Tomorrow, children’s author Sara Pennypacker, will be doing a signing at Titcomb’s Bookshop here in Sandwich, at 4pm. She will be introducing her latest middle grade novel, The Summer of the Gypsy Moths, so yesterday I downloaded and read the book. I absolutely loved it. Once again Pennypacker masters the art of weaving internal and external conflict and takes her characters on a journey of change and growth.

Pennypacker tells the story of two twelve year olds, Stella and Angel, and their amazing summer on Cape Cod. Family drama, a dead body, catering to cottage renters, and evading social services all combine to profoundly change these two young girls in the space of a few weeks.

Stella replays the movie in her mind about where her life is headed. Angel takes care of herself, doesn’t need anyone, and has definite plans for her life. I finished the book this morning and was left in a quiet state of awe. The end of every page kept me wanting to go to the next one and I couldn’t put the book down.

Sara Pennypacker gently weaves the lives of these two girls, with a woman who has passed away and the owner of the group of cottages and as a result of this clever story, both girls learn about fear, loss, breaking down emotional walls, and that the movies they make in their mind don’t always play out as they have written them.

And so, as another day goes by, tomorrow I get another chance to hear a great children’s author discuss her work, and…I have written.