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Fantasy Summer
Sixteen-year-old Robin's summer in New York, as an intern on a teen magazine, provides her with both happy and sobering experiences that expand her understanding of herself and other people.
- GenresYoung AdultFriendship
158 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 1988
2 people are currently reading
50 people want to read
About the author
Susan Beth Pfeffer
92 books1,938 followersSusan Beth Pfeffer was an American author best known for young adult and science fiction. After writing for 35 years, she received wider notice for her series of post-apocalyptic novels, officially titled "The Life as We Knew It Series", but often called "The Last Survivors" or "Moon Crash" series, some of which appeared on The New York Times Best Seller list.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
June 28, 2025
Man, I had a hard time finishing this one.
It just absolutely did not hold my interest, which pains me since I spent a few years trying to track down this exact edition.
After reading a few chapters, I was convinced that this had originally been published in the 50s/60s and retooled for an 80s market, but alas, it's a 1984 original.
The girls—who intern at a teen magazine in New York—all act so proper, are babied and treated like children by the magazine staff, plus there's lots of wearing evening dresses and gloves to events and being chaperoned when out and about and it was just not what I was wanting in a summer book?
There is a small sideplot where one of the interns gets involved with a boy in a punk band, and that's really the only clue that this is set in the 80s.
A disappointing read.
It just absolutely did not hold my interest, which pains me since I spent a few years trying to track down this exact edition.
After reading a few chapters, I was convinced that this had originally been published in the 50s/60s and retooled for an 80s market, but alas, it's a 1984 original.
The girls—who intern at a teen magazine in New York—all act so proper, are babied and treated like children by the magazine staff, plus there's lots of wearing evening dresses and gloves to events and being chaperoned when out and about and it was just not what I was wanting in a summer book?
There is a small sideplot where one of the interns gets involved with a boy in a punk band, and that's really the only clue that this is set in the 80s.
A disappointing read.
September 1, 2025
The kind of Fantasy Summer I wanted it to be.
Four girls.
Dream internship at a teen fashion magazine.
Summer in NYC.
I loved it! Very wholesome, great mix of characters, and a surprising amount of depth. We see the girls being very supportive of each other, opening up about their insecurities, dealing with grief, bonding with one another, and challenging the rigid structure of the surprisingly conservative magazine they work for.
I was worried it was going to get fat-shamey with one of the characters, but it turned out to be more of a commentary on how problematic that type of messaging is in the media.
Overall, I enjoyed the writing and story—so many funny and heartfelt moments. I saw there’s a sequel and I must read it!
Four girls.
Dream internship at a teen fashion magazine.
Summer in NYC.
I loved it! Very wholesome, great mix of characters, and a surprising amount of depth. We see the girls being very supportive of each other, opening up about their insecurities, dealing with grief, bonding with one another, and challenging the rigid structure of the surprisingly conservative magazine they work for.
I was worried it was going to get fat-shamey with one of the characters, but it turned out to be more of a commentary on how problematic that type of messaging is in the media.
Overall, I enjoyed the writing and story—so many funny and heartfelt moments. I saw there’s a sequel and I must read it!
January 1, 2014
This is another one of the books that I loved as a child and rereading was like taking a peek into my adolescent brain. Four girls, internship at a "Seventeen"-esque magazine in New York City for a summer, paid room and board, MAKEOVERS, hello?! This book was the bomb when I was 11. On reread as an adult, it's a very cute story that basically fulfills the fantasy expectations that a young pre-teen would have of life as an older teenager. Cute boys at every turn? Check. Cute boys who are also ridiculously emotionally expressive? Check? Entrance into seedy NYC clubs to see punk rock boyfriends? Check.
What can I say? It's light and cute and definitely a book I would toss into a beach bag for an afternoon read. Don't think too hard about it. It's pretty awesome as the fluff that it is.
What can I say? It's light and cute and definitely a book I would toss into a beach bag for an afternoon read. Don't think too hard about it. It's pretty awesome as the fluff that it is.
November 24, 2019
"They want dream images of themselves instead. Perfect skin, perfect figures, perfect clothes. Image peddles fantasy, the same as all the other fashion magazines."
Sixteen-year-old Robin is shocked and excited when she lands a summer internship in New York as a photographer for Image, a popular teen magazine. She'll be working along with three other interns in Fantasy Summer by author Susan Beth Pfeffer.
Ahhhh, the '80s! It was certainly that past decade's vibe calling from the hardback book cover that lured me into reading this YA tale. And I was quite delighted to find out how on point the illustration is in relation to a scene in the story, despite the missing aqua-colored socks Robin is supposed to be wearing to match her sweater.
If I'd read this book back in my preteens, I think I might have enjoyed it then. It has its share of young people appeal, with a little magazine work, a little glamour, a little shopping, a little partying, a little romance (romance that, yes, rushes to "I love you" in a few pages.) The four main girls have each also got a little background of personal stuff that's pretty serious, especially Robin.
