Second Sleep

The time by the lake is everything perfect about a childhood summer…and maybe it also holds the answers Max needs. Give this tender middle grade novel to readers who love the mystery, friendships, and touches of magic in novels by Rebecca Stead and Laurel Snyder!

To get Max and Rosie’s minds off their mother’s mysterious disappearance, their grandmother, Mozelle, suggests a summer adventure at the old log cabin where their mom spent her summers as a child. This is a place where, when it gets dark, you go to bed. But according to Mozelle, their mother had her happiest dreams during her nights at the lake. 

That first night, in a story touched with magical realism, Max and Rosie travel in their dreams to an almost impossibly beautiful place where they meet a wonderful new group of friends. But was it really just a dream? Or is there something extraordinary and magical about this compound by the lake?

As Max slowly grasps what is really going on, this coming of age journey leads him to wonder if he might have found the key to the mystery of his mother’s disappearance—and how to bring her safely home.

A Missing Mother Mystery: Max and Rosie are reeling from their mother’s sudden disappearance. Their only clue is the strange dream world they discover at her childhood cabin by the lake. A Heartfelt Sibling Story: As twelve-year-old Max takes on new responsibilities, he must navigate his changing relationship with his younger sister, Rosie, while they both grapple with their shared worry. A Touch of Magic: At night, the lake becomes a place where kids from different decades can meet, play, and become friends. Is it just a dream, or something more? Found Family and First Friends: In the dream world, Max and Rosie connect with a new group of friends, finding comfort and help in unexpected places and times.