I received and ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have a soft spot for manatees. But, who doesn't, right? I actually listened to this book with my seven year old daughter and we both loved it. There's animals, environmentalism, and friendship. The author really convinces you to care about the characters in this story.

This one goes in some interesting directions, starting with the idea of kids dealing with dementia in a relative and of being placed into the role of sometimes caregiver. Toss in some ecology and the role of the individual in making change and it could be a lot. It gets a touch preachy but the messaging is otherwise strong.

I loved this story and found it very enjoyable. I have been to Florida and experienced the magic of seeing a manatee so it was very relatable, too.

Gentle and poignant, this summer Peter is caretaking his grandpa with Alzheimer’s as well as documenting species in nature with his best friend Tommy. But the summer is filled with loss, not just because his grandfather doesn’t always recognize him but also because Tommy moves and the canal’s manatee gets hurt by a boat. Peter calls a manatee organization that takes the injured creature to a preserve to nurse it back to health. Despite all the loss, we also feel hope in the enduring power of relationships and the gift of helping others, human or animal.

A tender middle grade novel where two friends spend their summer studying a manatee while changing and growing.

This book has so many facets. It's deep, humorous, and sad. The debut novel show compassion. It's a story of family love between the boy and his grandpa, kids and each other and animals, etc. This book hits a hard topic straight on the head - Dementia. My grandmother had dementia and the author truly provides an accurate depiction of this awful disease. Other issues that Evan talks about are divorced parents, middle school, and a friend that moves away. So many hard issues dealt with gracefully.

Manatee Summer
By Evan Griffith
New York: Quill Tree Books, 2022. Fiction.

It's the summer before middle school, and 11-year-old Peter plans to spend his entire summer completing the "Discovery Journal" he keeps with his best friend Tommy. The journal is filled with drawings and copious notes about the wildlife they discover in their Central Florida neighborhood. When Discovery No. 95, a manatee the boys name Zoe, turns up critically injured, Peter is galvanized to advocate for animal rights and his summer of activism begins. Meanwhile, he is faced with the upsetting news that Tommy, his best and only friend, is moving to Michigan. If that weren't enough, Peter also must balance his time helping manatees with his role as caretaker for his grandfather with Alzheimer's, keeping an eye on him while his single mother works.

This is a sun-soaked novel perfect for readers who love animals and their planet. Peter's role in Zoe's rescue feels believable, even for his young age, and will inspire many like minded kids to look for ways to take action in their own lives. This story is reminiscent of one of my all-time favorite novels for kids -- Carl Hiassen's Hoot, but is updated for a modern age. The friendship between Peter and Tommy is an especially sweet part of this book, both boys are thoughtful and sensitive and their friendship is all the better because of it. Though a little heart wrenching at parts, this is a book well-sited for readers who enjoy ocean settings and friendship.

Manatee Summer is an excellent book for middle school kids. Evan Griffith does an excellent job describing life among the heat and wildlife of Florida. Peter and his mother and grandfather live along one of Florida's intercoastal canals. Peter and his BFF, Tommy, plan to spend the summer working on their Discovery Journal. They need to finish cataloging the wildlife around their town. Peter is beside himself when they discover a manatee in the canal. The manatee has been injured by a boat propeller and needs their protection. Peter's plans for the summer fall to ruin when Tommy and his family move out of the area and Peter finds he has to be responsible for his grandfather while his mother works two jobs to support the family. Peter enlists his grandfather's help with the manatee and that works for a while until a storm hits and Peter finds himself at wits end - there's a lot on his plate and he has much to learn. Fans of Carl Hiassen's funny and environmentally aware books like Hoot and Chomp will enjoy Manatee Summer. I hope Griffith continues to write books along this line as well. Many thanks to Net Galley for the chance to read an ARC.

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Kids for the gifted book I read along with the library audio!

Peter has a goal with his best friend Tommy, they are going to complete their Discovery Journal before middle school begins. Their Discovery Journal is their catalog of wildlife in their Florida town, and they want to finish at number 100. When they spot an injured manatee in their canal, they now have a mission to protect it. Peter takes on the fight to protect Florida manatees while also shouldering the responsibility of taking care of his grandfather who has dementia. Then there is an unwelcome surprise that disrupts his formerly strong friendship with Tommy. Now this summer is nothing like he imagined and he feels quite out of control.

