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The Original Freddie Ackerman

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While his mother and latest stepfather are on their honeymoon, 12-year-old Freddie Ackerman opts to spend the summer on remote Blue Isle, Maine, with two eccentric great-aunts he's never met. With no malls, movie theaters, or even a television set, Trevor is bored to death--until he answers a classified ad in a magazine and finds himself caught up in an intriguing mystery.

Unknown Binding

First published October 1, 1992

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Hadley Irwin

21 books8 followers

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5 stars
4 (12%)
4 stars
10 (32%)
3 stars
12 (38%)
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1 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
Profile Image for Enye Rowan.
12 reviews
June 16, 2025
5 stars because at one point in my life this was the only book I had left, and it gave me what books do best: comfort.
Profile Image for Heidi-Marie.
3,855 reviews87 followers
April 22, 2010
I wasn't really quite sure what to expect with this book. I wasn't surprised with a fantastic book, but I wasn't disappointed with a bomb either. It was a quick, easy read with a younger male protagonist. At times I forgot he was 12 (and was a little annoyed about things there--but you'd have to ask me in person what those are). I was also a bit confused at the beginning about the whole Trevor/Freddie thing. But by the end, I was enjoying the small part of his coming-of-age. And I love his aunts! They made the book for me. Ariel was a nice character addition, too. And the island? Perfect setting.

Parts were predictable to me and I saw some things way ahead of their revelation. But it didn't detract.
Profile Image for Duane.
1,448 reviews19 followers
May 31, 2008
Freddie has to spend the summer with his great aunts who he's never met before. Not being a big fan of the relatives he already has, he doesn't expect things to go very well. After meeting his great aunts , his feelings are justified. That is, until he really takes the time to get to know his great aunts, because only then does he learn not to judge people by first impressions. Through the book, Freddie learns that people can be different and still be pretty cool. A good read for young people who love a story that remains simple but thoughtful.
Profile Image for Diane.
7,288 reviews
June 11, 2023
Twelve-year-old Trevor Frederick Ackerman can't stand another summer with his confusing tangle of stepparents, stepbrothers, and stepsisters. So, instead, his mother sends him to a remote area of New England to stay with two elderly aunts. As the plane takes off, Trevor feels everything familiar slip away.

Despite his initial fears, though, he finds that he is comfortable in the home of his eccentric aunts. Soon, he has made a new friend in the nearby village and, in a mysterious book, he discovers something surprising and wonderful.
1,393 reviews14 followers
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December 24, 2013
AR Quiz No. 6393 EN Fiction
Accelerated Reader Quiz Information IL: MG - BL: 6.0 - AR Pts: 6.0
Accelerated Reader Quiz Type Information AR Quiz Types: RP, VP
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews

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