The Battle of Junk Mountain

Greenburg, Lauren Abby. The Battle of Junk Mountain
April 17th 2018 by Running Press Kids
E ARC from Netgalley.com

Shayne loves to spend summers in Maine with her grandmother, even though it hasn't been quite the same since her grandfather passed away. This summer, things aren't going the way she wants them too-- her mother is staying home to work, and her best friend Poppy has to help out with the family business. Even Shayne's grandmother has gone back to work, waitressing at a local restaurant, and Shayne is supposed to help out there as well. When she proves less than helpful, she returns to her mother's idea of helping her grandmother ready things for a local rummage sale to help supplement her meager income. With Poppy unavailable, Shayne makes friends with the quirky Linc, the grandson of her grandmother's cranky neighbor. Linc is very interseted in war enactments, and may be able to help Shayne find something in her grandmother's "junk mountain" that will be worth money. Even though she really wants to help, Shayne can only do so much, and eventually has to bring in adult reinforcements to help.
Strengths: This is the third book I've seen on hoarding in the last two years (Family Game Night and Other Catastrophes, Smart Cookie), but it is interesting and realistically done. I even bought that Shayne's mother would have sent her on her own. Shayne is hopeful that she can help, and works really hard to try to assist her grandmother. It doesn't hurt that the book is set in the summer in a Maine vacation town.
Weaknesses: I wish the neighbor hadn't been so cranky.
What I really think: This had a good combination of summer, problems, and hopefulness that will make it popular. Definitely will purchase.