That Fine Summer

Brenda Baltensperger is a playwright, a director of children’s
theatre, an editor of children’s fiction, and the author of Fractured
Fairy-tales.

Mahala Jacobs is spending the summer with her grandfather on the
Newfoundland coast. Everything is going fine for this precocious
11-year-old until she has a run-in with Obie. He picked on her at school
and seems intent on continuing to do so throughout the summer.
Grandfather has to make peace when the two clash. Mahala eventually
learns that Obie thought she was among the girls at school who made fun
of his patched clothes and oversized boots. The two children come to an
understanding and find that there are many things they can learn from
each other.

Included in the book are a glossary of Newfoundland expressions and a
brief biography of the late Ella Manuel upon whose life and times the
character of Mahala is based. Besides teaching the value of tolerance
and understanding, That Fine Summer conveys the richness of Newfoundland
culture. Highly recommended.