Close Menu
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest LinkedIn YouTube TikTok
    • Home
    • Submission Guidelines
    • Advertise
    • Mentorship
    • Editing Services
    • About
    • Contact
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest TikTok
    The Children's Book Review
    Subscribe
    • Books by Subject
    • Books by Age
      • Ages 0-3, Infant and Toddler
      • Ages 4-8, Preschool to Elementary
      • Ages 9-12, Preteen and Tween
      • Ages 12+, Teen and Young Adult
      • Books for First Grade Readers
      • Books for Second Grade Readers
      • Books for Third Grade Readers
    • Favorites
      • Diverse and Inclusive Books
      • Books About Activism
      • Best Books for Kids
      • Star Wars Books
      • Board Books
      • Books About Mindfulness
      • Dr. Seuss Books
    • Showcase
    • Interviews
      • Growing Readers Podcast
      • Author Interviews and Q&A
      • Illustrator Interviews
    • Kids’ Book Giveaways
    • Directory
    • Podcast
    The Children's Book Review

    Author Showcase: Summer Sanctuary by Laurie Gray

    Bianca SchulzeBy Bianca Schulze2 Mins Read Author Showcase Teens: Young Adults
    Self-published Book
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    By Laurie Gray, for The Children’s Book Review
    Published: November 4, 2010

    Self-published BookIn Summer Sanctuary, Matthew, a twelve-year-old preacher’s son, plans to spend the summer researching his theory that Einstein’s work on time dilation is biblical:  “One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” He meets Dinah, a temporarily homeless teenager, at his local library and convinces her to live secretly in his church for the summer. Rich in literary allusions and humor, this novel overflows with music, poetry and science, all appealing to and suitable for middle grade readers.

    The book creates a safe place for tweens and teens to explore and appreciate their own experiences as well as the diverse experiences of others. Matthew and Dinah come from very different worlds, yet they form a genuine friendship that shows how connected we all are. The novel also addresses very real social issues such as homelessness, poverty and even sexual assault without using profanity or situations that are inappropriate for this age group.

    Part muse and part siren, Dinah’s goal is to avoid foster care. Her friendship comes with the heavy price of keeping a significant secret from his parents and at times being less than honest, if not actually lying. But Matthew perseveres, developing his own conscience and personal accountability, knowing God is in on his secret. Matthew initially misjudges Dinah, whose name actually means “good judgment” in Hebrew. Matthew learns about himself as he learns about Dinah and becomes more accepting of himself as he accepts her. Readers of all ages will, too.

    About the author: Laurie Gray is the founder of Socratic Parenting, LLC (www.SocraticParenting.com) and co-creator of Token of Change™. An attorney and child advocate, she lives in Fort Wayne, Indiana, with her husband and daughter. Laurie loves to talk with parents, teachers, teens and tweens about reading, writing, creative living and anything else that interests them. Summer Sanctuary, Laurie’s first young adult novel, was recently awarded a Moonbeam Children’s Book Gold Medal.

    Add this book to your collection: Summer Sanctuary by Laurie Gray

    Author Showcase: A place for authors and illustrators to gain visibility for their work. Titles featured in the Author Showcase may not been reviewed by The Children’s Book Review, and reflect the thoughts of the author, illustrator, or publishing company. Read more …

    What to Read Next:

    1. Mary Thompson’s Character Development: What if You Were a Monster?
    2. Wild Boy: The Real Life of the Savage of Aveyron, by Mary Losure
    3. Hush Puppy, By Lisa T. Cresswell | Dedicated Review
    4. Ripley’s Believe It or Not!: Dare to Look! | Dedicated Review

    *Disclosure: Please note that this post may contain affiliate links that share some commission. Rest assured that these will not affect the cost of any products and services promoted here. Our team always provides their authentic opinion in all content published on this site.

    Laurie Gray
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Previous Article12 of the Best Thanksgiving Books for Kids
    Next Article Review: The Little Green Goose by Adele Sansone and Anke Faust
    Bianca Schulze
    • Website
    • Facebook
    • X (Twitter)
    • LinkedIn

    Bianca Schulze is the founder of The Children’s Book Review. She is a reader, reviewer, mother and children’s book lover. She also has a decade’s worth of experience working with children in the great outdoors. Combined with her love of books and experience as a children’s specialist bookseller, the goal is to share her passion for children’s literature to grow readers. Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, she now lives with her husband and three children near Boulder, Colorado.

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    TCBR Supporter
    Recent Articles
    • The Shrewd Granny, by Janell L. Jordan | Dedicated Review
    • The Lie Berry, by Dean Bonner | Dedicated Review
    • Wishes & Whinnies: Tyler’s Dream | Dedicated Review
    • Charli’s Turtle Triumph: A Marine Biology Adventure | Dedicated Review
    • An Interview with Jill Rosen and Stephanie Rohr, Creators of the ‘Ode to a Pug’ Series
    TCBR Supporters
    sponsored | become a TCBR supporter today
    sponsored | become a TCBR supporter today

    sponsored | become a TCBR supporter today
    sponsored | become a TCBR supporter today
    Discover Kids Books by Age
    Best Books For Kids
    Media Kit: The Children's Book Review
    Author and Illustrator Showcase
    SEARCH
    BOOKS BY SUBJECT
    Archives
    Professional Resources

    Book Marketing Campaigns

    Writing Coaches and Editing Services

    Mentorship

    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest YouTube LinkedIn TikTok
    • Submission Guidelines
    • Policies
    • Advertise
    • TCBR Buzzworthy Mentions
    • About TCBR
    © 2025 The Children’s Book Review. All rights reserved.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.