A wonderful chapter book that reminded me of the stories I used to read as a child. Young readers get to accompany Gemma, a ten-year-old girl in her summer adventure, enjoying the fun-filled holiday with her Canadian cousins. This was the first book in the series called “My Country Cousins” and I can’t wait for the next one.
My thoughts:
Gemma leaves her home in England to spend the summer vacation with her cousins in Canada. She is excited, dreaming of what lies ahead. As it turns out, she will discover a new country and life on a farm, which has little in common with the one back home. Her holiday will include both adventures and challenges, as Gemma will explore, as the author puts it, her newfound independence.
The story was fun and fast-paced, and I loved the sprinkles of humor that added to the delight of the reading experience. This is one of the best books that celebrates the joy of growing up and exploring the new chapter in your life. Well-written, it will delight children, but I think it might be the kind of nostalgic read parents might turn to. Gemma is the perfect heroine, and there were plenty of moments filled with friendship and laughter to make me think about my own cousins, and how we used to play together as children.
I loved the word count added the end of each chapter, I think this is an ingenious way to help children assess the progress they made. It also encourages reluctant readers to conquer the next chapter and enjoy themselves in the process. I am happy this book is part of a series, and I appreciated the sweetness of the story, with its endearing characters and lighthearted humor. For the brief period that I read the book, I was a child again, feeling everything Gemma was feeling.
Verdict:
A beautiful book, which brings together the emotions of emergent adolescence. With vivid descriptions and relatable characters, the author has created a story that will speak to both children and adults. I can’t wait for my daughter to grow up and read this wonderful story herself, feeling the same connection to Gemma as I felt. Well-done!
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