About This Book
"The Hidden Summer" tells the story of Nell, twelve, and her best friend, Lydia, whose friendship is suddenly forbidden by their parents due to unspecified family problems. Determined to stay connected, the girls hatch a secret plan to spend their summer days at an abandoned miniature golf course. Their private sanctuary soon reveals itself to be a haven for others in search of a home, leading Nell and Lydia to confront complex realities about community, empathy, and what it means to belong. This poignant chapter book explores themes of friendship, family challenges, and homelessness with sensitivity, making it suitable for children navigating their own friendships and understanding social issues.
When twelve-year-old Nell and her best friend, Lydia, are forbidden to see each other, they hatch a plan to spend their summer days in an abandoned miniature golf course, where they soon find others in search of a home.
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Discussion Prompts
1
How do Nell and Lydia show loyalty to each other?
2
What makes the abandoned miniature golf course a special place for the girls and the others they find?
3
How do Nell and Lydia feel when their friendship is forbidden, and how do they cope with it?
4
What does this story teach us about what it means to have a home or to belong?
5
How do Nell and Lydia demonstrate empathy towards the people they meet at the golf course?
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