Losing a sibling is a terrible thing to experience. It’s even more traumatic when you are just 13 and your twin sister has died. Our protagonist, Lola, feels responsible for the loss. The two of them always shared a treasured Perfect Pairs Collection. When Lola continues the tradition of adding one new pair per year, she gets caught stealing.

Lola’s parents send her to live with Uncle Milo who lives in a rundown mansion on the Connecticut River and after that to the Bad Girls Boarding School. Uncle Milo is deep in grief as he can’t get over the reality of his wife passing away. Lola is now determined to finish her collection that she feels would provide the luck to avoid getting sent to the boarding school.

There’s one problem after another keeping Lola from her goal. Now town leaders wants to condemn the mansion which motivates Lola to try and save it, leaving her still another big task to complete. Time is running out to finish her Perfect Pairs Collection and saving the mansion, even though Uncle Milo has no interest in her plan.

Lola narrates the story with perfection, displaying the emotional roller coaster she is experiencing. Along with her determination to be seen as a good person, Lola also has a knack for snooping. The rooms on the second and third floor hold many surprises. The heartfelt journey in Lola Gillette and the Summer of Second Chances is worth your time. You will remember Lola for her bravery and commitment in dealing with her guilt. A special character who fits in with this special story.

BOOK BIRTHDAY: March 3, 2026 PAGES: 170

FIVE MORE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: Lola Gillette and the Summer of Second Chances by Kimberly Behre Kenna

1. The setting creates the magical feeling you get while reading. There is a mysterious wolf and an old lifeboat that play a big part in Lola’s character ARC.
2. Woven together are themes of saving nature, healing from grief, repairing damaged relationships, and keeping memories alive. That unique combination blends together with perfection.
3. Kya is a girl who lives nearby. She and Lola share the same birthday but aren’t much alike otherwise. Regardless, Kya becomes a friend with Lola and her influence pays off with each passing page. She’s also quite the yodeler!
4. The topic of a loved one’s death never overshadows the uplifting result you get by the end of the story.
5. The page length will attract many new readers, especially those unwilling to pick up one of the more common 300+ page middle grade books.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kimberly Behre Kenna

After teaching fifth grade for many years, Kimberly earned an MA in Creative Writing from Wilkes University. Her children’s books have received recognition from the Nautilus Book Award, the Eric Hoffer Award, the Foreword INDIES Award, and the Green Earth Book Award. Kimberly has been a panelist and presenter at SCBWI events and workshops, a featured speaker at bookstore and library events, an MG panelist/moderator at the Virginia Festival of the Book, a panelist discussing banned books at the Collingswood Book Festival, and she will be a panelist/moderator at the 2026 AWP Conference discussing truth-telling in kidlit. She’s taught seminars on the transformational power of play on story-writing, most recently at Wesleyan University. You can learn more about her at KimberlyBehreKenna.com.

COMMENTS ARE WELCOME BELOW

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