Mosquitoland meets Whistling Past the Graveyard meets Swamplandia meets The Thing About Jellyfish meets A Snicker of Magic, The Great Good Summer is certainly a "great-good" summer read. ( )

One of the best books I've read all year. The storytelling was amazing and it ended perfectly. ( )

This is a delightful YA book. Living in a small town has good things, and some rather annoying things as well. Mainly, it seems that everyone knows that Ivy Green's mother up and ran away with a traveling preacher who blew into town and whisked away Diane Green, who was a loving family member who also was a solid, pillar of the community.

Hallelujah Dave hails from the Great Good Bible Church of Panhandle Florida. When an area near Loomer, Texas was burned to the ground Ivy's mother questioned why and thought perhaps Hallelujah Dave might have the answer.

Knowing that Ivy's father also misses her, she tries not to show her emotions. But, she is sad and she is mad. Finding a friend in Paul Dobbs, who is known as a science geek, they bond, and since Paul longs to visit the space center now that the space shuttle program is shut down, he plans a way that Ivy can find her mother, and he can visit the museum.

As the pool together money, they board a bus that will eventually take them to Florida.
While this book certainly isn't a page turner is it charming and cute. The author did a superb job with character development.

Three and 1/2 stars for this poignant tale of things and people lost, then found.

I don't know what to say about this one. It was enjoyable but forgettable. ( )