In the 5th grade I moved from Wilmington, CA to Trabuco Canyon, CA. These two cities in the same state we worlds apart. Wilmington is an urban, compact city with narrow streets and semi truck containers set on a hill overlooking the neighborhood. Boy, that shit is ugly. Trabuco on the other hand was a suburban city 50 miles outside the city which had yet to grow to what it is today. Most of the area at the time was unbuilt; it was mostly wilderness.

Because Trabuco was so remote my parents had an extremely long commute. They were outside the house working so much I was left to my own devices many days.

Especially during the summers, mischief and mayhem had its place in my life. My summers were memorable. Summers as a kid meant so much to me.

Apparently, I am not the only person who’s summers shaped them so much, Soto recalls the antics & boredom, the danger & loneliness attached to those summer days.

Soto takes us on a nostalgic trip to the summer days of his youth. He writes about sibling dynamics and the interactions he had with his mother. This book took me right back to my summer days and made me misty eyed longing for the return of those days.

Soto teaches us the value in reminding ourselves of your youth and the lessons we learned.

Remember your youth,

@growthucator