Thanks to NetGalley and the author for an ARC of this title

I found this book very cute. It is definitely something I'm going to recommend to many of my middle grade readers. The concept for the spoken through me and right away and I was not disappointed

This was SO. CUTE! The perfect summer read, which Morgan Matson never fails to deliver. Twelve-year-old Ryanna doesn’t remember her mom, who passed away when she was a toddler. Then, her dad receives a letter from her maternal grandparents, inviting Ryanna to an old summer camp in the Poconos. After an unfortunate accident involving an Icee and a white shirt at a gas station, Ryanna discovers she met her cousins and is sure that the summer ahead will be unbearable.

Initially, I wasn’t sure about Morgan Matson’s new middle grade. But the whimsy of the story and the setting of the old summer camp and Ryanna’s eccentric family members made this story something truly incredible. I was transported to Camp Van Camp and immediately drawn in by the characters. As well, there is a subplot of a scavenger hunt that was very well woven in and kept readers guessing along with the characters. It really embodies summer.

I absolutely loved this book!! I couldn’t put it down.
I just loved all the characters. I highly recommend this book.

Eleven-year-old Ryanna Stuart has always lived with her father, and now his new wife. When she receives a letter from her grandparents, her mom’s parents who she hasn’t seen since her mother’s death eight years ago, she decides to accept their invitation to visit for the summer. She travels to their summer home, a former summer camp called Camp Vam Camp, in Pennsylvania and she’s excited to learn more about her mom’s childhood. However, she’s shocked to find a bunch of cousins, aunts, and uncles, who she didn’t know about, are staying with them too. Almost all of them have memories to share about Ryanna’s mom. While looking through her mom’s old stuff, she stumbles upon a treasure map. This might be their last summer at this camp, but if Ryanna can follow the treasure map, she may be able to save this summer home.

This was such a fun summer read! Some parts were emotional, such as when Ryanna talked about her mom. Her mom died after being hit by a car when Ryanna was three-years-old, and after that her father kept her away from her mother’s family for a reason she doesn’t know. It was heartwarming to see Ryanna discover things about her mother’s childhood and the ways they were similar. They both loved reading mystery novels, which is what I loved at that age too. I really loved how everything came together at the end of the story, and every piece of the puzzle had a purpose.

The Firefly Summer is a fun summer middle grade read!

Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada for providing a copy of this book.

4 stars. It's not summer without a Morgan Matson book, and people who love her summer YA will equally adore this sweet story about finding family away from home, with summer camp feels, a mystery/treasure hunt, and all the lake swimming and ice cream you can imagine. I adored this cast of characters, from Ryanna, the MC who is a bit lost, but precocious and curious about her mom who passed away, to her sweet and wonderful Grams and Gramps, to Hattie, her theatrical and fantastical cousin. If you liked Matson's Save the Date, this is the book for you. It's full of her signature funnies and antics, but also has all her heart. I love love loved the mystery that served as the thread tying the summer together. Truly, this is the cutest summer middle grade you will ever read.

This book was so adorable. I initially requested this book so that my daughter could read it, but I ended up reading it first and absolutely loving. It was so fun and had me yearning for my camp years.
The Firefly Summer is a heartwarming book about family, friends, finding yourself and fighting for the things that matter. I don't think there was a single thing that I didn't love about this book. This book isn't just for middle grade. This is a book that can be enjoyed by all ages and one I will certainly come back to and read again in the future.
As soon as I finished this book I made sure to run out and grab a physical copy, and I am so happy I did. The dust jacket is so cute and I can't wait for my daughter to read it.

Thank you, thank you, thank you Simon and Schuster for the gifted eArc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If there’s one thing Morgan Matson excels at, it’s fun family shenanigans — and her middle grade debut doesn’t disappoint.

If you’ve read Matson’s YA novels, you know how she can write great depth of character and outstanding family dynamics. She brought all of that Matson magic and heart into this story. There’s even a treasure hunt!

I enjoyed this a lot and hope she’ll continue writing fun middle grade stories like this.

Even as an adult, I found this to be a great summer read. Meet Ryanna. She meets her family and begins to find out more about her mom. Mom passed away when Ryanna was young. She gets to go to camp, form bonds with her cousins, and go on adventures for the summer.

Matson created characters I loved, making this one of my top picks for fun summer reads. I was transported to a summer camp with a wonderful, big family and fun adventures.

Thank you to Netgalley, Simon & Schuster Canada, and Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for providing a copy of The Firefly Summer by Morgan Matson in exchange for an honest review.

Stories about summer will always be near and dear to me. When twelve-year-old Ryanna (pronounced Rye-Anna) Stuart receives a letter inviting her to spend time with her Grandparents at their summer camp in the Poconos, how can she resist? Well, first things first, she didn’t even know they existed, and secondly, she has always wanted to know more about her Mother. Ryanna’s Mother died when she was young and her Father has since moved to California and has remarried. After an argument, her Father has not spoken to or about her Grandparents. After accepting their invitation, Ryanna realizes she has a number of Aunts and Uncles and cousins and a lot of catching up to do. After a rocky introduction, Ryanna decides to take a leap of faith (and literally off of the dock) with her new family for their last summer at Camp Van Camp, before it is destroyed to make room for lakeside condos.

