Loon Cove Summer, by Donna Galanti | Book Review

Book Review of Loon Cove Summer
The Children’s Book Review

Loon Cove Summer

Written by Donna Galanti

Ages 10+ | 272 Pages

Publisher: Wild Trail Press (2025) | ISBN-13: 978-1-7363162-6-9

What to Expect: Contemporary fiction, grief and loss, family dynamics, wildlife conservation, and a Maine lakeside setting.

Loon Cove Summer is a middle-grade novel that offers an emotionally grounded story, with its authentic portrayal of adolescent grief and thoughtful integration of environmental themes.

Thirteen-year-old Sarah Richardson faces multiple upheavals when her family’s Maine campground struggles financially and her widowed father begins developing feelings for Maggie, a loon researcher who arrives to study the disappearing waterfowl on their lake. As Sarah grapples with her mother’s death six months earlier, she must also confront the possibility of losing her home and sharing her father’s attention with someone new.

Successfully weaving together multiple storylines—the campground’s financial troubles, the loon conservation efforts, and Sarah’s emotional journey—the author, Donna Glananti, never loses focus on the central coming-of-age narrative. She explores the complex emotions of grief by illustrating how loss affects each family member uniquely. Sarah’s relationships with supporting characters, such as her Uncle JuJu, friend Theo, and eventually Maggie herself, evolve naturally—her growth feels genuine rather than manufactured, following a convincing arc progressing from isolation and anger to acceptance and hope. The dialogue captures thirteen-year-old speech patterns without feeling forced, and Sarah’s internal voice remains consistent throughout.

The Maine setting provides more than just a backdrop, functioning as both a source of healing and a character in its own right—Galanti’s background in operating a family campground is evident in the authentic details of campground life and the believable cast of seasonal residents. The loon conservation subplot, which will have extra appeal to budding birders, offers educational value while serving the larger themes of preservation, family, and finding one’s place in the world.

Succeeding as both a grief narrative and an environmental story, Loon Cove Summer offers an emotionally satisfying, character-driven contemporary fiction that addresses real-world issues while maintaining a sense of hope and emotional authenticity. An ideal read for fans of books like Sally J. Pla’s The Someday Birds or Dan Gemeinhart’s Coyote Sunrise.

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About the Author

Donna Galanti writes for grownups and kids. She is the author of the Unicorn Island series, Joshua and the Lightning Road series, Loon Cove Summer, and The Element Trilogy. She has lived in fun locations, including England, her family-owned campground in New Hampshire, and in Hawaii, where she served as a U.S. Navy photographer.

Donna is an avid outdoor adventurer and nature lover. She volunteers for the Old-Growth Forest Network and with the National Audubon Society providing education programs. When Donna’s not wandering the woods seeking magic and wonder, you can usually find her biking or kayaking.

For more information, visit https://www.donnagalanti.com/