Red Kayak

Red Kayak

by Priscilla Cummings

First hailed as a hero for his dramatic water rescue of a little boy, thirteen-year-old Brady Parks soon makes a discovery that puts him at the heart of an enormous tragedy. Alone with his dark secret, Brady is ultimately forced to choose between loyalty to his lifelong friends and doing what he knows in his heart is right. Priscilla Cummings weaves a suspenseful, multilayered tale of three teenage boys caught in a wicked web of their own making.

Genres: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Mystery, Middle Grade, Fiction, School, Friendship

224 pages, Hardcover

First published September 23, 2004

Reviews

[jv poore · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had no idea what this was about when I picked it up. Heavier than I expected a Middle-Grade book to be, but certainly not in an "too much" kind of way. It was one of those books that I may consider pseudo-challenging because often "the right thing" is the harder thing, so while I'm making decisions based solely on emotions, I'd have to have my head buried in the sand to not see that the harsher decision is the right one.

I'm glad that I read this. It was recommended to me by an 11 year old boy, so I will donate my copy to my Middle-Grader's classroom library.

[Angie Field · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this book. I laughed. I cried. I was totally connected and hooked from the beginning. This book tugs on our heart because sometimes the cost of doing what's right is too high. I would love the opportunity to use this as a novel study or a literature circle book with my students. The characters are easy to relate to and come from diverse families that are anything but perfect. The writing was wonderful and kept the level of suspense high - you won't want to put it down, and if you have to, you'll be thinking and talking about what is going to happen next. It is one of those books that make you love reading because you truly get lost in the story, as well as begin asking yourself all those "what if" questions. I am looking forward to our lit circle. If you haven't read it, read it sooner than later:-)

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a high school teacher, I had to read Red Kayak as it was assigned to my freshmen as a summer reading book. I wish I could tell my students how much I sympathize with them. Although I powered through this book, I found the main character completely unrelatable and having little personality.

In all fairness, Red Kayak explores the difficult situation of what happens to a friendship when one person crosses the proverbial line. Do you tell others what your friend has done, thereby "selling them out" and destroying that friendship, or do you live with the guilt of knowing what they had done? I can appreciate that theme in the novel, but I do wish the main character who narrates the story wasn't so dry and impersonable. With different characters, the novel would have been much more effective.

So, in the end, I would not recommend this book to anyone. You can find other, much more interesting books, which explore the intricacies of friendship and relationships. Just think of Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants!

[Juice WRLD · Rating 5 out of 5]

SO AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I RATE IT 6 STARS OUT OF 5!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Madison.02 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was great, I loved it so much. I tend to not like books like this where it's sad and about bullies doing something they should have never done, at all no matter what. I was very surprised by the way things changed in the book. And what happened in order for Brady to find Ben in the river. But I did love this book and do recommend to people who like twists in books.

[Noah Koh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think that the book was WAY too dramatic, and the problem and solution were suggested to quickly. But, I did like the plot and the unique idea of the story. So I rate it an overall 3 star.

[Wyatt Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wyatt Smith

Red Kayak Review


Over all I really enjoyed this book. It was very cool to read for me because
the book itself takes place right near the Chesapeake Bay! The book kept me
flipping pages. I was constantly in the suspense of not knowing who was
guilty.


The book is based off of a story were a boy and his mother go on a kayak ride if the early fall. When the mother, Mrs. DiAngelos and her son Ben head out they do not know what lies ahead of them. Someone has drilled holes in the bottom of their kayak. Instead of it ending in a joke, it ended up in a death. The 4 year old boy with the name of Ben was drowning. The main character, Brady, set out on a rescue mission on to get Ben to shore too late. Who could have done such thing? Well, it was Brady’s two best friends, JT and Digger. You see it was Digger’s idea to “play a prank” on the rich folk. Digger lived somewhat of a hoodlum life. His dad drank and would always hit him. However on the other hand JT does not.
JT has always been a good student and this is very unusual behavior for him. Brady’s friends both ended up in jail.


Although this book does not have a very happy ending, it is still a great read. If you are looking for a suspenseful book, then this is your stop. I would definitely recommend that you give this book a shot.

[Elizabeth Conway(Bieber Feaver) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really loved this book! Had the picture really running through my head. Whenever I get a chance I will want to read this again. GREAT BOOK!(:

[Tanvi N. 8B · Rating 5 out of 5]

love this book too good!!!

[Eugene Krabs (Amberlyn) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was yet again really suspenseful and amazing. I'd recommend it to anybody, it's not that bad!

[Isabel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Red Kayak is a good book the main character, Brady has a great life on the water in the Chesapeake Bay. He has two friends that he calls J.T and Digger some new people called the DeAngelos have bot Digger's grandfather's farm, Digger plans to do something with J.T that Brady doesn't know.

[Olive Garden Breadsticks · Rating 1 out of 5]

Priscilla Cummings should seek an amputation of her hands effective immediately. Priscilla, if you read this, I expect an apology and a recall of all copies of The Red Kayak.

This collection of various letters of the English lexicon should be burned at the stake for its crimes against humanity. I do not support book burning, however, this book under the Geneva convention is considered a war crime.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

I know people say that we shouldn’t ban books, but this book doesn’t even deserve that glory, it should be erased from the face of this earth so that everyone who read it can get the therapy that they need.

Anyone who has read this book, I recommend falling down the stairs to forget about it. Or perhaps a car accident, because this shit was so painful that something as torturous as a car accident pales in comparison.

I would rather take up an occupation as a crash-test dummy than recommend this book to anyone. Seriously, I would not give this book to my cousin who can’t even read or speak English for worry of the pain it would cause them to hold it in their hands.

Because this work of literature from the basement of hell has made Ms. Cummings irredeemable on all levels, I see no reason to not make the joke we were all thinking about:

Priscilla CUMmings
Hahahahaha

This concludes our critical analysis of something the Amazon rainforest should not have been cut down to produce. It would be a better use of the paper to remake the trees it killed to exist. Resources such as wood, water, and chemicals were lost to this monstrosity and the world is worse off for it.

Sincerely, 3 individuals who were victimized by this manifestation of evil.

P.S. Priscilla Cummings, see a surgeon about that hand removal, and fuck your entire life.

[Teri · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was asked to read and review this book by the children's librarian at my local library.

I'm a fast reader, and while I whipped through the book in a little over an hour, I still felt that I spent too long reading the book. The characters were very, very flat and dry, they didn't have a definite voice, and the story was choppy and didn't flow well. I also felt like the book was written to appeal to boys, so it was plot-driven, but not driven very well.

Thematically this book reminded me of the 1980s movie _Stand By Me_ (where four boys come of age after discovering a body) and _The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants_ (where four best friends come of age as they spend their first summer apart).

Coming of age stories are important, and while this book raises important points about doing what's right versus doing what's easy, I think readers would do better gaining that message in other, better-written books.

[sam.vvitch · Rating 3 out of 5]

✨ 3.5 ✨
This book was a fun middle grade/ young adult mystery with interesting characters and a cool plot. I think it’s really good if you’re starting to read thrillers and you need something easy to follow and get involved in. It’s also good if you want to read mystery/ thriller but don’t want a gross book full of gore and fear. It’s suspenseful, but not so terrifying that you won’t be able to sleep at night.

[Tena Edlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book would be a great addition to my 6th grade moral dilemma literature circles. It explores the struggle people face to do the right thing, especially when the right thing might hurt someone they love. The story is suspenseful, and I really liked the characters. They seemed very real to me. I think boys and girls alike would enjoy reading this book.

[Kearden · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book that follows the death of a child a friend of the main characters Brady. Brady lives with his mother and father. they are poor family but they get along just fine. the mother is a nurse the father is a fisher man. Brady goes through out the book to try and prove that the kayak was a murder not an accident at the his risk at were he can go to jail to.

[Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG, this book was amazing it was a little hard at the beginning to get into it, but after that, I could not wait to read more. It was sad when Ben died, and it was hard to figure out what happened, but after I did that, oh boy, it was awesome. I can't wait to read the sequel.

[Sebastian Attlan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Red Kayak, a realistic fiction book by Priscilla Cummings, is a great thriller with twists and surprises throughout. It ingeniously makes a riverside school setting into a story about revenge and ethics.
On the Corsica River in Maryland, Brady, the protagonist of the story, and his friends JT and Digger, were demoralized when their only source of fun, a dock on the river, was bought out by the Diangelo's. Despite his anger towards the family, the protagonist still befriends the Diangelo’s 3 year old son Ben. Suddenly however, Ben and his mom go on a fatal kayaking trip, leaving the former dead. Besides the Diangelo's, Brady carried a burden on his back, being the one who found the young boy. Subsequent to days of depression and seclusion, it became a disheartening surprise when Brady discovers his friends were the culprits. Faced with a life changing decision, Brady decided with wisdom from his dad that the truth is always the way to go. Although JT and Digger were very angry at Brady, they soon understood as well and pleaded guilty in court.
One Reason I really enjoyed this book because of its themes. Normally when I think of the theme “the truth is the way to go,” I usually think of a cliche fairytale, but Red Kayak combines this theme with a realistic setting that numerous young adults must go through on a smaller scale. Besides that theme Priscilla Cummings showed the underestimated outcomes when something important is taken away in 2 separate scenarios; 1 when the dock was taken by the Diangelo’s, causing Digger and JT to sabotage the kayak and 2 when Ben was taken by the river, causing Brady to go through a series of depressive states. These 2 scenarios create the two separate conflicts in the story, character vs. character and character vs self. It is truly ingenious how Cummings takes 2 equally important themes and makes them each the conflict and the solution. Besides theme, the author’s style of writing made the reader feel as if they were Brady. Cummings used her knowledge about the setting along with a unique dialect to create a strong feel for the setting. This complemented with foreshadowing, dialogue, and vivid descriptions made the book interesting and mysterious.
In conclusion, I rated this book 5 stars for three main reasons, quality storyline, innovative use of theme, and unique style. If you enjoy action, mystery, and a touch of wilderness, Red Kayak is the book for you.

