The Firefly Summer by Morgan Matson

Noting one important consideration, The Firefly Summer is an enjoyable light read with a theme of family solidarity.

The Firefly Summer by Morgan Matson. Simon & Shuster, 2023, 385 pages.

Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12

Recommended for: ages 10-14

A Classic Setup

Except for her mother’s tragic death in a traffic accident when Ryanna was only three, the girl has enjoyed an interesting childhood. Her dad is a screenwriter and sometime director, allowing Ryanna to grow up around sound stages and set crews. Until the letter arrives, she anticipates a normal summer in Los Angeles. It’s from her maternal grandparents, requesting that the she spend the summer with them in the Poconos. “We feel it’s time Ryanna gets to know where she comes from while she still can.” The last time she visited her grandparents was with her mother, shortly before the accident. Since then relations between them and her father have been cold, to put it mildly. But for some reason, Dad feels compelled to grant their request, especially since he’s planning to spend the summer in Hungary for a movie shoot.

It’s a classic middle-grade setup: kid temporarily bereft of parent(s) reluctantly goes far away to spend the summer with relative(s) he or she barely knows, and after a rocky start ends up learning valuable lessons, bonding with said relatives, and spending the best summer ever. Firefly Summer doesn’t break with the formula, but instead of one set of grandparents, Ryanna is confronted with an entire side of her family she didn’t even know existed. They are the Van Camps: aunts, uncles, and four cousins. Her grandparents operated a summer camp for years (Camp Van Camp, of course), but since it closed the facilities are used as a family haven and summertime tradition. The rocky start doesn’t last long, and Ryanna soon falls into a rhythm of swimming, kayaking, s’mores toasting, and catching fireflies (which they don’t have in California).

Nothing like Family

Plus a mystery. There’s a whole side of her backstory she knows nothing about, especially what her mother was like. The grownups all knew her, and have stories to tell. But even more intriguing are the clues left behind by Casey Van Camp herself: her favorite set of mystery books, her heart-and-key necklace, and her treasure map. A real treasure map, that will prove surprisingly relevant, not just to revealing the past but preserving the future, even Camp Van Camp itself.

Though the details seem far-fetched, the classic kids-save-the-day story is comfortable and fun, and the importance of blood relationships to one’s self-understanding is a theme impossible to miss. Here’s the catch: one of Ryanna’s uncles is married to a man. We’re seeing more same-sex parents or relatives in children’s novels, and their presence can understandably be a deal-breaker for Christian families. Same-sex couples exist in the world, of course (though perhaps not with the same frequency as in middle-grade novels!) and Uncles Byron and Dennis don’t have a big part in the story. Some parents may choose to discuss the issue head-on, after which some readers can enjoy the story. As always, we leave it to parents’ discretion.

Considerations:

• Two married uncles, as noted. Also two misuses of God’s name, always in lower case.

Overall Rating: 3.75

• Worldview/moral value: 3.25
• Artistic/literary value: 4

Read more about our ratings here.

Also at Redeemed Reader

• Reviews: Caterpillar Summer and Half a Chance reflect similar themes.
• Resource: For outdoor fun, check out a copy of Get Out and Play! Favorite Outdoor Games from Kaboom!

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