MY NOT-SO-GREAT FRENCH ESCAPE – by Cliff Burke – Children’s Book

‘Rylan O’Hare has been drifting apart from his best friend, Wilder, for months. Wilder's family became mega-rich when his mom invented an app that reminds people to drink water, and now he barely has time for Rylan. So when Wilder invites Rylan to join him at a summer farming program in France (all expenses paid), Rylan see it as a chance to repair the friendship. Not only that, but he'll get to learn French, milk goats, and eat lots (and lots) of cheese.’

I Love This Story So Much—My Heart!

Highly Recommend!

Reading Age: 8 – 12 years
Grade Level: 3 – 7

Thank You, NetGalley and Clarion Books (HarperCollins Publishers), for providing me with an eBook of MY NOT-SO-GREAT FRENCH ESCAPE at the request of an honest review.

Rylan is off on a trip to France with his best friend Wilder, where they will stay on a farm and pick up skills and language with peers their own age. Things haven't been smooth sailing between Rylan and Wilder and Rylan is reluctant to go on this trip but finally sees it as an opportunity to rekindle what was one a strong friendship. Shortly before the trip, Rylan learns his father, whom he hasn't seen since he was three, would like to get to know him and lives in Paris. Does this trip help Rylan and Wilder's friendship? Does Rylan decide to meet his dad?

I enjoyed this book. It was quick paced and filled with meaningful connections. I loved that it deals with two male characters in the midst of a contentious friendship. I also appreciated that Rylan expressed his emotions and wasn't shut down and told to man up. The ending was perfect, while not everything went the way Rylan might have hoped, he came out of the trip having grown a lot and learned a lot.

Thank you Netgalley, HarperCollins Childrens, and Cliff Burke for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book had a really unique plot and I enjoyed reading it, as it's a topic that I haven't read much about.
It was interesting to read about friendship issues between 2 boys, as this doesn't happen much in middle grade literature. While I liked reading about Wilder and Rylan's friendship, I'm glad Rylan expanded his horizons a little and met new friends.
The ending was too abrupt for my liking.

Rylan hopes that traveling to work on a farm in France with his former best friend will repair their friendship. But once there, His arrogant friend ditches him. Rylan befriends other international kids at the farm and does things he never imagined including milking a goat named Bijou and growing a garden from scratch. The growth that Rylan experiences is incredible; readers will be cheering him on as he forges his path, experiencing hard-earned, painful truths about his former friend and his absent dad along with finding wonderful new lessons about what he values and who he is.

Rylan agrees to work as a farm hand in France in order to reconnect with his used-to-be best friend, Wilder. Wilder and Rylan’s friendship has been shaky since Wilder has been ditching Rylan for the cool kids. And the trip is about to get more complicated when Rylan’s mom tells him that his estranged father lives in French and wants to reconnect with him.

🐐 When they arrive in France, Wilder quickly joins a different group of kids on the farm from Rylan’s deflating his hopes of reconnecting. Rylan has to find his way and decide whether or not to meet his dad. Will his French escape be worth it?

👨‍🌾 funny, emotional, and adventure-filled book about changing friendships, cultivating self-worth, and learning the value of hard work.

🇫🇷 This charming story is set in France on a farm (!) and features scenes that inspire entrepreneurship. I loved the unique plot and its relatable protagonist. This is a great addition to a small line-up of emotionally resonant stories starring tween boys.

Rylan is heading to a French farm for an enriching experience. He's hoping to reconnect with his friend Wilder and maybe his dad too. But things don't go quite as well he hoped when he isn't put in a cabin with Wilder, and his dad doesn't respond to emails. But maybe things will start looking up.

This book just wasn't my favorite. I felt it moved slowly and I didn't love Rylan as character. I think I could sell it at the library, but it's a niche book.

Rylan and Wilder used to be best friends. Then Wilder’s mom made a lot of money and Wilder changed schools, to a private school with other kids whose parents have money. Rylan felt left behind. Even when Wilder’s mom paid for Rylan to go to the private school too, he felt left behind. All the other kids just seemed to fit together better, and Rylan was left wondering if Wilder really was his friend.

Then the two of them were given the opportunity to spend part of the summer in France, helping to take a rundown farm and turn it into a beautiful organic farm. Every summer, Pierre takes a handful of kids has them come to the farm to learn about farming, raising goats, keeping bees, and French culture. But before Rylan gets on this plane, his mother sits him down to talk to him.

Rylan’s father left them when he was very young, but now he’s remarried and is wanting to reconnect with Rylan. He’s living in France, so this could be Rylan’s chance to meet up with him. But she makes sure that Rylan understands it’s his choice. She gives Rylan his father’s email address and lets him make the decision to write or not, to meet or not.

So Rylan has a lot on his mind when he arrives in France. Pierre seems to notice immediately that he is more serious than his friend Wilder. But Pierre has a way of shrugging off problems. Like in deciding how the eight kids there for the summer should be divided up, he leaves it to fate. Each kid grabs a leaf and then holds it high and see where it lands. From the way the leaves fall together, Wilder is grouped with the three kids from France. Rylan is in a group with Annie from Hong Kong, Lia from Switzerland, and Martin from Germany.

