Hanna Jansen Der gestohlene Sommer (The Summer of Change) K. Thienemanns Verlag, 2001. 190pp. ISBN 3-522-17402-X Andis, the central character in this novel, has just turned fifteen. Ever since his father deserted the family, his mother has suffered from a debilitating form of depression. Thus Andis has to be the caring elder brother of his mentally disturbed younger sister Theresa and also both father and mother in the household. Then comes the summer holiday. As usual they go to the little cottage beside the lake. But this time Andis doesn't even have the company of his down-to-earth supportive grandmother, who has decided to go away separately. To occupy his sister he takes her to the boat hut to play and tells her a version of Hans Andersen's story of the little mermaid. They discover that their boathouse is being used by a young woman in her twenties. She is tramp-like in appearance, foul-mouthed and unconventional, a chain-smoker and a drinker. Andis's sister forms an immediate bond with her, takes her to be the mermaid from the fairytale and nicknames her 'Lilo'. Andis is distrustful of her, jealous of the bond between Theresa and herself - but also madly attracted to her. Unlike him, she is fully at ease with her body. There are episodes when he sees her half-naked and another where she encourages him to touch her. These occurrences throw Andis into confusion and contribute to his sexual awakening. But then the police are tipped off, the boat hut is raided, and the woman and Theresa temporarily disappear. For the first time, the mother breaks out of her depression. This 'cross-over' novel is a convincing study of the physical and emotional turmoil of a young boy on the brink of adulthood. The strength of the writing lies in the detailed descriptions of bodily behaviour, of the psychological make-up of each of the characters and of how they relate to each other. The author has worked as a teacher for twenty years, but this is her debut as a novelist. It is an assured and impressive start.