The Mending Summer

Perfect for fans of Orphan Island and Wishtree, The Mending Summer is the next stunning middle grade novel from Ali Standish—author of the Carnegie Medal nominee The Ethan I Was Before and August Isle, Bad Bella, and How to Disappear Completely—about a girl who is struggling to deal with her father’s alcoholism when she discovers an enchanted lake…

Some summers are meant to break your heart. Others to mend it. Every once in a while, a summer rolls around that does both. 

For Georgia, this summer is shaping up to be a big disappointment. Mama is busy studying for her biology degree. Daddy is working nights, and often the man who comes home isn’t Daddy. He’s a man who looks like Daddy, but walks a little wobbly. Who sounds like Daddy, but sings a little too loud. Georgia calls him the Shadow Man.

So now, instead of riding horses with her friends at camp, Georgia is sent off to the country to stay with her mysterious great-aunt for the summer to avoid her parents’ fighting.

There, a lonely Georgia meets a mysterious friend named Angela and together, they discover a magical lake—one that can make wishes come true. At first, the lake offers Georgia a thrilling escape from her worries and hope that she can use its magic to heal her family. But as things grow worse at home, a troubled boy appears at the lake and the wishes threaten to spiral out of control . . . 

Award-winning author Ali Standish explores the courage it takes to piece your heart back together again when those closest to you break it. 

"Standish has created a timeless tale of discovery, growth, and relationships. A powerful story about an important topic." —School Library Journal (starred review)

“Readers will be drawn into this story of friendship, magic, and the heartbreak—and healing—of addiction.” —Kirkus

A JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD SELECTION!

One girl. One magical lake. And one impossible wish to fix everything.

• A Sensitive Look at Family Addiction: Georgia loves her daddy, but she dreads the nights he comes home as the wobbly, loud ‘Shadow Man.’
• An Unforgettable Summer Escape: Sent away to her mysterious great-aunt’s country house, Georgia must navigate new rules, old family secrets, and her own loneliness.
• A Touch of Magical Realism: An enchanted, wish-granting lake seems to offer the perfect escape—and the power to wish her family back to the way they were.
• The Power of Friendship: A new friend named Angela helps Georgia explore the lake’s secrets, but their magical adventures soon spiral out of control.