Un Verano Sin Francesas = A Summer Without French Girls

Gr 9 Up-In this regional novel, a Spanish teenager accompanies his parents on a summer vacation to an old-fashioned spa resort (balneario) called Aguacalda. Arnau is not happy about the situation, because his friends will all be going to the much hipper beaches on the coast and meeting all the fabulous French girls vacationing there. His worst fears are realized when they arrive at the spa and encounter a cast of quirky characters right out of an Agatha Christie novel--old pensioners, lame ducks, a sullen hotel staff, and quarrelsome families. The teen is resigned to a slow death by boredom until he befriends one of the old geezers, who turns out to be quite interesting. He also sets his mind on winning over the only female spa guest near his own age. Small adventures and a mini-mystery combine with the snappy dialogue to make this an enjoyable read, full of sarcastic adolescent humor. Black-and-white illustrations capture the mood of the story well.