THE GREAT GOOD SUMMER

When her beloved mama goes missing, idea girl Ivy Green springs into action.

When wildfires devastate the area around Loomer, Texas, Ivy’s mother, Diana, is devastated as well, and she turns for solace to a man named Hallelujah Dave, following him to The Great Good Bible Church of Panhandle Florida without so much as a forwarding address or a phone call to her husband or daughter. In addition to babysitting and missing her mother, Ivy spends her summer striking up an unlikely friendship with “egghead” Paul Dobbs, who is captivated by all things related to space. Soon, Ivy and Paul concoct a plan to head to Florida to find Ivy’s mother and, oh yeah, see the space shuttle while they’re at it. Ivy’s quirky voice narrates the story, which is full of adventure, to be sure, but also meditations on home, family, and the differences—and striking similarities—between science and religion: “Looking up at the sky and wondering is what science people like Paul do. And it’s what God people like Mama do too. If that’s not the craziest thing.”

Equal parts peculiar and poignant, Ivy’s story will have readers giggling as they root for her to find everything she’s looking for.