Ryanna is a huge fan of mysteries and her Grandmother gives her a beloved mystery book of her Mother’s that sets off a chain of events leading to a treasure hunt her Mother created years ago. The cousins set out to solve the mystery and hope that the treasure might ultimately help them keep Camp Van Camp. This is a heartwarming story of found family, adventure, grief and loss and ultimately moving forward by opening up and forgiveness. This is a perfect summer read for any age especially fans of Morgan Matson.

Didn’t expect to spend my Sunday night tearing up on my train ride home… but here we are.

This book was so incredibly sweet. It had me longing for the days I spent at summer camp. The friendships you make, temporary or life-long, and the memories you keep with you forever.

There is something so nostalgic when it comes to stories like this one. It reminds me of ‘The Rest of The Story’ by Sarah Dessen, which I love.

The bond Ryanna shared with her cousins was so special. Definitely got off on the wrong foot, but they worked past that and really proved that family should always be there for one another.

This is the book you want to read to really help make it feel like summer has started. It’s perfect for all ages and truly has the sweetest connections.

Thank you to netgalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for an e-arc of this book!

For as long as Ryanna Stuart can remember, her summers have been spent with her father and his new wife. Just the three of them, structured, planned, and quiet. But this summer is different. This summer, she’s received a letter from her grandparents—grandparents neither she nor her dad have spoken to since her mom’s death—inviting her to stay with them at an old summer camp in the Poconos. Ryanna isn’t sure she wants to go because let’s face it, summer with two old people sounds well…boring, but she quickly finds out it’s not at all what she expected.
This book is one you’ll get lost in, it’s so heartwarming, full of adventure and loveable family bonds. This will have you feeling nostalgic for your youth and itching to plan your own outdoor adventure.
I absolutely loved this one and am recommending it to anyone who will listen. This is a middle grade level book, so if you have little ones and looking for some good summer reads for them, pick this one up. Even me - who is in my 30’s - adored this.
✨For my full review please check out my blog. I have linked it to this review
Thank you to Simons & Schuster for so kindly sending this my way for an honest review.

One summer that becomes your defining moment and changes everything you know about yourself and the world around you. Ryanna finds that out when she gets an invite from her maternal grandparents, whom she knew nothing about, to spend her summer at their old summer camp. Ryanna agrees, determined to find out why her grandparents and her dad stopped talking after her mother’s death.

This was such a feel-good story, centered on family, with a wonderful cast of characters who tug at your heartstrings and make you laugh out loud at the same time. One of the genres I’ve always enjoyed is middle grade and this type of story is the reason why. The characters were authentic and delightful, flaws and all.

The plot was engaging and interesting, with a little mystery sprinkled in and I credit all that to the author’s excellent writing. The words were a pleasure to read and I enjoyed this little gem a lot. This was my first book by Morgan Matson and I can’t wait to try her other books!

This was a really sweet read. Ryanna gets to meet her family and she starts to find out more about her mom who passed away when Ryanna was little. She gets to form bonds with her cousins and go on adventures around the camp. Overall I loved the characters and the big family atmosphere. Matson creates fun summery books and this one transported me to a summer camp with a wonderful family and some fun adventures.

I really enjoyed this one. I'm not the biggest fan of middle grades usually but I always enjoy Matson's work and I love a good summer camp vibe story. Ryanna is a great main character and I found myself not wanting to put this one down

Morgan Matson has been a YA author I've quite enjoyed for awhile now due to her character development and all the warm fuzzies her books give me. After reading this, her debut middle grade book, I am happy to say I wasn't let down one bit. I loved the summer camp vibes, the bonding that occurred between Ryanna and her cousins, and the beautiful way she got to get to know her mom. I definitely think that, had this been one of Morgan's YA books, Ryanna and Holden definitely would've had a romance (I could feel those vibes for sure!), she kept it much more about family and I was absolutely here for it. I cannot wait to handsell this one especially as summer gets closer!!!

Just from the cover I knew I was in for a fun and entertaining read.

For 11-year-old Ryanna this summer brought with it so much more than she expected. First off is the family she didn't know existed. She was determined to not enjoy herself but rather learn about the mother she doesn't remember. Her mom died when she was just 3 years old, it caused a riff with her dad and the in-laws. But try as she might her plans were derailed.

This was such a well written story. It tugs at the heart strings but also comes with zany adventures in the great outdoors.

The Firefly Summer is a summer adventure story dealing with family, healing and mystery. Yes there is a good mysterious treasure hunt. The setting is perfect not just for middle grade readers but for putting adults into summer vacation mode as well. With swimming, hiking and s'mores the atmosphere shines through.

Releasing in just a couple weeks, The Firefly Summer is a story I recommend to readers of all ages.

My thanks to Simon & Schuster CA for a digital ARC in exchange for a honest review.

ARC Copy...Very much a Summery read with family themes at the core and all the hi-jinks one can have with that family over the summer while camping! Very much suggestible for readers of Penderwicks.