Book excerpt: The summer of 2011 was not like any other Natalie Nwanekwu had ever experienced. Although she was used to travelling away from her town of Newark, Delaware. During the summer months, eleven-year-old Natalie was thrilled that her aunt and two of her cousins would be visiting for three whole weeks. But little did she know that her summer experience would become a defining moment in her life. In this account of her fun times with her summer guests, Natalienow in middle schoolpens her memories beginning with the day her Auntie Odiche and her cousins, Maurine and Kathy arrived in her home. While detailing their shared moments reading the Bible, shopping, and attending church together, Natalie offers a heartwarming glimpse into the excitement and wide variety of other feelings a young girl experiences when welcoming extended family into her home for a visit. But when an earthquake suddenly strikes and a hurricane threatens the eastern shore, Natalie details how she and her family learned to rely on each other, and God, for courage. Pearl Drops in My Summer shares a young girls journey through an unforgettable summer as she excitedly receives guests from afar and experiences more than she ever imagined.