• Mockingbird Summer

  • A Novel
  • By: Lynda Rutledge
  • Narrated by: Ren Hanami
  • Length: 10 hrs and 23 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (54 ratings)

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Mockingbird Summer  By  cover art

Mockingbird Summer

By: Lynda Rutledge
Narrated by: Ren Hanami
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Publisher's summary

A powerful and emotional coming-of-age novel set amid the turmoil and profound changes of the 1960s by the bestselling author of West with Giraffes.

In segregated High Cotton, Texas, in 1964, the racial divide is as clear as the railroad tracks running through town. It’s also where two girls are going to shake things up.

This is the last summer of thirteen-year-old Corky Corcoran’s childhood, and her family hires a Haitian housekeeper who brings her daughter, America, along with her. Corky is quick to befriend America and eager to share her favorite new “grown-up” novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. America’s take on it is different and profoundly personal. As their friendship grows, Corky finds out so much more about America’s life and her hidden skill: she can run as fast as Olympian Wilma Rudolph!

When Corky asks America to play with her girls’ softball team for the annual church rivals game, it’s a move that crosses the color line and sets off a firestorm. As tensions escalate, it fast becomes a season of big changes in High Cotton. For Corky, those changes will last a lifetime.

Set on the eve of massive cultural shifts, Mockingbird Summer explores the impact of great books, the burden of potential, and the power of friendship with humor, poignancy, and exhilarating hope.

©2024 by Lynda Rutledge. (P)2023 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“A brilliantly written coming-of-age novel that is set on the eve of massive cultural shifts throughout Texas and the American south, Mockingbird Summer is a deftly crafted novel by Lynda Rutledge.”Midwest Book Review

What listeners say about Mockingbird Summer

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True Grit

I loved each and every chapter! Thank you for writing this book, I felt ea h and every word!! Thank you

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Okay

While this book nowhere compares to West with Giraffes, it’s still a fun read. I mostly read it from my Kindle because, Lord bless you, this narrator is terrible. While she voiced the females okay, her male voice was grating.

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Reliving the revelations about racism

There is a line in the book where it says a book should bring the readers experiences to it. This one did exactly that. I remembered my own experiences with it along my teenage years. I was 17 before I saw it full force. But like Corky, I don't think it was clear until then. She had to come face to face with it before it occurred to her that that kind of evil existed. Author brilliantly uses humor effectively, I laughed out loud several times. Such great characters! Hope they make a movie of it! Can't wait to see Lynda Rutledge's next book! Already read West with Girraffs! Brilliant!

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Very Good Story

The book was very informative and kept the reader wanting more. Good ending and characters

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Exquisite!

Who would think this story would awaken memories of my teen years during the 60s. Challenging times. Imperfect people trying to do what's right... and failing too often. This story is a jewel. I knew from reading "Giraffes" I could expect beautiful writing and storytelling. I've not been disappointed. Ms. Rutledge has me hooked! I am so grateful to be able to immerse in this wonderful book.

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Superior character development

Loved the storyline..the beginning was fabulous. Learned a lot about racism in the 1960s.

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What a beautiful story

I could see it all as it was happening, the story was told well for exactly what was going on in the south in 1964!
The characters were real, smart, funny and endearing.
I will be buying a copy for my daughter, like To Kill a Mockingbird, this transcends through every generation and is an important book for everyone to read!

Lisa Van Orden Grebeldinger 👍🏻❤️

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great book...horrible narrator

I love Lynda Rutledge's books and this one did not disappoint. it was wonderful. However, the narrator was horrible! She was ok in the Corky-voice and her regular narrator's voice, but when she tried to read using alternative voices they all sound hoarse and breathy. It was very distracting.

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Just too sappy

The story I hoped would be more interesting and the narrator for me was way too sappy, it made the whole story irritating to me. Not worth the time.

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Pre-teen reading level

Picked this up because I enjoyed West With Giraffes so much, but this was very disappointing. Seems written for a younger person, with plenty of words but not much story.

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