Lola Gillette and the Summer of Second Chances

LolaGilletteCover
Publisher Name
Willow River Press
Age Range
9+
Release Date
March 03, 2026
ISBN13
978-1965059746
ISBN10 or ASIN
   
A heartwarming and magical middle-grade adventure about grief, guilt, and the power of connection.
Thirteen-year-old Lola is determined to honor her perfect twin sister, who died in an accident Lola can't forgive herself for. To make things right, she's on a mission to complete their Perfect Pairs Collection-but one mistake lands her in serious trouble. Now, instead of facing reform school, Lola must spend August with her eccentric, agoraphobic Uncle Milo in his crumbling mansion on the Connecticut River.

What begins as punishment quickly turns into a summer full of strange discoveries: a Zen garden gone wrong, a holographic projector spitting ghostly messages from her late aunt, a mysterious houseboat, and even a wandering wolf. As Lola races to complete her lucky baker's dozen of perfect pairs, she starts to realize that magic isn't about collections or luck-it's about healing, forgiveness, and finding where she truly belongs.

Perfect for fans of Kate DiCamillo, Lynda Mullaly Hunt, and Anne Ursu, this touching, funny, and imaginative story explores family, loss, and the courage it takes to let go.

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What if your biggest mistake turned into the summer that saved you?
(Updated: June 04, 2026)
Overall rating
 
5.0
Plot
 
5.0
Characters
 
5.0
Writing Style
 
5.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
5.0
Reading Lola Gillette and the Summer of Second Chances by Kimberly Behre Kenna absolutely wrapped around my heart. I went in expecting a quirky middle-grade adventure and came out teary-eyed and hopeful.

Lola’s grief over her twin sister feels so real and raw. Her obsession with completing their Perfect Pairs Collection? Equal parts are heartbreaking and relatable. When she’s shipped off to spend the summer with her eccentric, agoraphobic Uncle Milo in his crumbling mansion, I thought it would be all doom and gloom but instead, it’s holographic ghost messages, a chaotic Zen garden, a mysterious houseboat, and even a wandering wolf. Basically? The most magical kind of mayhem.

What I loved most is how gently this story handles guilt and forgiveness. Watching Lola slowly realize that healing doesn’t come from fixing the past but from connection and self-compassion hit me right in the feels. It’s whimsical, warm, and quietly powerful, the kind of middle grade that reminds you of why you fell in love with stories in the first place.
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