The Last Last-Day-of-Summer by Lamar Giles

Format/source: ARC/Netgalley
Published: 2 April 2019
Publisher: Versify
Length: 305 pages
Genre: Middle grade speculative fiction
★★★★ 

Otto and Sheed are the local sleuths in their zany Virginia town, masters of unraveling mischief using their unmatched powers of deduction. And as the summer winds down and the first day of school looms, the boys are craving just a little bit more time for fun, even as they bicker over what kind of fun they want to have. That is, until a mysterious man appears with a camera that literally freezes time. Now, with the help of some very strange people and even stranger creatures, Otto and Sheed will have to put aside their differences to save their town—and each other—before time stops for good. 

The Last Last-Day-of-Summer introduces readers to cousins Otto and Sheed, established legends in their unusual county. The boys own two Keys to City for their services in investigating and resolving the extraordinarily ordinary happenings around their small town. (The keys live next to other souvenirs like a lock of banshee hair.) The story explores their friendship primarily from Otto’s perspective. Otto is an observant thinker. He takes notes of everything that happens so he can form his own deductions about what’s going on. Otto perceives Sheed to be more reactive, but both boys have their own smarts. They know how to work together for the benefit of their town. They’re well-defined characters who aren’t just binary opposites of each other. I enjoyed getting to know each boy better as the story progressed.

Otto and Sheed live with their grandma (their parents are referenced only once, in description of Grandma’s house and how their photos “were plentiful, despite their ability to make Grandma and the boys sad from time to time” [48%]). Grandma’s not physically present for most of the story, but Otto often recalls and follows advice she has given the boys. In one especially significant scene for a middle grade novel, Otto asks permission before touching a girl’s arm because Grandma said “they should always ask permission before touching people. No matter the circumstance, even if time was frozen” (81%). The girl responds “Yes, you can touch my arm”, providing a great example of what consent looks like.

The book’s premise attracted me to it, but the use of the adjective zany and the mishmash cover made me a little wary. This book is a bit zany, but it’s not silly or too nonsensical. There’s an apt quote from Booklist: “Not all YA authors transition seamlessly to middle grade, but Giles manages it with aplomb spinning a zany, clever adventure that never feels forced”. Never feels forced is key to me. Many strange things happen in town, but they make sense in-universe and fit neatly alongside each other. I enjoyed the personifications of time and the sparingly used time travel. The story clips along for the first half, moving between moments of excitement and pauses to catch breath. Then there’s a section for plotting, followed by the final action of this story. This would make a fun summer read.

The Last Last-Day-of-Summer is #ownvoices for Black representation. It’s the kind of book any kid can read and enjoy, but it’s especially valuable for showing Black boys can be heroic adventurers as well as any kid. The Last Last-Day-of-Summer is both Lamar Giles’ first middle grade novel and the first middle grade novel from Kwame Alexander’s about-to-launch imprint, Versify. Versify “reflects Alexander’s vision that accessible and powerful prose and poetry—in picture books, novels, and nonfiction—can celebrate the lives and reflect the possibilities of all children” (about). Alexander, Giles, and other Versify authors are on tour the first week of April. Check if they’re stopping near you!

The Bottom Line:

Otto and Sheed shine in this quirky adventure that never seems silly. The Last Last-Day-of-Summer entertains while also exploring themes of friendship, confidence, and bullying.

Further Information:

• Lamar Giles’website
• “Kwame Alexander’s Versify Imprint Launches in April” @ BookRiot
• Review @ Kirkus
• Review @ Publishers Weekly