While Wilder and his group seem to have an instant chemistry, Rylan has to work harder to feel a camaraderie in his group. But he is the only one that the goat will allow to milk her. He finds moments with Pierre, who teaches him to let go of some of his worries. And when they set up a competition with the other team at the end of their stay, it’s Rylan who figures out how to win the trip for the team to Paris on Bastille Day. It will the perfect time for him to connect with his dad in Paris. But as they get closer to the end, and Rylan sees Wilder and his team taking all the advantages they can, will his winning plan be enough? Or once again, will Rylan be left behind?

My Not-So-Great French Escape is a sweet story that will appeal to anyone who felt left out or left behind as a kid. Rylan’s emotions as he navigates his friendship with Wilder are powerful and sharp, but his friends and Pierre help him see that there is more for him to experience in France than a bad friendship, and he finds ways to open himself to the language, the food, and the culture of France as well as to the things the other kids have to teach him.

I enjoyed My Not-So-Great French Escape a lot. It did bring up some painful memories of my own childhood (not that I got to go to France), and I wish I had met some kids as smart and as kind as Rylan did. I loved all the tidbits of interesting information in this book, from farming to cooking to beekeeping to relationships. I grew especially fond of Pierre, who has a way of letting the kids find their own way while still watching out for them. The way he is supportive of Rylan possibly meeting up with his father was particularly sensitive, and I was really moved by how he handled everything that happened.

This is a fantastic book for kids who need to understand that while they may not fit in with the crowd, there is still a place for them, even if they have to travel halfway around the world to find it.

Egalleys for My Not-So-Great French Escape were provided by Clarion Books through NetGalley, with many thanks.

My Not-So-Great French Escape was a very endearing middle grade read.
Rylan stole my heart and I really felt for him.
Thinking he's going to have a chance to reconnect with his best friend while also enjoying a summer abroad, he soon comes to the realization that maybe he's better off moving on. It stinks when you're more invested in keeping a friendship alive than the other person is, and it's sometimes hard to move on, even when you know it's for the best.
I liked seeing Rylan finally let go of his expectations for the summer and embrace his time in France. It gave him a chance to grow and learn, and really start to come into his own.

Thank you to Netgalley for the review copy of My Not-So-Great French Escape by Cliff Burke. I was interested in this book after reading An Occasionally Happy Family by the same author, and this book did not disappoint. Rylan's former best friend asks him to accompany him to stay on a communal farm in France during summer break. Because they have been drifting apart as friends, Rylan isn't so sure this will be a great experience. To make matters worse, his father (whom he has never met), lives in France and wants to meet him.

Along the way, Rylan discovers the true meaning of friendship and hardwork. He also learns a lot about himself and French cuisine!

I recommend this book to students who want to read a book that takes them on an adventure. It has humor and heart!

3.5/5 [4 adjusted]

This realistic middle grade novel was such a heartwarming read. I so often read books with similar themes (coming-of-age, loss of old friendship, creating new friendship, disappointment) with female protagonist so it was refreshing to read a really great novel from the POV of a male protagonist.

Cliff has nailed the conflicting emotions of a young man as he navigates difficult friendships and absent father. Set mainly in France, we can't help but cheer for Rylan when things don't always go as planned. With subtle, and sometimes not so subtle humor, Rylan learns what true friends really are. My Not-So-Great French Escapes makes me wish I could go to France and spend the summer on a farm enjoying fresh French cuisine. Making new and interesting friends on a once in a lifetime adventure would be a bonus.

Cliff Burke has an amazing talent for bringing humor, warmth and heart to situations that are truly painful and difficult for kids. I love his books and am all in for anything he writes!

Excellent choice for middle school readers!

Rylan and his best friend Wilder have been drifting apart for the past year. Wilder invites Rylan to spend a month in France at an organic farm project. Meanwhile, Rylan hears from his Dad who has not been in Rylan's life for the past 10 years, who coincidentally lives in Paris and wants to meet.

While events may not end up the way Rylan might have chosen, he learns a lot about friends, friendship, and love during his summer in France. He learns that sometimes, change is good, and that new friends can be just as influential and important as old friends were.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

When I saw author Cliff Burke’s name on the cover of MY NOT-SO-GREAT FRENCH ESCAPE, I hoped for a story just as good as his debut novel, AN OCCASIONALLY HAPPY FAMILY reviewed here in 2021.

It didn’t take me long to find out. I began reading this contemporary novel one evening and couldn’t put it down. The heartwarming and at times heart wrenching tale turned out to be even better than Mr. Burke’s first.

The plot is unique:

Rylan O’Hare always had a best friend until Wilder decided it was time to move onto the cool kids. Wilder’s family is ultra rich, living in a huge house while Rylan and his mom live together in a much smaller home.

But then Wilder invites Rylan on an all-expenses paid trip to France for a summer camp experience at a farm. The opportunity is too good to pass up for Rylan and before leaving on the trip he begins to reconnect with Wilder.

Something else unexpected happens: Rylan’s father who disappeared when Rylan was 3 happens to live in France and he’d like to reconnect with his son.

