The Blossoming Summer

In this charming novel for children ages 8 to 12, author Anna Rose Johnson, a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians (Ojibwe-Anishinaabe), masterfully melds her First Nations heritage and Christian faith into a narrative that gives young readers a glimpse of the consequences of war; the need children experience to belong, to feel loved, to find a secure home, and to know about and experience their cultural heritage; and the comfort and strength God gives to his children.

In 1940 London, England, 13-year-old Rosemary Rivers longs for the day when she no longer has to live with her aunt and uncle and she will be reunited with her parents and two younger brothers, who each live in different communities. Due to hard economic times and the threat of war on England’s doorstep, the family is separated and doing what they can to survive with the help of others.

When Rosemary learns that her grandmother in Wisconsin is willing to send tickets for Rosemary’s family to be reunited and to live with her, she is overwhelmed with joy and with the hope that a daydream she has nurtured of her perfect life will be realized: “For she had a secret world that she’d kept carefully manicured ever since Mum and Dad had split up the family. It was a glorious place of colorful flowers growing in happy profusion, and of orchards dotted with blossoming trees. She called it Paradise.”

Rosemary’s aunt has told her she’s a peacemaker. Now, Rosemary feels a deep responsibility to draw her family into a cohesive whole. But since they haven’t lived together for three years, they are like strangers to each other. Rosemary notices that even Mum and Dad aren’t united. And when she thinks about the fact that Dad left Wisconsin to get away from Grandmother, whom she’s never met but heard is bossy and overbearing, Rosemary becomes worried.

Rosemary’s world is upended when Grandmother tells her the truth about her heritage. She isn’t British as Dad has led her to believe. Her family is from French and Indian background; they are Anishinaabe—and their last name is Riviere, not River.

Rosemary is confused. Why did Dad hide their heritage? And why does he become angry when Grandmother begins to teach Rosemary the language and traditions of her ancestors?

Grandmother enlists Rosemary’s help to work in her vegetable and flower garden with the goal of winning every blue ribbon at the county fair competition. They strike a secret bargain so that Grandmother can attain her goal and Rosemary will see her dream of Paradise realized. But is everything as it appears?

When one thing after the other goes wrong, Rosemary learns that she is not responsible to make her family perfect. In fact, she realizes that no such Paradise exists and that lasting peace is found only in the security and love God offers.

Refreshing, exciting, and tender, The Blossoming Summer is a coming-of-age novel that highlights the contributions of First Nations, the injustices they encountered, and a path forward as imagined by a girl growing up in difficult times.

‎(Holiday House)