When Alice's dad moves out, leaving her with her troubled mother, she does the only thing that feels right: she retreats to her family's old Renaissance tent in the backyard, determined to live there until her dad comes home. In an attempt to keep at least one part of her summer from changing, Alice focuses on her quest to swim freestyle fast enough to get on her swim team's record board. But summers contain multitudes, and soon Alice meets an odd new friend, Harriet, whose obsession with the school's science fair is equal only to her conviction that Alice's best stroke is backstroke, not freestyle. Most unexpected of all is an unusual babysitting charge, Piper, who is mute-until Alice hears her speak. A funny and honest middle-grade novel, this sharply observed depiction of family, friendship, and Alice's determination to prove herself-as a babysitter, as a friend, as a daughter, as a person-rings loud and true. show more
"This is a very beautiful book, touching on themes of mental health, family relationships, friendships and love." -- BookTrust show more
About Jean Heilprin Diehl
J. H. Diehl has an MFA from the University of Iowa Writers' Workshop; this is her first novel. She lives in Maryland.|J. H. Diehl has an MFA from the University of Iowa Writers' Workshop; this is her first novel. She lives in Maryland. show more
Rating details
344 ratings
4.07 out of 5 stars
5
37% (127)
4
38% (132)
3
21% (72)
2
2% (8)
1
1% (5)
Book ratings by Goodreads
Goodreads is the world's largest site for readers with over 50 million reviews. We're featuring millions of their reader ratings on our book pages to help you find your new favourite book.
Close
X
{"bd_js_shop":"Shop","bd_js_too_long_for_shipping_label":"Sorry, that's too long for our shipping labels","bd_omnibus_ph1_price_statement_suffix":"vs RRP","bd_js_too_long":"Sorry, that's too long","bd_js_could_not_find_address_try_again":"Sorry, we couldn't find the address. Please try again","bd_saving_percent_off":"{0}%<br>off","bd_js_total_basket_count":"{0, plural, one {You have <b><span class='item-count'>1</span> <span class='item-text'>item</span></b> in your basket} other {You have <b><span class='item-count'>#</span> <span class='item-text'>items</span></b> in your basket}}","bd_js_total_cost":"Total cost: <b class='pink-text big total'>{0}</b>","bd_js_show_less":"show less","bd_js_item_added_to_your_basket":"Item added to your basket","bd_rrp":"RRP","bd_link_prefix":"","bd_js_unable_get_address_enter_manually":"Sorry, we are unable to get the address. Please enter manually:","bd_js_keep_typing_to_refine_search_results":"Keep typing to refine the search results","bd_js_top_categories":"Top Categories","bd_price_save":"Save {0}","bd_js_name_only_letters":"Sorry, full name can only contain letters","bd_js_show_more":"show more","bd_js_enter_valid_email_address":"Please enter a valid email address","bd_js_enter_address_manually":"Enter address manually","bd_js_more_categories":"More Categories","bd_30_day_low_price_carousel":"30-day low price","bd_js_continue_shopping":"Continue Shopping","bd_js_account_and_help":"Account & Help","bd_js_basket_checkout":"Basket / Checkout","bd_add_to_basket":"Add to basket","bd_js_enter_first_last_name":"Please enter a first and last name","bd_js_please_enter_your":"Please enter your"}
