If you’re looking for a special summer reading opportunity for the young readers in your home, be sure to check out The Gift of Summer Snow: A Tale from the Garden of Mysteries by author Donna Alice Patton. Here’s a quick blueprint of this likable detective story:
Becky McGuffey is an ordinary eleven-year-old who likes to grow flowers and enter them at the county fair. She especially loves roses because they’re beautiful and because they remind her of her favorite saint – St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, also known as the Little Flower. Becky is getting her flowers ready for the all-important junior garden show which is just a few weeks away. She’s got her heart set on winning the grand prize so she can buy her grandmother a special gift. Everything’s coming up roses until Becky discovers that someone has been snipping her prize-winning rose, Summer Snow. She sets out to catch the culprit and save her flowers but she literally doesn’t have a clue where to begin. After taking crime-solving lessons from her family and a couple of helpful neighbors, she’s soon on the trail of a likely suspect. But when she confronts the alleged rosenapper she sets off a string of unexpected events that teach her about competition and charity, pride and humility, suspicion and trust and what it means to imitate a saint.
While the main character in the book is a girl, boys will likely enjoy this book as well for its mystery flair and quick pace. As a mom, I can say that it’s wonderful to have books like The Gift of Summer Snow to share with our families: an engaging story, a solid message of faith (without ever being preachy) and a lovely tie in to one of my favorite saints. Check out The Gift of Summer Snow and be sure to download the free Unit Study Guide for the book.
