1940, England: as war threatens, one family journeys to Wisconsin for a fresh start in The Blossoming Summer.
*The Blossoming Summer by Anna Rose Johnson. Holiday House, 2025. 288 pages.
- Reading Level: Middle grades, ages 8-12
- Recommended For: Ages 8-12
13-year-old Rosemary Rivers is worried by war. Her family has been divided for 3 years as her parents struggle to make ends meet, and now her parents are quitting the jobs they finally found! Her aunt and uncle, whom she has been living with in London, are openly skeptical at her father’s latest plan: taking the whole family to America to live with his hitherto estranged mother.
Rosemary is hopeful. Surely Grandmother Charlotte can’t be so bad if she is willing to welcome them? Surely almost any change is worth being reunited as a family! Northern Wisconsin is a far cry from England, but Rosemary is delighted to find her grandmother lives in a big house with a beautiful garden. Soon, despite family tensions and some surprising revelations, Grandmother has enlisted Rosemary in a project that could bring the family together. But, will Rosemary succeed?
The Blossoming Summer: More to the Story
The Blossoming Summer is Anna Rose Johnson’s third middle grade novel; it reflects and amplifies everything we love in her work. The book begins with a quote from Isaiah 58:11. Characters attend church together. In one poignant conversation, the family talks about what it means to have a peace from God.
In addition to sharing her faith, Johnson shares her heritage. A member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, she weaves Ojibwe culture into the story. Wisconsin, 1940, comes to life in a historical fiction reminiscent of classic children’s books. Characters grow and themes of hope, forgiveness, and restoration combine to make The Blossoming Summer an overall delight, well-deserving of a starred review.
Considerations: None
Bottom Line: An excellent historical fiction for middle-grade girls, bringing 1940 Wisconsin and Ojibwe culture to life.
Note: The Blossoming Summer will release on July 29. We encourage you to support Anna Rose Johnson by pre-ordering this excellent middle grade novel.
*indicates a starred review (the best of the best in its field)
Recommended Reading at Redeemed Reader
- Reviews: Also by Anna Rose Johnson: The Star That Always Stays (another starred review!) and The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry
- Reviews: The Swallows’ Flight by Hilary McKay and Enemies in the Orchard are two more WWII-era historical fiction titles you may enjoy. Both earned starred reviews from us.
- Review: Finally, we recommend Hope in the Valley by Mitali Perkins (another starred review!).
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