[Disa Banker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great hook within the first few chapters of the book. Continued to be engaging and interesting, but I thought the ending was a little bit too perfect.

[Talitha · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars


(Book read for school)

[Victoria Franco · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad, nothing too noteworthy. Good message. Good writing style.

[Ezari Washington · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing because there so many surprises and there's a huge twist in the middle i rate this 5 stars.

[Gretchen Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story with important lessons for adolescents - the writing style was tricky for me to enjoy, though

[Tara Smalley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brady is a fourteen-year-old boy who confronts a tragedy and must determine what action he should take - what is the "right thing" to do. I thought Brady's narration was very believable. His voice sounds very authentic, and the author does a good job of depicting his inner torment. I also really liked the description of the natural world. The reader gets a very good image of the Chesapeake Bay. Also, the book discusses the economy and problems this region faces. This book deals with numerous issues - friendship, family dynamics, grief, child abuse, morality and honesty. The book is suspenseful as the reader tries to anticipate the decision Brady will make. My predictions of how the story was going to end changed several times as I was reading. The book definitely has a moral, but it does not hit you over the head with it. The language is unchallenging, and the novel is a quick read. I think this book is very teachable and would be good for classroom discussion. It opens up inquiries into consequences for actions, responsibility, loyalty, friendship, etc. It would probably work best for middle school students. They are old enough to understand the issues and would relate well to Brady’s character.

[Bryce Kimble · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Red Kayak by Priscilla Cummings is a Realistic Fiction thriller. My opinion of this book is it has dragged out chapters and dragged out side stories, therefor it is longer then it needs to be but it gives good details of the characters past. The main characters of the story are Brady, Digger, and J.T as well as they are all 8th grade "friends". Brady is a crabber and loves to go out on his boat. Digger and J.T are minor characters in the story that don't have past stories in the book. The main conflict of the story is Brady lost his best friends Digger and J.T and he needs to get them back because he blunders over it. The setting of the story is present time around April, mostly out on the water and in Brady's mind. The plot is developed by his neighbors mother and son deciding to go kayaking, when Brady and his friends Digger and J.T did not tell them it was dangerous and very crummy weather was going to be about them soon, so they were in danger and they did not know. I recommend this book to middle grade students because the book has some challenging words and is a long book over 200 pages, also the book has some strong images to the writing which maybe disturbing to some young readers.

[Claire Epperson · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Real rating - 3.5 stars

This book was really good for me. It had suspense where suspense was needed. It had dialogue where dialogue was needed. But it just didn't seem . . . original.
My theory is that an author writes a book for themselves. Not for the pleasure of others. But when they start to write according to what they think the audience would like to happen instead of what they personally want to happen, you get a book like this. Stop reading now unless you want a serving of spoilers.
Of course Brady comes clean and rats out the two best friends he has. Of course the DiAngelo dad comes back and surprise! They're having a baby! Of course. Of course nothing terrible happens to the two boys who murdered someone. Of course Brady's parents aren't mad about him scheming murder. Of course. Of course. Of course.
This book just lacks the originality that makes a book really mean something to you.


And don't even get me started on the farm-boy slang Brady and his Dad use. . .

[Avery · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brady and his family live on the Chesapeake Bay with a sister who is no longer with them (in case you didn't get the hint, she passed away). Brady is friends with J.T. and Digger who did some stuff they shouldn't have. They were just messing around and playing when they thought that it was funny that they could drill a hole in the kayak and patch it up with some glue-like substance so that he (Mr. DiAngelo) will slowly sink in the cold cold river. But a mishap happens. The kid takes a ride on it with the mom and he dies from the cold water. Brady has to face criminal charges. I didn't like this book as much as the rest of the books I've read in my life and that's why I rated this book 3 stars.

[Tegan]

A good choice for younger readers looking into getting into YA books. Predictable in the mystery aspect, but will have good discussion points. A lot to discuss in regards to morality. This is our February Page Turners title, also using for VCFA reading.

[Janelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story gets better every time I read it, and my students enjoy it.

[Adithya S. 8B]

Probably one of the best books I've read. Ready to read sequel.