By Gillian McDunn (author)
"Heartwarming, poignant story of family life and love"
Paperback In Stock £6.99 £6.29
View All Editions (2)
July 2019 Debut of the Month
Caterpillar Summer is one of those apparently quiet books that actually have a huge and lasting impact on readers. It’s the story of Cat - Caterpillar - and her little brother Henry, nicknamed Chicken, and the three weeks they spend on holiday with the grandparents they’ve never met before on the North Carolina coast.
The children’s father is dead and their mum works hard as a children’s book illustrator and lecturers to support them. Cat feels the weight of responsibility to help and in particular to look after her little brother who is autistic. When their planned holiday with friends falls through Mum has no option but to take them to stay with her parents, though she hasn’t spoken to her father since Cat was born.
Living with Lily and Macon by the beach, Cat finds time to make friends and with her grandma taking care of Chicken, to think about what she needs. She’s also able to work out the issues between her mum and her grandad, who she’s come to love, and effect a reconciliation. The story is beautifully told, the landscapes both interior and exterior, perfectly described and it manages to be authentic and hopeful. Highly recommended.
Andersen Press are particularly good at finding contemporary novels that give children the opportunity to consider what really matters - see also Susin Nielsen and Aoife Walsh .
Cat is the glue holding her family together. When her little brother Chicken has a meltdown, she knows just how to calm him, whether it's scratching his back or reading his favourite book. They've always had a special bond.
Read the full description
But with their mum working extra hard after their dad's death, Cat is struggling to keep everything afloat. When Cat and Chicken unexpectedly end up spending the summer with the grandparents they've never met, Cat suddenly has the space to be a kid again. Gradually, she discovers that days on Gingerbread Island are full of fishing, fireflies and new friendships - as well as a lifetime of family secrets.
Could this summer be Cat's chance to bring her fractured family together again?
An engaging, honest book - I love Cat, and you will, too! -- Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, Newbery Honor-winning author of The War That Saved My Life
I could almost smell the ocean air as I read Gillian McDunn's Caterpillar Summer . What a beautiful story of family, forgiveness, life on an island, and growing up -- Kate Messner, acclaimed author of The Seventh Wish and Breakout
[A] well-written book about the struggles of a fractured family -- School Library Connection
Gillian McDunn has lived in California, Missouri, and North Carolina, and is a fan of both the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans. Like Cat, Gillian grew up as the big sister to a younger brother with special needs. She lives near Raleigh, NC, with her family. This is her first book.
Photo credit: Laura Case
Brilliant Children's and YA Books to Read this Summer
Books for Children and YAs that Celebrate Neurodiversity
the best books for 9-12 year olds
How to Roller-Skate With One Leg
Cat is the glue holding her family together. When her little brother Chicken has a meltdown, she knows just how to calm him, whether it's scratching his back or reading his favourite book.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Caterpillar Summer and determined it is suitable for children aged 9-12 years old
Caterpillar Summer features in the following genres: Debuts of the Month, Recommendations, Featured Books for 9+ readers, PSHE: Special educational needs and disability (SEND), Personal Social Health Economic (PSHE), Children’s, Teenage and Educational, PSHE: Siblings, PSHE: Family Issues, Featured Books for 11+ readers
Paperback, Hardback. £6.29, down from the £6.99 cover price. In Stock.
Caterpillar Summer was written by Gillian McDunn and published by Bloomsbury Childrens Books an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Caterpillar Summer has 294 pages
£6.29, reduced from £6.99. In Stock.
©PTC International Ltd T/A LoveReading is registered in England. Company number: 10193437. VAT number: 270 4538 09. Registered address: 157 Shooters Hill, London, SE18 3HP. Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer
The National Year of Reading starts here. Join thousands of families and schools supporting reading for pleasure across the UK.