Once Upon a Summer, by Janette Oke

From the Back Cover:
Sure it's unusual to have a 18 year old mother when you're twelve. But when you're an orphan and she's your aunt- and the only mother you've ever had- well, as I explained, it had worked out real well.

Where do I even start with this book... It was one of the first books by Janette Oke I had ever read, and I was skeptical at first. I mean, there can't be many books from a twelve year old boy's viewpoint, right? But I totally changed my mind after reading it. I could hardly wait to read the other three books! But, before I start on them, let me get back to the book I'm supposed to be talking about.
Joshua Jones is a typical twelve year old. He has friends, gets into trouble with these friends, does his chores and suffers through his grandfather insisting he goes to church each Sunday. When his grandfather and great uncle decide its time to start surveying prospects for his pretty aunt before she chooses a husband for herself, Josh's world is pretty much torn apart. The thought of his aunt leaving the family isn't welcome, especially since she's been his mother and best friend since he lost his own parents.
This book made me cry and, more often than not, laugh. When a spry great-grandfather shows up and teams with Josh to ruin his grandfather and great-uncle's plans, you can expect a lot of comical moments! The story does have it's touching moments; like I said, I cried. Auntie Lou's attempts to help Josh remove his bitterness towards God over losing his parents, and feeling the hurt that Josh feels when he loses his brand new puppy... be ready with some tissues.
And the ending- well, I won't give it away, but if you're like me, you won't stop grinning for days. I've read this book probably a hundred times, and I still can't stop smiling when I get to the end. I definitely give this book five stars, and highly recommend if you like it, read the next three books in the series that go through the rest of Joshua Jones' life!