Ware is surprised by how much he likes spending the summer at his Grandmother's apartment, but his visit is cut short when his Grandmother falls and ends up in the hospital. Now he is stuck back at the summer rec program, and it's soul crushing. He just can't face an entire summer of Rec Center organized fun, so he does the most reasonable thing and sneaks into the abandoned lot next door to create a world of his own.... and I don't blame him! ( )

This is a story for all those who have ever felt left of center. This is a tale for all those that followed the beat of their own drummer, often times to the dismay of friends/family, and with mixed results. This is a fictional rendering of many people's lives told with care, compassion, truth...that results in just the right amount of magic for readers of all ages.

I felt SO MUCH for Ware, even when I myself was just learning to love him, and when Uncle Cy arrived, it was like a light bulb just ignited, shining as bright as the sun. With everything going on in his and his family's lives, it was easy for him to get lost along the way...but thanks to a certain precocious and determined young lay, he won't be able to lose his way. True, he won't know exactly where to start, but once he gets on the right path, there'll be no stopping. Same goes for Jolene, actually. She's a complex little lady who only shows as much as she's willing and has big dreams for her own predicament. Their unexpected friendship, their unanticipated project will bring more than a focus on something other than their family problems, but a chance to see themselves as something more than they ever thought they could be; people (albeit children) that can affect change in not only themselves, but the world around them.


**ARC received for review; opinions are my own ( )

When Ware is forced to attend a program at the Rec Center during the summer after his grandmother is injured, he soon realizes that he can skip to hang out in the abandoned church lot next door. Along with his new friend, Jolene, they transform the lot into a garden full of medieval influences. Can they save the lot from the bank coming to bulldoze it? ( )

There are too many things to like about this story. The characters are flawed, but engaging and the ending, while not exactly happy, is satisfying. ( )

What does a knight look like "here in the real world"—a quiet, introspective one who lives by a code of chivalry and whose own heart hurts if someone else is sad? Meet 11-and-a-half-year-old Ware. He's desperate to turn into the "normal" child he thinks his parents want but also determined to help a new friend with her problem. And that involves deceiving his parents about where he's spending his days all summer when they think he's at the Rec "having meaningful social interactions." It's one of the sweetest middle grade books I've read in some time. While it touches on some intense topics, Ware's innocence and genuine desire to make the world a more equitable place keep the story from becoming too dark. Perfect for grades 4 to 8. ( )