First published 1989
Arthur arrives at his relatives' farm for what he expects will be an ordinary summer away from home. His aunt and uncle live differently than his parents do. They approach daily tasks with curiosity rather than routine. They express affection in ways Arthur has never witnessed. As the weeks pass, Arthur watches how his aunt tends her garden and how his uncle fixes broken things with patience instead of frustration. He observes their neighbors and discovers that families can look nothing like his own yet still work perfectly well. The people around him seem to find joy in small moments he would have overlooked back home. Arthur begins to question assumptions he never knew he held about the right way to live and love. By summer's end, he realizes the world contains far more possibilities than he imagined.
Genres: fiction, family-life, contemporary
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Farm
Period: Summer
117 pages · Library Binding · Perfection Learning