He expects it to be as lonely as the rest of the summer, only watching television, playing with his pet hamster and fantasizing about his female classmates.

[1] The Washington Post noted that "It is a testament to Maynard's skill that she makes this ominous setup into a convincing and poignant coming-of-age tale.

"[1] In The New York Times, author Jodi Picoult praised the work; "Joyce Maynard is in top-notch form with Labor Day.

"[2] In late 2009, it was announced that director Jason Reitman was in the process of adapting a script for Joyce Maynard's novel entitled Labor Day.

[3] On June 16, 2011, it was announced that Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin committed to star as the film's leads Adele and Frank, respectively.