Someone Else's Summer

Gr 9 Up—Anna's sister Storm tragically dies in a single-person car crash on graduation night. Mourning Storm, Anna retreats to her sister's room and finds a list of unrelated activities to be completed during the summer. Anna and her best friend, boy-next-door Cameron, set out to complete Storm's list. Some tasks are easy, such as skinny-dipping, but others prove more difficult and, ultimately, enlightening, such as sleeping in a college dorm and falling in love. Cameron and Anna's childhood friendship morphs into romance as the summer moves on, leading to a passionate encounter, with many predictable tropes. Cameron, however, holds a secret that threatens to destroy everything. While a bit unbelievable in places, the road trip story is a romantic summer escape. Teens will either not notice the predictability or not care as they become engrossed in Anna's growing acceptance of the tough decisions of adulthood.