Rylan is not so sure about seeing his dad but finally makes a decision he thinks is right. Once Rylan arrives at the camp there are goats to milk, a new language to learn, swarms of bees, and pigeon poop. Unfortunately, Wilder ditches him again in favor of the cool French kids. Rylan finds comfort in his own group that includes a German boy named Martin, Annie from Hong Kong, and Swiss born Lia who is the youngest.

There’s much more to the story I won’t ruin with spoilers. What I can share are the two components that endeared me to the plot. I’ve stayed in touch with three students who are now adults. Each of their dads also left before their sons reached school age and never contacted them again. Every moment of Rylan’s path reminded me of time spent actively listening to these three boys who struggled with the same emotions. It takes a village as they say. Thankfully all three are doing well in their lives.

The other connection was with German boy, Martin. He is an exact copy (including his name) of a boy I hosted in an exchange program. They talked and acted the same way. Thanks for bringing back the memories.

If you want an often funny and deeply moving story plan on spending some time with Rylan. One of my favorites so far in 2023.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
FIVE MORE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: MY NOT-SO-GREAT FRENCH ESCAPE by Cliff Burke

1. Rylan’s first person narration is spot on. He’s compassionate, opinionated at times, and the epitome of a almost 13-year-old boy.
2. Pierre is their French host on the farm. He’s a memorable adult character who is an endearing part of the story. He’d make a great dad.
3. The voice mail Rylan sends to his mom.
4. You learn about organic farming. I’ll be trying some of these tips in my own home garden.
5. I have a book to share with all those kids who long to see a new light in their broken parent relationships.

The premise of this story is not new. A kid reluctantly is sent away for a summer program and gets a new outlook on life. A couple of things make this story unique, though. First, I thought it was a realistic portrayal of adolescent behavior and how their friendships evolve. Second, the message differed from the usual themes of second chances and forgiveness. While there was an element of that, it emphasizes that you should surround yourself with the people that will support you. This is a message I don't think young people hear enough. I did feel that the plot was a little rushed, and plot points could have been more developed in some spots. But, as a whole, it is an excellent middle grade read.

I have read a number of middle grade books about friends drifting apart. I do feel like this is an important topic for young readers. Thankfully, Cliff Burke handles it beautifully here.

MY NOT-SO-GREAT FRENCH ESCAPE is thoroughly entertaining and should keep middle grade readers turning the pages. The setting in France is wonderfully handled with just the right amount of detail to make it come alive for readers who may never have traveled there. The farm specifically provides a unique setting, and the farmer in charge is a delight.

We sympathize immediately with Ryan as he's left to fend for himself and find his own way. His journey feels realistic and relatable.

The sub-plot involving Ryan's father adds depth to the story.

Highly recommended for middle grade readers.

Thank you to Clarion Books and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Twelve-year-old Rylan has been drifting away from his best friend Wilder. Their moms have been best friends forever but the boys’ interests have changed. When an opportunity arises to do a summer internship on a French farm, Wilder invites Rylan to join him. Rylan accepts, hoping new scenery might bring them back to being best friends. Then Rylan’s mother drops a bombshell – Rylan’s dad, who left the family right after his third birthday, is living in Paris and wants to get back in touch with his son. He sends an email to his dad and tries not to get his hopes up. Upon arriving at the farm, Rylan and Wilder are put into two different groups with very different personalities. Wilder hangs with his new French friends, pretty much ignoring Rylan, who, in turn, bonds with his more international group. When a competition starts where the winning team goes to Paris for Bastille Day, Rylan is determined to win so that he might meet up with his father.
I enjoyed the premise of this story and, hopefully, some of the things that bothered me will be fixed in the final copy. For instance, when getting his passport, Rylan is concerned that he will have his terrible photo until he’s 22. U.S. passports are only valid for 5 years if the applicant is under 16. Now the target audience probably wouldn’t even pick up on that, but a simple Google search or visit to the state department website would have given a more factual answer. There was also something quite unbelievable toward the end that I don’t want to give away, and again, I’m not the target audience. I will still recommend this title for grade 4 and up with a 3 star rating.
#MyNotSoGreatFrenchEscape #Netgalley

Endearing middle grade travel adventure👍

4-4.5🌟 stars
Some really engaging characters made this a fun story that would work well for middle graders nine to early teens.

This story highlights real issues that children face and, despite some taunting, young Rylan comes out the better for his month stay on a farm in France. The boy from home who he thought was his friend is revealed as a fickle companion but Rylan forms new friendships, learns new skills and ends the summer a wiser young teen. The author included a share of stressful, emotional moments that children can relate to.

I loved Rylan's new friends, especially Martin, and the way the author addresses the issue of cliques, shifting friendships and learning to value the people who respect and value you. And he makes the farming experience seem a real adventure.

Thanks to Harper Collins Children's Books and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

This is an enjoyable middle grade read.

I liked the French setting, and the characters were well-drawn and realistic. The story is wonderfully detailed about life on a French farm, and themes of friendship and family are woven throughout. The resolution with Rylan's estranged father is an interesting subplot.

I am really enjoying this story, which isn’t what I expected from the title, but I’d love to add to my middle school classroom library.