August Isle

*A Junior Library Guild Selection*

From critically acclaimed author Ali Standish (The Ethan I Was Before), the story of one girl’s journey to a magical seaside town, where she uncovers her family’s long hidden secrets and ultimately finds truth and redemption.

Fans of Sharon Creech and Rebecca Stead will be captivated by this story filled with warm humor, mystery, whimsy, and characters you can’t let go. A modern classic in the making!

For years, Miranda has stared at postcards of August Isle, Florida. The town where her mother spent her summers as a girl. The town that Miranda has always ached to visit. She just never wanted it to happen this way.

When she arrives on the Isle, alone and uncertain, to stay the summer with an old friend of her mother’s, Miranda discovers a place even more perfect than she imagined. And she finds a new friend in Sammy, “Aunt” Clare’s daughter.

But there is more to August Isle than its bright streets and sandy beaches, and soon Miranda is tangled in a web of mysteries. A haunted lighthouse. An old seafarer with something to hide. A name reaching out from her mother’s shadowy past.

As she closes in on answers, Miranda must reckon with the biggest question of all: Is she brave enough to face the truth she might uncover?

“A beautifully written story. An emotional journey of family, friendship, loss, and healing.” —Kirkus

• Family Secrets: Miranda thought she knew her mother, but the secrets of August Isle—including a name from the past and a tragic accident—will change everything she believes about her family.
• Overcoming Fear: For a girl terrified of the water, a summer on an island presents the ultimate challenge. Can she find the courage to not only face the ocean, but the truth it holds?
• A Poignant Mother-Daughter Story: Miranda feels like a burden to her distant mother. Uncovering the past is the only way to understand the woman she came from and heal the bond between them.
• Atmospheric Seaside Setting: With its magical August Oak, sandy beaches, and a haunted lighthouse legend, August Isle is the perfect backdrop for a summer of mystery and discovery.

“A beautifully written story…An emotional journey of family, friendship, loss, and healing.” - Kirkus Reviews

“Readers who enjoyed Standish’s first novel may want to give this one a try.” - Booklist

“Engaging characters, a pleasant setting, and enough intrigue to hook young readers.” - School Library Journal

“Standish constructs a subtly powerful story about acknowledging the past while defining oneself outside of it.” - Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books