Loon Summer

Summary: My first morning on the lake I hear the loons. "Oh-OOOO-oooo." Their sad songs remind me that Mom isn't coming to the cottage this summer. Rainie knows that this summer will be different. As she and her dad do the things they've always done at the cottage, Rainie is painfully aware of her mom's absence. Throughout the summer Rainie watches a pair of loons on the lake—watches as they lay eggs, hatch babies, and are together as a loon family. "My teacher says loons stay together for life. Why can't you and Mom?" she asks her dad. Loon Summer is an authentic, hopeful story of a child adjusting to the difficult reality of changes in her own family. As summer progresses, Rainie grows in her trust and understanding of the unconditional love each of her parents will always have for her. Quotes:AWARDS and RECOGNITIONS ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Awards, Finalist, Children's Picture Book (2001)Bank Street College, Best Children's Books of the Year (2002) School Library Journal"This story perfectly captures a child's pain at her parents' separation. . . . Shine's gorgeous spreads capture relaxing moments of summer vacation. Soft, watercolor washes provide a soothing backdrop to Rainie's moodiness and sorrow; bits of cut-paper collage add an intriguing dimension to the illustrations. The father-daughter relationship is beautifully and thoughtfully depicted, so the ending is a hopeful one." Chicago Parent"There's no shortage of books about young children faced with divorce or separated parents, but this is one of the few that centers on the relationship between a child and her Dad. Soft watercolors catch both the poignancy and beauty of the wilderness." Church and Synagogue Libraries"The lovely, large, realistic watercolor illustrations display the beauty of the natural setting in a soft pensive mood. . . They are a perfect match for the warm and understanding text." Publishers Weekly"Santucci makes her picture book debut with a delicate story about a girl and her father who are spending their first summer at the lake without the girl's mother. . . . Shine's textured art captures the child's emotional swings and her bond with her father, as well as the serenity of the lakeside setting. Especially impressive is the illustrator's use of light and color to create fittingly changing landscapes." Booklist"Unwavering parental love is the lesson of Loon Summer." Christian Library Journal"Loon Summer is a perfect book for sharing with a child trying to understand the changes resulting from divorce . . . (and) will be good to share even if divorce is not an issue."Author Bio: Barbara Santucci is a freelance author and artist whoteaches creative writing and art workshops for children andadults. She has written three picture books. Her firstpicture book, Loon Summer (Eerdmans), dealt with achild's adjustment to her parents' separation and waspraised for its depiction of ?unwavering parental love?(Associated Press). Barbara lives with her family inRockford, Illinois.Andrea Shine has illustrated over a dozen children's books,including The Summer My Father Was Ten by PatBrisson (Boyds Mills Press), winner of the ChristopherAward. Although she grew up in Europe, Andrea has happymemories of summertime family reunions with her Americanrelatives. She now lives with her family in Southampton,New York.