The Summer of Owen Todd Hardcover – October 17, 2017

Can being the best friend you can be actually require that you sacrifice that very friendship? Fans of Tony Abbott’s powerful 2007 book FIRE GIRL will find themselves right at home with this story. It’s a sensitive and compelling view into one summer in the life of eleven-year-old Owen Todd, who is put in an untenable situation when he discovers that his best friend may be the victim of ongoing and increasing abuse from a caregiver. Should he tell someone about what he knows, and risk the chance that his friend will carry out a desperate threat? Or stay silent, knowing that something terrible is going on—in the hope that it will stop, and everything will just be all right?

For those who have been sexually molested or someone who wants to help someone in this situation.

Essential book to add in the classroom, it rips your heart out though

Very moving. Beautifully written. Well drawn characters. Tough topic.

The book is fantastic! Looking forward to the next one!

Owen and his best friend Sean are looking forward to the perfect Cape Cod summer spent playing baseball, driving go-karts at Owen’s family’s business, and just messing around. But then Sean’s mother hires a babysitter for him for the summer even though he’s eleven years old, because she has a new job out of town and Sean has diabetes that she worries about. She also won’t let Sean head to the go-karts anymore. Owen tries to spend a lot of time with Sean anyway, but their summers steadily head in different directions. When Sean tells Owen that his babysitter is treating him strangely, Owen can’t tell how serious the problem is. Sean swears Owen to secrecy and seems fine a lot of the time. But other times, when Sean shares more of what is happening, Owen can’t tell if Sean is lying or not. When Owen realizes that it is all true, it may be too late to save his friend.Abbott has created a book about the beauty of summer as a kid. That theme contrasts with the darkness of sexual abuse that is also central to the story. It’s a book about friendship and what it takes to be a best friend, break a confidence, and tell. It’s also a book about being a kid, the epic nature of summer break and growing up. Abbott beautifully contrasts Owen’s experiences with the trauma that Sean is going through.This book simply because of its theme may be too mature for some readers. The way the abuse is dealt with offers just enough details for young readers to understand the seriousness of what is happening but not too much to overwhelm them. This is a book that demands to be discussed and will leave readers feeling shaken. There is no simple happy ending here, which speaks to the damage and complexities of sexual abuse.Strong writing combines with a harrowing story to create a book about what it means to really be a best friend. Appropriate for ages 10-13.

This is a book that is oh-so-necessary, and well-written, but so raw that it's hard to say I "loved" it.Owen tells the story about his best friend, Sean. And Sean is befriended and victimized by a predator who should be protecting him. He confides in Owen, and then the reader sees how children have to reconcile how to do the "right" thing in truly awful situations.Kids need this book. They need it because they're probably suffering, and more so, they need it to arm themselves in case the worst comes their way.The book tells the whole story. The before, during, after, prosecution and attempts at healing...and it takes something so difficult and puts it on a page.Pretty impressive.

Like other reviewers, The Summer of Owen Todd was brutal to read. But the parts that were brutal make this book all the more important. It hurts me greatly to say this, but one day I’ll have a student that needs this book. So it’s vital that I read it. Its vital that I write about it. It’s vital that I publicly support it.