Umbrella Summer

Umbrella Summer

By Lisa Graff

27 ratings 28 reviews 51 followers
Interest LevelReading LevelReading A-ZATOSWord Count
Grades 4 - 8Grades 3 - 5n/a4.639474

Annie Richards knows there are a million things to look out for—bicycle accidents, food poisoning, chicken pox, smallpox, typhoid fever, runaway zoo animals, and poison oak. That's why being careful is so important, even if it does mean giving up some of her favorite things, like bike races with her best friend, Rebecca, and hot dogs on the Fourth of July. Everyone keeps telling Annie not to worry so much, that she's just fine. But they thought her brother, Jared, was just fine too, and Jared died.

It takes a new neighbor, who looks as plain as a box of toothpicks but has some surprising secrets of her own, to make Annie realize that her plans for being careful aren't working out as well as she had hoped. And with a lot of help from those around her—and a book about a pig, too—Annie just may find a way to close her umbrella of sadness and step back into the sunshine.

With winsome humor and a dash of small-town charm, Lisa Graff's third novel is a touching look at rising above grief and the healing power of community.

Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN-13: 9780061431890
ISBN-10: 0061431893
Published on 3/29/2011
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 240

Book Reviews (28)

Add a Rating

The book has a really interesting storyline, so far I'm still in the 1st chapter, I just started reading the book today, the book gives Annie a weird vibe of her neighbors. It also tells people to be careful, I might start reading this more often because of what I've gotten so far from it. So far, I give this book a 4 star, let's see how deep this storyline goes.

The book is very good and has twist and turns.

This is a really good book! It was really sad that Annie's brother, Jared died. I can not imagine my brother dying. It would be really sad, even though we fight sometimes. He is part of my family!

irish dancer 15 irish dancer 15

this book was great and it had a connection to lost in the sun

Emily Emily

I really liked this book because it is telling people be careful about what you eat and what you do in the streets.

After her brother Jared died for a rare unknown heart disease.She has been alert of all of the diseases that might kill her.She has been missing out on all the fun and worrying to much. This young girl even said she might have Ebola!!

Pretty good, I'm still in the first chapter, and Lisa Graff really caught my attention on the main character, Annie. I'm going to keep reading and maybe add another review later about my thoughts.

jacquelyn0715 jacquelyn0715

i like the book it is relistic fiction and goo i just finished it

I loved this book so so so so so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is a great realistic fiction story!!!!!! It is about a girl that ever since her brother Jared died, she has been to careful about things that she shouldn't worry about at her age. But when a new neighbor mores in the neighborhood, she starts to realize that she shouldn't worry so much. I think the message for this story is ''It is good to be careful, but not to careful''. I think this story is more for girls then boys because I just don't think a boy would understand how Annie feels as well as a girl. In the story my favorite character is Annie because of how much she understands all of her friends and her family. If I could, I would ask the author ''how did you come up with this story plot'' because I wonder how she got the idea that a boy would die, and things like that. I hope you like it!!!!!!!!

This is a really sad book, but it is really good and interesting too.

Show More