“Some children’s books are so good, they should be enjoyed by everyone and not just the kids they were written for. One Alley Summer is surely one of these books; if you have fond childhood memories of unscheduled summers, where adults were scarce and neighborhood kids were plenty, One Alley Summer will feel as familiar as your own backyard.”
—Kristin Nilsen, author of Worldwide Crush
“I love this book so much I want to live in it, with these rope-jumping, skate-boarding, tree-climbing, bottle cap-collecting, poetry-writing, mouse-rescuing, dog-finding, double-daring, friend-making (and sometimes losing), life-loving, joy-filled kids. Ylvisaker has created a place so real and full of life, you’re going to want to live here, too.”
—Margi Preus, Newbery Honor winning author winner and winner of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature for Heart of a Samurai
The summer before middle school is a time of anxiety and change. A pitch-perfect novel in verse about one girl’s wish to simultaneously break free and belong.
Categories: middle-grade novel, poetry
Themes: coming of age, diary, secrets, middle school, verse, summer, skateboard, dog, boundaries, nostalgia, poetry, growing up, story in free-verse, friendship, peer pressure
Publishing date: May 6th, 2024
ISBN: 9781958325124 (Hardcover) (available)
Hardback with jacket: $17.99 US
ISBN: 9781958325131 (Ebook)
Ebook: $9.99 US
Publishing date May 6th 2025
ISBN: 9781958325407 (Trade Paperback)
Trade Paperback: $11.99 US
Publishing date April 15th, 2025
Length: 256 pages
Size: 5.5×8.25 inches
Age: 9-12
Grade: Gr3-6
AUTHOR: Anne Ylvisaker
COMPS: The Summer of June by Jamie Sumner, Birdie by Eileen Spinelli, Shouting at the Rain by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Available at your favorite bookstores or online retailers.
It’s not that I never forget a name. It’s just that there are certain names that take up permanent residence in my brain and won’t be removed no matter how many years go by. I think Anne Ylvisaker is a pretty good example of that. Why did I know her name? I finally had to just give up and look her up and then I knew. Back in 2014, she published a novel with Candlewick called The Curse of the Buttons and it was great! Top notch writing! Now she has a very different middle grade out with a main character by the name of Phee. Phee’s the kind of kid harboring a truly wild imagination and a tendency to make up stories and make things as dramatic as possible. When a new kid moves in next door name Mercy, Phee is deeply interested. This is a verse novel, a coming of age, and I just happen to really like this cover. One to keep an eye on! —Betsy Bird, A Fuse 8 Production, School Library Journal
Anne Ylvisaker
Anne Ylvisaker (pronounced ILL-vi-soccer) is the author of the picture book IAMASAURUS (Cameron Kids 2022) as well as many award winning books, including five middle grade novels with Candlewick Press, a board book, and nineteen books of non-fiction for young readers. In 2005 Anne was awarded the McKnight Artist Fellowship/Loft Award in Children’s Literature. She has a master’s degree in education.
Also an artist, Anne has participated in various group art shows, and in 2019 had a solo show of paintings and poems called Surprised by Delight.
Anne grew up near the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Until 2006, she spent her adult life just across the river in Saint Paul, teaching and writing. After four years in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Anne moved to Monterey, California where she lives with her husband Dan. Find her at anneylvisaker.com
“A kid-friendly primer on addressing the elephant in the room—metaphorical and otherwise.” —Kirkus Reviews
“A relatable tale that will ring true with both creative and athletic readers.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“A can-do panda and a laze-about penguin are inexplicably best buds in this odd-couple escapade series launch.”
Publishers Weekly – Early Reader Spotlight
“Sophie is the perfect mix of heart, humor, and hilarity!” —Lincoln Peirce, creator of Big Nate
