Once Upon a Summer (Seasons of the Heart #1) by Janette Oke

The Year of the Historical
January 2010

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Once Upon a Summer (Seasons of the Heart #1) by Janette Oke
Inspirational Historical Fiction – Era 1930’s America

Josh Jones is a 12 years old orphan. He lives on a farm with his Grandfather, his Uncle Charlie and his 18 year old Auntie Lou. Josh is just a regular kid who loves to catch fish at the creek (or crick). His happy days are threatened when he learns his great-grandfather will come to live with them, and even more threatened when he learns that his grandfather and Uncle Charlie are looking to marry off his Auntie Lou, the only mother he’s known.

Josh wants none of it; his only desire is a dog, not an extended family. Life on the farm for a 12 year old is tough, but Josh does his chores and lives life to the fullest. He’s known so much sadness and he gets heaps more in this installment. However, he also gets a lot of happiness, more than he could have hoped for.

Josh learns that sometimes what we wish for is not what we need.

I laughed and cried and was thoroughly entertained by this book. There are 3 more to the series and I will work my way through them.

I usually don’t read historical fiction from this time period and especially books that have a rural setting. This book was recommended to me, and I had it for about a year before I started on it.

I recommend this to anyone who likes inspirational and/or coming of age fiction of a historical nature.