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Summer Island - A Prince In Peril
Book by Russell, Robin
- GenresAdventure
256 pages, Paperback
First published May 20, 2009
1 person is currently reading
19 people want to read
About the author
Robin Russell
35 books5 followersRobin Russell lives in Seattle and teaches writing to fifth graders.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 2, 2017
Wow, I have so much to say and so much to process about this book!
This book features Greta, a girl who has an expansive vocabulary and live with her mother, starts out hating the approach of summer vacation because she thinks she will have to attend the dreaded "poor" camp. She gets a letter with an invitation inviting her to stay with a woman named Tia on an island in Maine.
When she arrives, she doesn't know what to expect. Everyone she meets has such different personalities. There is Dinora, who is a chatterbox with a kind heart, and her brother Mario, who is a fanatic about chemistry and spends one too many hours in his lab, but has a smart, pragmatic approach to any problem. There is Zoë, who comes from China and is known for her beauty, but has a rising temper that can be difficult to handle at times, and her cousin Seymour is the peace-maker for all and will lead the group through thick and thin. Finally, there is the farm-hand Daniel, who helps the children as much as he can.
Summer starts out like a whimsical fantasy. The group enjoys horse-back riding, swimming, daring cliff-dives, and spending time in a secret cove. But soon, there is an unexpected guest who arrives at the house with no association with anyone else, the children find out more about him and end up on a perilous adventure to rectify the wrongs that have occured.
This book captured suspense, adventure, and friendship in a truly unique way. Fifth-grade teacher and Seattle resident Robin Russel has crafted a book with so much action that a reader is left with a lot to ponder about even after the book is laid to rest. The characters can never be forgotten and will stay long in the reader's hearts. I recommend this book for ages 11-14. There are some parts more suitable for ages 13-14. Most of the book has fairly reasonable, daring, adventures but some parts are more questionable. I will not forget this book and it should be read by many tweens and teens for generations to come!
This book features Greta, a girl who has an expansive vocabulary and live with her mother, starts out hating the approach of summer vacation because she thinks she will have to attend the dreaded "poor" camp. She gets a letter with an invitation inviting her to stay with a woman named Tia on an island in Maine.
When she arrives, she doesn't know what to expect. Everyone she meets has such different personalities. There is Dinora, who is a chatterbox with a kind heart, and her brother Mario, who is a fanatic about chemistry and spends one too many hours in his lab, but has a smart, pragmatic approach to any problem. There is Zoë, who comes from China and is known for her beauty, but has a rising temper that can be difficult to handle at times, and her cousin Seymour is the peace-maker for all and will lead the group through thick and thin. Finally, there is the farm-hand Daniel, who helps the children as much as he can.
Summer starts out like a whimsical fantasy. The group enjoys horse-back riding, swimming, daring cliff-dives, and spending time in a secret cove. But soon, there is an unexpected guest who arrives at the house with no association with anyone else, the children find out more about him and end up on a perilous adventure to rectify the wrongs that have occured.
This book captured suspense, adventure, and friendship in a truly unique way. Fifth-grade teacher and Seattle resident Robin Russel has crafted a book with so much action that a reader is left with a lot to ponder about even after the book is laid to rest. The characters can never be forgotten and will stay long in the reader's hearts. I recommend this book for ages 11-14. There are some parts more suitable for ages 13-14. Most of the book has fairly reasonable, daring, adventures but some parts are more questionable. I will not forget this book and it should be read by many tweens and teens for generations to come!
December 30, 2025
My favorite book in 3rd grade and I understand why such a great world I used to dream about spending summers like this
September 8, 2009
I received this young adult book on a Goodreads giveaway. I was pretty thrilled when I received my personally autographed copy. What a nice touch!
I read this book over a weekend. It was about five children of varying ages who are invited to spend the summer on the island home of Tia. Tia is a mysterious, multi-talented woman of an indeterminate age. It becomes something of a running joke to work in all of her previous careers. She's a retired pianist, baker and dancer, just to mention a few.
Four of the five children for this particular summer are returning guests, with one new addition, Greta, whose mother apparently also spent summers on the island with Tia. The children are of various ages and cultures, which makes for an interesting mix.
