SUMMER AT FORSAKEN LAKE

BY

MICHAEL D. BEIL

published by Random House Children's Books

received from NetGalley for review

about the book:

With their father en route to Africa for Doctors Without Borders, city-kids Nicholas and younger twin sisters Haley and Hetty are off to spend the summer with their Great-Uncle Nick at his house on Forsaken Lake. Despite some initial doubts, Nicholas is right at home in the country: he learns to sail, learns about his father as a boy, and makes fast friends with a local-girl, the tomboy Charlie.

The summer takes a turn toward the mysterious, though, when Nicholas discovers an old movie that his father made as a boy: it tells the story of the local legend, The Seaweed Strangler, but was never finished. Before long Nicholas wants answers both about the legend, and about the movie. Together, he and Charlie work to uncover the truth and discover some long-buried family secrets along the way.

In this lovely middle-grade novel, Michael D. Beil has invoked one of his own favorites, We Didn't Mean to Go to Sea, as well as other great summer books of years-past.

MY REVIEW

A quiet gentle book that is a perfect choice for summer reading.  This book will appeal to middle graders.  The characters are full of life and engaging.  The story is not too frightening but has just enough suspense to keep the reader entertained and intrigued.  

I recommend this book for  middle graders.  I've added it to my son's summer reading list.