"Cat always kept her brother in the back of her mind, except for the time he was at the front of it."
"On a good day Chicken liked to wander. On a bad day, Chicken would bolt. But no matter what, Cat loved him as wide a the Golden Gate Bridge, as deep as the sea floor, and as fierce as a shark bite."
Cat, or Caterpillar lives in San Francisco. Her best friend, Rishi has moved away to Georgia but the good news is Cat, her brother Chicken and their mother are set to visit the Krishnamurthys this summer. Disaster strikes, however, when the plane lands, and they discover Rishi and his family have left for India following news of illness in their family. This is a huge disappointment for Cat. As they wait in the airport in Atlanta mum suggests the children could perhaps stay with their grandparents in North Carolina - grandparents Cat and Chicken have never met.
Now go back to the text quote above. Chicken is a complex boy. We are not given a label for his behaviour which seems at times to be quite out of control. The children's mother is a writer. She writes picture books for children and teaches writing to adults. Cat is often left to look after Chicken and she has become hyper vigilant about his welfare. She can read his moods and most of the time stop him from having a melt down.
The grandparents - Lily and Macon live on Gingerbread Island. This should be idyllic but there is a tension. Macon seems distant and Cat wants to know why he avoids talking to her mum. Perhaps this relates to her dad who has died. While she is working all of this out, Cat also needs to learn how to let go of Chicken. She needs to trust others to watch out for him and Lily is more than happy to take on this role. Time spent on this island, fishing and riding bikes, allows Cat to be a child.
Fishing becomes a way for Cat to break through Macon's closed manner. Cat enters the local island fishing competition, Her mum, it turns out, was a champion at the sport. Cat thinks this is the perfect way to reunite her family but of course nothing quite goes to plan.
There is so much to like about this gentle story of relationships. Here is a Mr Schu interview with Gillian McDunn.
Click these links to read some review with more plot details:
An engrossing, heartwarming, beautifully written debut about building and rebuilding family ties. Kirkus Star Review
Richly drawn and yet still summer light, this novel is a delight. Waking Brain Cells
I could almost smell the salty air and feel the sunshine on my face. Bonus points for a beautiful cover too! This Kid Reviews Books
Caterpillar Summer is a tender, poignant story about family, friendships, learning to ask for help when it's needed and, most importantly, learning to take care of oneself. Randomly Reading
I think the relationships in the story are expertly done. Cat’s relationship with her brother and the battle between her love for him, her fears about something happening to him, and the frustration and disappointment every time her own needs or desires get overlooked feel so real and understandable. The Story Sanctuary
I would follow Caterpillar Summer with Junonia by Kevin Henkes; Rules by Cynthia Lord and Possibles by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson.
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