Parents' Guide to

The Last Last-Day-of-Summer: Legendary Alston Boys, Book 1

By Michael Berry, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

Kid sleuths investigate zany time-travel mystery.

Book Lamar Giles Science Fiction 2019
The Last Last-Day-of-Summer: Legendary Alston Boys, Book 1 Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

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age 10+

Based on 1 parent review

sup12345
sup12345 Adult
June 20, 2021
age 10+

Magnificent read (except for the weak willed)

This book is good. However my younger 9 year old brother had nightmares when reading about the characters stopping time. He is unable to sleep alone and cannot blink without screaming in fear. The authors descriptions are extremely good and so struck fear into my brothers heart. For the past 6 months he has been acting like a blubbering fool and seems to have become a newborn once again. For this reason I would not recommend this book for anyone under 10 as my brother has naturally been on the weak side. The book itself is very very interesting and will keep any reader (other than the weak willed) absorbed. It has good educational value and great messages and role models, and has no consumerism if I recall correctly. Before reading make sure that you are not as sensitive as my brother or you will be reduced to being a blubbering fool for the rest of your life. I am giving it four stars because of the mental toll it has taken on me as I have been forced to accompany my brother everywhere. I cannot wait for the day I turn 18 and can ditch him. Have fun reading and please keep my brother in your thoughts.

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
1 person found this helpful.
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What's the Story?

At the start of THE LAST LAST-DAY-OF-SUMMER, cousins Otto and Sheed Alston meet Mr. Flux, a strange little man who tricks them into freezing time with a special camera. Chaos ensues throughout Logan County, and the boy sleuths must find a way to "unstick" their friends and family members. As they do, they learn about themselves and what the future might hold for them.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1):
Kids say: Not yet rated

In the wrong hands, a book-length serving of absurd humor might be too much of a good thing, but this zany time-travel adventure keeps the bizarro laughs coming until the very end. Logan County is a strange place, but in The Last Last-Day-of-Summer, author Lamar Giles makes it seem appealing, even when a giant platypus runs amok. Otto and Sheed are highly likable main characters: inquisitive, brave, and true to each other. Their antagonist is both annoying and dangerous, and the cousins' confrontations with various aspects of time are clever and sometimes even moving. Dapo Adeola's black-and-white spot illustrations lend a touch of reality to a story that includes robots, mirrors full of tentacles, and giant marsupials. Giles seems just to be getting started exploring Logan County, and middle-grade readers will welcome further adventures for Otto and Sheed -- boys especially.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the time frame in The Last Last-Day-of-Summer. What's so special about the end of summer and anticipating the beginning of the school year?

  • Why do you think time travel is a common theme in science fiction? Why is it fun to imagine going forward or backward in time?

  • Otto and Sheed are cousins and share a special bond. Why do some kids prefer to hang out with members of their family?

Book Details

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