The Blossoming Summer

This tender and sophisticated chapter book follows thirteen-year-old Rosemary, who is evacuated from war-torn London to her Anishinaabe grandmother's home on Lake Superior. As she adjusts to a new life, she uncovers a profound family secret: her parents have been passing as white, hiding their Indigenous heritage. The story beautifully explores themes of identity, belonging, and resilience, as Rosemary forms a deep bond with her grandmother and experiences first crushes and new friendships. It's a poignant coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of World War II, offering a unique perspective on historical trauma and cultural discovery.

When English thirteen-year-old Rosemary is evacuated to her grandmother in America at the start of World War II, she uncovers the family secret—they are Anishinaabe and passing as white. Life in England is all Rosemary has ever known. . . but as WWII changes the world, no one’s life is left unscathed. Suddenly, she’s sent away to escape the devastation of London. Her grandmother’s house on Lake Superior is safe, but unfamiliar, especially as she discovers her parents have kept a tremendous secret. Rosemary and her family are Anishinaabe—and no one is supposed to know. Far from home but newly connected to a once-hidden part of her family, Rosemary develops a warm, close relationship with her grandmother… and a local boy whose love of gardening helps her to see the beauty in her unexpected circumstances. As Rosemary grows into her new life like a flower in bloom, she realizes that maybe she’s not as far from home as she thought. Tender, sophisticated, and sweet, this is a beautiful story about memory, family, and identity. Rising Ojibwe author Anna Rose Johnson addresses the trauma of World War II and the legacies of hidden indigeneity alongside coming-of-age milestones like first crushes, new schools, and beginning to imagine the life you want. Hand The Blossoming Summer to fans of Christine Day, L.M. Montgomery, and Kimberly Brubaker Bradley!