This book did not hold my attention. I could see how some younger readers might enjoy it, but it felt like there were too many references for my taste. From GIFs to Target and everything in between, it felt like what a sterotypical "millenial" might put into their books.

I really wanted to like this portal-fantasy, but it was just too much all at once for me.

I can't believe "The Forgotten Summer of Seneca" is Camryn Garrett's first middle grade novel!! It effortlessly captures the voice of a clever, resourceful, and grief-ridden 12 year old so well. I am most impressed by how Garrett manages to bring something so new and unique to the often-used trope of time-travel/portal-hopping. It was fascinating to learn about Seneca, and this was a very accessible way to introduce young readers to concepts such as gentrification, racism, and colonialism. The magical elements of the story fit in well, without being too complicated to follow. The pace was excellent, and the characters were loveable. My only note is that it could be a bit longer, particularly toward the end. But, I enjoyed every moment of reading it and would highly recommend it to a young reader as something refreshing and new in the genre.

4 stars

Camryn Garrett's YA novels have all REALLY worked for me, so I was thrilled to see this middle grade work on tap and even more excited to have found it so moving. This is a unique and meaningful read.

It's summer, and Rowan is on her way to spend some time with her aunt. This is an especially challenging time for Rowan because she has recently lost her father. Garrett has written and spoken openly about losing her father, so it was difficult for me to separate the situation from the author (which, in this case, made the whole narrative even more meaningful). While staying with her aunt, Rowan has some expected emotional moments, but she also encounters a magical situation that no one - Rowan included - could have anticipated.

Like all of Garrett's books, the character development, representation, and flow are spot on. There's also keen audience awareness and enough sadness to make this realistic but not unmanageable. I really enjoyed the author's note about the Staples article and how that influenced the idea for this book overall.

I came in a fan of this author and am leaving feeling that even more strongly. I am looking forward to recommending this one to students.

I can't wait to give this to kids at work - Garrett uses a super fun portal story while sharing a piece of US history that I'd never learned. I loved the aunt and loved their relationship and am impressed at how Rowan manages to figure out sneaking away while still letting Monica be a responsible, loving caregiver. I think the mystery landed a little flat for me, but that a child would really enjoy it. I look forward to finding out!

Rowan Robinson is still struggling with the death of her father, and is not happy with her mother, who is making her spend the summer with her Aunt Monica in Manhattan instead of being at home on Long Island. She maintains that she can stay by herself while her mother works, but her mother knows that she will just mope in her room. Previously, she has enjoyed being in the city, and her aunt supplies her with lots of craft materials, and the two eat out and see the sights on a regular basis. Now, even though she has a therapist to help her deal with her grief, Rowan just can’t enjoy doing things, always thinking about her father. When she takes his old school camera out into Central Park to take pictures, she has an odd experience, and travels through a portal to meet Lily, who lives in Seneca Village. This is based on a real place that existed from 1825-1857 at 85th Street and Columbus Avenue, but it is a different version where the residents all have magical skills. When Rowan went through the portal into this world, a girl from the village, Sage, disappeared. This is a problem, since she was in charge of keeping the portal safe. There is a well founded fear that people from the modern world will manage to get into the village and cause problems. As Rowan goes back and forth between hanging out with her aunt, and going to the village, she tries to figure out where Sage has gone, and how to protect this new world that she finds so intriguing. A friend of Aunt Monica’s has studied Seneca Village, and Rowan (and the reader) learns how this thriving Black community was sacrificed in the name of progress to provide green space for wealthy, white New Yorkers. She also brings Lily to visit Manhattan in order to find Sage, and the two get to see the Metropolitan Museum. Will Rowan be able to help keep this magical version of Seneca Village safe?
Strengths: This is a great virtual trip to Manhattan, and yes, I looked up the address on Google Earth and am a bit jealous of Rowan getting to spend her summer there with her aunt! I appreciated that the author also lost her father, and used the writing of this book to work through her own grief; this adds a level of understanding of loss to the story that most middle grade books that use this trope do not have. Actually, there was less about grief in this book than in many similar titles! I’m always a fan of a time slip, and I want so much more information about Seneca Village after reading this.
Weaknesses: Seneca Village is such an interesting historical place that I wish the story hadn’t included as much magic. There’s plenty of information about the village and Central Park, but the inclusion of the magical elements makes it seem less like a real thing.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who like books that include hard to find information about Black history, like Cumming’s Trace, Rhodes’ Treasure Island, or Watson’s Some Places More Than Others.

I really wanted to get to the time slip part because I was really excited about the premise of this one. Unfortunately, I just wasn't vibing with the writing style of this one, so I didn't really get to the part I was looking forward to before DNFing.