Parents' Guide to

Caterpillar Summer

By Joly Herman, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Touching tale of girl's summer with brother, family secrets.

Book Gillian McDunn Coming of Age 2019
Caterpillar Summer Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

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age 9+

Based on 1 parent review

Sara B.
Sara B. Parent
August 25, 2020
age 9+

a great read for kids

A heart warming story. Love Macon's character and how he conveys his thoughts without saying a lot. Also, Cat and Chicken are bi-racial and their experience of “not looking like mom” and her white mother trying to brush and braid Cat’s curly textured hair, as well as other experiences in their grandparent’s small town, gives nuance to the story making it quite powerful. Seeing the responsibility and pressure that Cat puts on herself is heartening and learning of Chicken’s autism is a great way for kids to read about normalized special needs kids.

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

In CATERPILLAR SUMMER, a sister who protects and cares for her brother wth special needs finds that staying with her grandparents over the summer is not as disappointing as it promised to be. In fact, life in the little community of Gingerbread Island, North Carolina, allows Cat Gladwell to receive some care and support that she'd long been missing. A family secret sets Cat on a path to figure out why her mother never talked about her childhood, or the loving people Cat's getting to know as her grandparents.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (2):

Touching, eloquent, and rendered like a watercolor, this is a great summer read for tweens who like stories about family and travel. Caterpillar Summer makes the most of familiar summer-book elements -- last-minute change of summer plans, an older sister who uses her ingenuity to keep her younger brother special needs under control, grandparents with a mysterious past, ocean views and bike rides with the freckled girl down the street, neighborhood boy that the girls have to one-up because he's such a bully, and ice cream, early morning walks on the beach, new skills learned, and mysteries solved.

There are challenges, and the family mysteries are subtle and deep, but the characters know how to laugh, even if they feel scared or awkward. Though it doesn't avoid complicated situations, Caterpillar Summer allows for the grace that some adults possess to come through, which feels comforting in a big, busy, sometimes scary world.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how race is portrayed in Caterpillar Summer. Cat and Chicken's father was African American, their mother is white. Is Cat treated differently in North Carolina than in San Francisco?

  • Cat's brother has special needs, though they are not given a name in the story. How much time does Cat spend taking care of her brother? Does it affect her social life? How would you react if your sibling had needs like Chicken's? What would you do differently than Cat?

  • Cat and Chicken's mom works a lot, and the kids have to arrange their lives around their mother's work life. Does this seem realistic? Do you think parents who work are portrayed fairly in the media?

Book Details

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Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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