F E AT U R E
Young Summer Love. BY MICHELE MATHEWS
Ask me what my favorite season is, and I will always answer, “Summer.” I long for those hot temperatures and sun at all times of the year—most especially in the winter when it’s too cold to go outside and the sun isn’t shining near as much. And then there’s summer love. Summer is the perfect time for two people to meet and fall in love. Call me a hopeless romantic or whatever you want, but when I was younger, I used to dream of meeting Mr. Right in the summer. Unfortunately, it never happened. However, books about young summer love helped me live in that moment, and I think that’s why I’ve always leaned toward this genre. But what does summer love mean to the authors who write this kind of story? “Summer love to me, particularly young summer love, is all about leaving behind the safe familiarity of childhood and taking the first steps in young adulthood,” says Kat Colmer, who is also a high school teacher and librarian. 76
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