For kids navigating new family structures or reluctant friendships, this charming story shows how two very different girls can find common ground and connection.
A parent might reach for this book when their child is facing a big family change, like a potential blended family, and needs to see how resistance and uncertainty can transform into acceptance and love. The story follows two 12-year-old girls, Avery and Bett, who could not be more different. They are tricked into attending the same summer camp by their single fathers, who have fallen in love and hope the girls will become sisters. Told entirely through their emails to each other and their dads, the book is a witty, heartwarming journey of a reluctant friendship that blossoms into a powerful family bond. It masterfully explores themes of loneliness, identity, and the many forms a family can take, making it perfect for kids navigating new relationships or feeling like they don't quite fit in.
The central topic is the formation of a blended family with two gay fathers. The approach is direct and secular, normalizing the parents' relationship completely. The story's conflict stems from the girls' resistance to the family change, not the parents' sexuality. The book also touches on the death of a parent (both girls have deceased mothers), which is handled gently as a shared background fact that deepens their bond. The resolution is realistic and very hopeful.
Ideal Reader
A child aged 9-12 who is an only child or is navigating the complexities of a parent dating or a new blended family. It is perfect for a reader who enjoys sharp, funny dialogue, unique story formats, and character-driven stories about the messiness and joy of friendship.
Parent Prep
The book can be read cold. The epistolary format is easy to follow. Parents should be prepared for conversations about different family structures, the challenges of blending families, and the idea that friendship can be a choice you make even when you're initially resistant. The parent has just announced they are dating someone new, and their child's reaction is resistant or fearful. The child might say, "I don't want a new family," or expresses anxiety about having to share their parent with new people.
Age Experience
A younger reader (8-9) will love the funny summer camp setting, the pranks, and the clear emotional journey from dislike to friendship. An older reader (10-12) will appreciate the sophisticated humor, the sharp dialogue, and the deeper themes of identity, grief, and what defines a family.
What Makes It Special
Its purely epistolary format is a major differentiator, creating an intimate and immediate connection to the characters' authentic voices. The collaboration between two beloved authors gives the dialogue a unique, sparkling quality. Unlike many blended-family stories, it centers the children's agency in forging their own relationship, independent of their parents' romance.
Read plot summary
Avery, a confident and adventurous girl from California (Dogfish), and Bett, a cautious, bookish New Yorker (Night Owl), are two 12-year-olds whose single fathers have fallen in love. The dads send them to the same summer camp in hopes that they will bond and embrace becoming a new family. The girls, initially furious, begin a secret email correspondence to sabotage their parents' relationship. However, through shared camp calamities and a growing, grudging respect, they form an unexpectedly powerful friendship that makes them reconsider what it means to be a family. The narrative unfolds entirely in an epistolary format of emails and letters.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
Avery (Dogfish) and Bett (Night Owl) are very different people. What were some of the first signs in their emails that they might actually become friends, even when they were trying not to?
2
The whole story is told through emails and letters. How did this format change how you understood the characters' feelings compared to a regular chapter book?
3
When Bett's dad and Avery's dad have a fight, the girls work together to get them back together. Why do you think their feelings about their parents' relationship changed so much from the beginning of the book?
4
Both girls are missing a mother. How does this shared experience connect them, even if they don't talk about it directly at first?
5
If you had to give yourself a secret nickname like Night Owl or Dogfish, what would it be and why?
