the other participants in this most encouraging of writers' blog hops.