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Description
Jaz reluctantly heads to the Rainbow Marshes for the summer after her mother recovers from cancer, leaving the city behind for the wide-open skies of the countryside. As violent storms sweep across the marsh, she confronts the delicate nature of life and discovers how quickly things can change. A quiet local boy named Ethan, who knows the marsh's rhythms, offers her a glimpse of hope and the courage to face her fears. Together they learn that hope can be as fragile and fleeting as a butterfly's wing, yet resilient enough to endure.
Quick Summary
Jaz thinks she's in for the worst summer ever when her family decides to spend it in a place called the Rainbow Marshes while her mom recovers from cancer, but what starts as a reluctant obligation turns into something she never expected. The book has this wonderful way of being genuinely funny one moment Jaz's sarcastic inner voice and the absurd situations she gets into then hitting you right in the feels the next when dealing with her family's health scare and what it means to actually show up for people you love. Kids looking for a story about a teen who doesn't want to be somewhere but discovers unexpected adventure and connection will find a lot to relate to here, and it's the kind of book that keeps pages turning even for reluctant readers who might usually struggle to finish something this long. There's some spooky-mystery type stuff going on in those marshes too, so it works for readers who like a little thrill mixed with their humor and heart. If you're looking for something similar, this has the same summer-adventure-plus-emotional-depth vibe as some of Wendy Mass's work, but with a slightly older feel. Parents will appreciate that it handles serious topics like illness and family stress in a way that's age-appropriate and ultimately hopeful, without being preachy about it.