Midsummer's Mayhem by Rajani LaRoccaMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
The back of this book describes it as "a contemporary fantasy retelling of Shakespeare's A Midsummer's Night Dream, and that scared me a little bit. I've never read that play, so I have minimal background knowledge of the story. As I began reading, I felt like my lack of experience with the play was impeding my ability to appreciate this retelling; however, the farther I got into the story, the more I was able to appreciate this MG novel all on its own. I think younger students might struggle with reading some of the names: Peaseblossom, Titiana, etc, but if they can get over that hump, I'm sure they will appreciate this fun fantasy.
My daughter and I love to watch baking competitions with each other, and LaRocca's debut put me right in the middle of a baking competition for kids. MiMi's creative desserts had my mouth watering and wishing that I was a little more brave with my ingredients. Readers who feel like the black sheep of their family will connect with Mimi who often feels unseen as the youngest of her siblings who are all extremely gifted. Mimi wants nothing more than to succeed at something, and she is hopeful that she can be successful at something she truly loves. I think anyone can appreciate that sentiment. This book will be a delightful summer read.
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