There is a sixth child staying at the mansion, and the mystery surrounding this boy provides a good deal of the adventure. The kids get along well, and utilize each other's talents to vanquish the bad guys, who are on the island to kidnap the mystery boy.
There are a lot of unanswered questions about each of the kids and the history of the summer retreats. We never hear anything more about Greta's mother as a child, for instance. I am guessing Robin intends this to be the first of a series, which is a great idea. The ages of the kids in the story ranges from 11-17. I see this book as a great fit for middle school readers, and since my kids are older, will see if our local school would appreciate a donation to their library.
I read this book over a weekend. It was about five children of varying ages who are invited to spend the summer on the island home of Tia. Tia is a mysterious, multi-talented woman of an indeterminate age. It becomes something of a running joke to work in all of her previous careers. She's a retired pianist, baker and dancer, just to mention a few.
Four of the five children for this particular summer are returning guests, with one new addition, Greta, whose mother apparently also spent summers on the island with Tia. The children are of various ages and cultures, which makes for an interesting mix.
There is a sixth child staying at the mansion, and the mystery surrounding this boy provides a good deal of the adventure. The kids get along well, and utilize each other's talents to vanquish the bad guys, who are on the island to kidnap the mystery boy.
There are a lot of unanswered questions about each of the kids and the history of the summer retreats. We never hear anything more about Greta's mother as a child, for instance. I am guessing Robin intends this to be the first of a series, which is a great idea. The ages of the kids in the story ranges from 11-17. I see this book as a great fit for middle school readers, and since my kids are older, will see if our local school would appreciate a donation to their library.
September 7, 2009
Ha! I just won this book on the Goodreads giveaway list as well! I'm so excited!! :) It looks like one the kids will enjoy.
UPDATE: The book arrived quickly, autographed and everything! Truthfully, I had a bit of a hard time getting into it, but after a few chapter I was hooked! It was very enjoyable, and appropriate for older kids (like teens). I am left wanting to know more about the characters: How did the first kids start coming to the island? Who really is Ms. Witherspoon and what is her backstory? How does she know these protectors of the prince, etc? What about the other characters - I want more of their backstories and motivations. All in all a "good read", though I wish I had more answers!
UPDATE: The book arrived quickly, autographed and everything! Truthfully, I had a bit of a hard time getting into it, but after a few chapter I was hooked! It was very enjoyable, and appropriate for older kids (like teens). I am left wanting to know more about the characters: How did the first kids start coming to the island? Who really is Ms. Witherspoon and what is her backstory? How does she know these protectors of the prince, etc? What about the other characters - I want more of their backstories and motivations. All in all a "good read", though I wish I had more answers!
April 25, 2010
I finished this adventure story one in one sitting with a short break for a snack - after a couple chapters, I think a young reader would not want to put this one down. It's smart, it's savvy, and it has lots of strong, well-written characters of many ages and from varying walks of life - several of whom are *female* (yesss!). The characters are engaging and realistic, and the message is a positive one of teamwork, courage, and acceptance. There is danger, excitement, and a cohesive plot line that carries through to the end. I agree that some more character development would help, but there's always room for that in a sequel. And great news - a sequel is scheduled to be released on May 8, 2010! I can't wait to read it, and to see more from Robin Russell!
June 6, 2010
I love this book! I started out reading it to my son at bedtime but then I couldn't help reading ahead. It really had both of us sitting on the edge of our seats wondering what was going to happen next. The characters were great and I love how they worked together to help eachother out. I think there is supposed to be a next one? I can't wait!
August 29, 2009
This was a very good book. It was written very well, and Robin Russel always used the perfect words to describe everything. I think she should have added a bit more romance. I would have paired Daniel and Greta, and Zoe and David. Zoe would have made a fabulous queen. It was very awesome.
July 7, 2009
Adventure, intrigue, mystery. Such a great book!
August 26, 2009
Great story for the young ones.... im very grateful i won this.. i can't wait for my nephew to grow old.
September 6, 2009
I won this in the FirstReads contest. I thought it was good. Had lots of action, adventure, and mystery. Very captivating.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews