Disneylanders
Author: Kate Abbott
Genre: YA
Grade: B
Casey is about to start high school, abandoned by her best friend and dealing with parents who don’t seem to want her to grow up when they take their annual summer trip to Disneyland. While there and miserable she meets Bert and the two spend the next two days together exploring the park, their feelings, annoying people, parental issues and generally learning that growing up might just be okay.
I have this weird thing with Disneyland and Las Vegas. While I’ve lived in the OC (until recently) for years I can count the number of times I’ve been to Disneyland on my two hands. Yet every time I do go it’s like I lose my mind. I always have fun. (Well, I’m not counting the one time I only made it a half hour. FYI, if you’re trying to get past a headache and the pills actually seem to be working Space Mountain is not where you want to start the day.) I always turn back into a kid. I don’t worry about the lines, the money or the time and the minute I have to leave I’m planning my return even though it wears off in a couple of days and I forget about it until the next time.
So I definitely get the setting. I know it well. It’s always fun to actually know where a book is taking place. Though I’ve never had all the rides break down like Casey and Bert but still…
This is a young book but not young in an annoying and I feel old way. More like nostalgic and sweet (although Casey’s whining did at times get a little annoying). Bert is a little to perfect of a human being and like I said Casey does get a little whiny and repetitious but we’ve all been there. I looked at it like a fairy tale in the happiest place on Earth. A semi-coming of age we’re all going to be okay story.
So it seems like the good Disney vibes affected me.
Recommend: Yes. Just be aware that it’s a little young and sappy. It really reminded me of the days when I was reading Sweet Valley High and the Babysitter’s Club. I enjoyed it.
This book also fulfilled the “Photograph on the Cover” for the Great Imaginations Story Sprite contest which was a little harder to find than I thought it would be.