Summerland

A Novel

By: Michael Chabon

Narrated by: Michael Chabon

From the Pulitzer Prize winning Michael Chabon comes this bestselling novel for readers of all ages that blends fantasy and folklore with that most American coming-of-age ritual: baseball—now in a new edition, with an original introduction by the author.

Ethan Feld is having a terrible summer: his father has moved them to Clam Island, Washington, where Ethan has quickly established himself as the least gifted baseball player the island has ever seen. Ethan’s luck begins to change, however, when a mysterious baseball scout named Ringfinger Brown and a seven-hundred-and-sixty-five-year-old werefox enter his life, dragging Ethan into another world called the Summerlands. But this beautiful, winter-less place is facing destruction at the hands of the villainous Coyote, and it has been prophesized that only Ethan can save it.

In this cherished modern classic, the New York Times bestselling, Pulitzer Prize winning author brings his masterful storytelling, dexterous plotting, and singularly envisioned characters to a coming-of-age novel for readers of all ages.

Not as good as Angels in Outfield

At best there was baseball, at worse there was a pretty horrendous appropriating of Native story elements. A big hodgepodge.

Love Chabon but this one lost me

I loved the intro chapters about why he pivoted into youth fantasy more than the book itself. The baselines of the story are great and maybe this type of fantasy just isn't my thing. It's still written with Chabon's wordsmith mastery, just lost me through most of the middle of the book. I'm a sucker for anything baseball and found myself liking those parts and the connection between Ethan and his father and mother who passed much more than the fantasy aspects. Will continue to adore Chabon though

I love Michael Chabon, his vulnerability, and his

This book is like listening to a story by a campfire late at night on a summer camping trip. It reminded me of roasting marshmallows and making smores. There is such an interesting balance between the "boy" being the protagonist and recognizing the "girl" as having as significant a role in this story - but it's still a story about a boy (from boy perspective). I loved it and it's nice to see the author balance and recognize "others" in the telling of this story.

Crazy, but charming.

The author has a crazy imagination, but the combination of humor, fantasy, love seems to work.

Kid friendly but lacking

Begins with an interesting plot. Gets long and anticlimactic in stretches. Too many unaddressed holes.