I liked how this book dealt with the realities of divorced parents, ailing grandparents, and the natural seasons of friendship. Peter learns how to go from an animal lover to an animal activist through his dedication to the manatee, but that also influences him being more of an activist in his own life and facing the complicated feelings he has about his family situation. I loved the multiple layers of friendship depicted throughout this story, and how this story also explores the theme of everyone having a backstory.

Content Warning: The grandfather in this book has dementia and that is a big part of the story.

I absolutely adore Evan Griffith's middle grade debut. His writing is so sincere and honest. His love for the natural world and animals comes through in everything he writes - I'm also a fan of his picture book biography work. I loved the specificity of the Florida setting, and the way his characters grew throughout the novel.

From the gorgeous cover, to the well thought out characters, and the fast moving plot, I LOVED everything about this book!

Peter had his whole summer mapped out - he was going to spend the months before 6th grade finding nature discoveries with his best friend, and being a great caretaker to his Papa, who has Alzheimer’s. But then, things take a turn when his summer doesn’t go as planned as unexpected news about his best friend emerges, his Papa’s Alzheimer’s progresses quickly, and he finds an injured manatee, becoming an accidental activist. Peter steps up to defend the defenseless manatee, and learns a lot about manatees, friendship, and himself along the way.

I love all the manatee facts woven expertly into the book. You’ll come away with a newfound appreciation for these giant sea cows.

This book is beautiful and moving and will stay with you long after you finish. Highly recommended for any middle grade reader!

Many thanks to HarperCollins Children’s Books and NetGalley for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is the best middle-grade novel of the past year. I can't wait to share this story with my students. They will love Peter and Tommy's spirit of adventure, advocating for the protection of manatees, and learning how to deal with new okay whether it is starting a new school, moving, or grieving about the grandparent. Everything from the writing to the plot of this novel is excellent.

I really enjoyed this book. It is so relatable in many ways... from having a close friend move away, wanting to protect animals and having a family member with dementia. I think this book would help a lot of students that may be dealing with some of the tougher issues, letting them know they are not alone and it's ok to ask for help and to be sad. I will definitely be purchasing this book for my elementary library.

What a wonderful book! It's a beautifully written story that the author brings to life with his words. I loved reading this book and highly recommend it to all ages.
I received a complimentary copy from HarperCollins Children's Books, Quill Tree Books via NetGalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Evan Griffith’s Manatee Summer is sure to cement itself as a beloved childhood favorite in the hearts of young readers. It’ll be a book they look back on fondly, the one that kindled their love of manatees, that captured the essence of the first taste of real responsibility while shining a light on that tender space between elementary school and middle school.

Peter and Tommy have been best friends for three years, which is a long time when you’ve only just finished fifth grade. They’ve never gone to the same school and they’re as different as can be, but they fit together perfectly. They bonded over their love of animals, and have been steadily working on filling their Discovery journal with sketches and facts about all the animals they’ve discovered in the wild together. Their goal is to finish the journal with their 100th discovery this summer, their final summer before middle school. But Peter is also on Official Caretaker duty this summer, caring for his grandfather as Alzheimer’s slowly takes hold. But Peter doesn’t want Tommy to know this. And Tommy is acting a little funny, too. But their 95th discovery, a manatee in the canal in their neighborhood, leads them down a new path– especially when the manatee gets injured.


The setting is especially important here, as Peter and Tommy have been able to discover scores of interesting creatures for their Discovery journal. As Peter strives to help the injured manatee, his world grows and expands. Florida is the perfect backdrop of this story, full of the summery magic that exists most places with the added component of more intriguing and even dangerous creatures (including Mr. Reilly, who is less intriguing and more super grumpy).

Part of what makes Manatee Summer so engaging is the intricately developed characters, from the watch-shop-owner-turned-inventor grandfather to the kids’ parents to the grumpy arch-nemesis neighbor. Every character is thoroughly developed, jumping off the page and making the story really matter to the reader’s heart.

Griffith does a fantastic job of not only have realistic characters, but allowing other characters to see and be seen as their full selves. Whether it’s being vulnerable enough to share your full self or being wise enough to see through the behavior to the root cause, there are layers of nuance and discernment that develop throughout the novel. Learning to see someone fully, especially someone who has behaved hurtfully towards you, is huge growth for anyone regardless of age.

Another reason I love this book is that it has something we don’t often see a lot of– a friendship story centering on two boys. Peter, with his brash actions and adventuresome nature, is as different as can be from shy, introverted, cautious Tommy. But their friendship is balanced– they challenge each other and comfort each other equally. Their emotional intelligences differ as well, but each try to meet the other where they are. We especially see Peter’s journey to managing strong emotions, and how his handling of his emotional reactions affects how others perceive him. His recognition of this limiting his ability to help the manatee was done neatly, fitting into the narrative without detracting from the story. These coping skills are passed along organically, leaving the reader with the same tools Peter uses without it ever feeling preachy or instructional.

Peter also learns how to be a good advocate. Like many of us, and many young readers, he cares so much about the world. It is so broken in so many ways, and he realizes he has to choose what to focus on. This is another instance of Peter’s journey modeling how to make a difference in the real daily lives of readers of all ages. Learning how to appropriately advocate for what we’re passionate about is such an important tool, and I’m grateful to see it represented in this novel.

There are big themes dealt with in this full-hearted novel, from dealing with change to the hurt that comes from grandparents aging to kids juggling too much with adults not seeing all of it. These topics are seamlessly woven into an engaging plot, making the book all the more relatable and squeezing hearts along the way.

As a lifelong fan of manatees, I’m glad to see them center stage here. I’m sure this novel will create a new generation of kids obsessed with these gentle giants… let’s just hope their mom doesn’t make them wear a trash bag as their costume for their manatee presentation in third grade. What, that was just me!?

Manatee Summer is available for pre-order and will be out on June 28. Thank you to Evan Griffith, HarperCollins Children’s Books, and NetGalley for an advanced copy such that I could share my honest opinions.

Peter and his friend Tommy spend their summer cataloging nature as part of their discovery club in coastal Florida. They are nearing their 100th discovery when they encounter an injured manatee named Zoe. When they find out that the local boat club is contributing to the injuries, Peter and Tommy are on a mission to help this endangered animal. Unfortunately with an impending hurricane, a grandfather who is becoming more and more confused because of Alzheimer's, a rift with his best friend, and a fight to save the manatees, Tommy's summer is not quite what he expected it to be.

Manatee Summer is perfect for budding environmentalists and animal lovers, or any child looking for an endearing story about overcoming the challenges of family and friendship.

Peter and his best friend are working on filling their Discovery Journal when they make an exciting discovery: a manatee in the canal in their Florida neighborhood. When the manatee is injured, they must work to protect it and others of the species, all the while facing family struggles and the start of middle school.

This was not the book for me, but I could see it having a lot of beneficial content for middle grade readers. It is a great middle-grade coming of age story. Peter and Tommy are in their summer before middle school and facing a lot of changes. In addition to the fight to save the manatees, Peter's ailing grandfather has moved in with him and his mom. Peter's perspective on his grandfather's dementia and his family challenges is poignant, honest, and accessible for younger readers. The theme of caring for the environment and observing the world around you is also an important one for younger readers, and it is illustrated well through Peter and Tommy's summer adventures.

A beautiful coming of age story that is perfect for students' summer reading. Full of great commentary that is discussable and characters to root for a love. This should be a summer reading staple.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in return for an honest review.

An inspiring middle grade novel. I like the message that you can take actions to change something in the world, and encourage those around you to take action, but that you aren't responsible for tackling all the problems. I also think the inclusion of a grandfather with Alzheimer's disease, was helpful because that is something very real that kids face, but it's not in a lot of books. Will definitely include this in my classroom library.

A fantastic middle grade adventure with a focus on science, marine biology and nature. It also tackles the tough issue of Alzheimer’s disease in loved ones, which is something many young people will experience in their family members. The representation of this disease in this book will help children connect with the fact that they are not alone in their feelings of uncertainty, frustration and sadness over seeing a loved one succumbing to it.

It’s a classic coming of age summer adventure with the feel of Free Willy. Peter must help protect an injured manatee.

Animal loving children will absolutely love reading this book. At times for an adult reader it felt a little flat but for middle grade kids, they will find this to be an easy and engaging read.