Jo and Rangi are best friends but their families aren't because of something that happened a long time ago. So when the feud becomes a problem for the children, they set out, -in between all the usual things done on their farms and unusual events like the big flood - to find out how the feud started and what the truth is really. How they discover the real events and solve their problem is an engrossing story of searching the past and how in the end, the past finds them. When Jo's grandmother comes to stay on the farm for a while, problems blossom like wildflowers after a rain. To top it all off, her grandmother nurses hatred in her heart for Jo's best friend, and his entire family. Hatred that is returned in kind by Rangi's great-grandfather for Jo, and her family.

When the feud between the older generation becomes too much, Jo and Rangi set out to uncover the real reason for the all the problems. The truth turns out to be something they would never have imagined in their wildest dreams.

Summer of Dreaming is a young adult novel set in New Zeland and explores the timeless concepts of family, relationships, adventure and mystery. Readers familiar with such classics as Island of the Blue Dolphins will find that McConchie has successfully reached out to the entire world with her story of two best friends living on New Zeland sheep farms, and teachers interested in enriching their students knowledge of a small island south of Australia will find this book an valuable resource for use in the classroom.