This was an audio read - actually my daughter read it to me. This was a book she had read in 7th grade and we decided to take turns selecting books to read together. 

What a charming read! Plus much of it we read together while on an overnight camp trip to Malibu. Great setting to share a story. 

The characters are vivid and simple events are poignantly portrayed. Julie nurses a childhood crush for Bryce who scorns her attention for years. Suddenly in their early teen years she begins to question his character and turn away from her interest in him. He, however, discovers that he can't keep his mind off of her. 

The chapters alternate between the perspectives of these two characters. Adorable! It is not just a romance. There is growth and development of other characters in the story and how the familial relationships are contrasted. 

It also explores how handicapped people are perceived in society as Julie discovers that she has an uncle who has special needs.