However, the plot, pacing, and emotional development of the book never came together for me. While watching the characters jump from scene to scene, I oftentimes had no clear sense of what the tone and the point was supposed to be and what I was supposed to feel along with the characters. I wouldn't say the story ultimately gets a solid message across about the girls' whole Image experience. And while the last quarter of the book has some interesting ideas, the quarter rushes into trouble and a quick and strange resolution, not a natural conclusion.
Yet, on account of the book's '80s vibe and the chance for me to imagine some of what I might have imagined about my upcoming teen years back before I was a teen, I'm glad I read this.
Sixteen-year-old Robin is shocked and excited when she lands a summer internship in New York as a photographer for Image, a popular teen magazine. She'll be working along with three other interns in Fantasy Summer by author Susan Beth Pfeffer.
Ahhhh, the '80s! It was certainly that past decade's vibe calling from the hardback book cover that lured me into reading this YA tale. And I was quite delighted to find out how on point the illustration is in relation to a scene in the story, despite the missing aqua-colored socks Robin is supposed to be wearing to match her sweater.
If I'd read this book back in my preteens, I think I might have enjoyed it then. It has its share of young people appeal, with a little magazine work, a little glamour, a little shopping, a little partying, a little romance (romance that, yes, rushes to "I love you" in a few pages.) The four main girls have each also got a little background of personal stuff that's pretty serious, especially Robin.
However, the plot, pacing, and emotional development of the book never came together for me. While watching the characters jump from scene to scene, I oftentimes had no clear sense of what the tone and the point was supposed to be and what I was supposed to feel along with the characters. I wouldn't say the story ultimately gets a solid message across about the girls' whole Image experience. And while the last quarter of the book has some interesting ideas, the quarter rushes into trouble and a quick and strange resolution, not a natural conclusion.
Yet, on account of the book's '80s vibe and the chance for me to imagine some of what I might have imagined about my upcoming teen years back before I was a teen, I'm glad I read this.
February 18, 2024
Lots of drama, but the ending seemed a little open.
January 8, 2010
Fantasy Summer is a Young Adult novel about 4 girls chosen to intern for the magazine Image in NYC. You have Ashley the spoiled rich girl, Robin the daughter of a doctor and the typical girl next door type, Annie, her cousin and Torey, a poor girl from the Catskills.
All for of them are pretty and talented and become fast friends. The story shows a bit about the ins and outs of working for a magazine and some of he realities of fashion industry and the media.
The book was written in 1986 and I recently found it and decided to read it to see how it held up over 20 years later. In some places it did well in others not so well. The cousins played out well but the poor misunderstood rich girl and the dirt poor girl were a bit unbelievable, just as Robin's love at first sight relationship with Tim. Still it makes for good reading for the younger crowd.
All for of them are pretty and talented and become fast friends. The story shows a bit about the ins and outs of working for a magazine and some of he realities of fashion industry and the media.
The book was written in 1986 and I recently found it and decided to read it to see how it held up over 20 years later. In some places it did well in others not so well. The cousins played out well but the poor misunderstood rich girl and the dirt poor girl were a bit unbelievable, just as Robin's love at first sight relationship with Tim. Still it makes for good reading for the younger crowd.
March 10, 2016
I literally just finished the book--and oh my gosh, I LOVED IT!!! I liked how this book wasn't about your typical everyday girls meeting other not so typical girls and having a not so typical summer as a magazine intern. About falling in love in some of the weirdest ways, about being a friend, about letting things go, about letting you feel loss and pain, as well as happiness and laughter. This book made me laugh, and cry, and I loved watching Robin (as well as the other girls) grow. I was a bit surprised when Robin didn't get the magazine cover, but I was happy, because then it would have been too predictable, and a little spice in books is always welcome. I really really liked it.
May 13, 2007
Out of shame that I no longer maintain my book a day regimen of Pesach, I have to now resort to looking up books of yore. In truth if I were to read old time fav SBP these days I probably would enjoy it about as much as older chick lit of today, but back in teenland these books totally hit the spot and I have a warm fuzzy feeling remembering them. Fantasy Summer, I recall, had some particular nice themes of the protagonist becoming very disillusioned when she glimpses the inside of the magazine world. Ah, they just don't make em like they used to.
August 29, 2007
I read this whe I was a kid and loved it. I remember taking it out of the library every year to re-read. I'm reading it again now, as Karen said, to see if my perspective has changed.
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October 8, 2007Pfeffer, Susan Beth
April 24, 2017
I didn't mind the story but the characters didn't really speak to me. I would have given it three stars because I did after all care enough to see what happened, but it just ended abruptly. I was like what!?
Luckily the ebook that I borrowed from the library also includes the next book "getting even". I still don't know why the first ended when it did though. It didnt feel like anything was resolved or even that it left on a cliff hanger. It just ended.
Luckily the ebook that I borrowed from the library also includes the next book "getting even". I still don't know why the first ended when it did though. It didnt feel like anything was resolved or even that it left on a cliff hanger. It just ended.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews