One Alley Summer

A novel of friendship and growing up.

“I love this book so much I want to live in it, with these rope-jumping, skate-boarding, tree-climbing, bottle-cap collecting, poetry-writing, mouse-rescuing, dog-finding, double-daring, friend-making (and sometimes losing) life-loving, joy-filled kids. Ylvisaker has created a place so real and full of life, you’re going to want to live here, too. — Margi Preus, Newbery winning author and winner of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature for Heart of a Samuri.

“A sparkler-like whiz of words that captures the feel of summer and the real world of kids—their rituals and rules and private growth spurts. Anne Ylvisaker owns this territory.” — Paul Fleischman, Newbery Medal recipient for Joyful Noise and National Book Award finalist for Breakout

School Library Journal “Highly recommended.”

Kirkus “Transporting…The poetry skips across the page: Phee is a deeply relatable wordsmith, thinking in rhythms that capture the patterns of hopscotch and skipping rope, and expressing raw, conflicting emotions. Words flow across the page, punctuated by repetition, movement, empty space, and run-on words. The poems transform the alley into a character…The voices of the characters…jump off the page with clarity. “

“Top notch writing.” —Betsy Bird, A Fuse 8 Production, School Library Journal