Summer Replacement

Ann Herrick

8/13/2004

Review by Molly

Fifteen year old Cathy Price is not at all certain that she really wants to join her parents John and Louise and little brother Jason aged 7 for the family vacation on the coast in Chatfield. Cathy would rather stay home, spend time with her friend Samantha and try to figure out a way to attract the attention of handsome seventeen year old Dan Stedman. Ralph the family cat does need someone to stay home and care for him, doesn’t he? Mom is adamant and Cathy joins the family for the trip.

When Cathy discovers Dan is also in Chatfield she feels much happier than when she first arrived. Dan is working in the local market, his parents and Cathy’s find they have a lot in common and soon the summer appears to be close to perfect. A job baby sitting for Jason and Dan’s little sister provides more than enough money for Cathy to buy the things she wants, a ‘pretend romance’ with Dan to thwart the attention of a gaggle of little local girls becomes more than just pretend for Cathy. Lots of time spent with Dan swimming, taking the little kids on picnics and the like, cookout with Dan’s family and her own only add to Cathy’s enjoyment. Arrival of Lisa Kendall, Dan’s sophisticated, conniving old girlfriend from school and her family throw a clincker into Cathy’s plans.

With Summer Replacement Ann Herrick has produced a delightful tale sure to please girls in the target group of eleven to young adult. The light romantic overtone, personable reality presented by Cathy as she muddles along trying to figure out what her role in high school is to be, and the tangle of beginning boy friend relationships are a large part of the interest of the target audience.

Characters are well fleshed even though the book is not long. Settings are described in enough detail to draw the reader into them. We hear the crash of the sea during storm, feel the grit of the sand and stroll aisles in Little’s Store while reading the words presented by talented author Herrick.

Summer Replacement is a quick fun read certain to be read and reread by girls in the target audience. The paper copy will be nice for a lazy afternoon spent in the porch swing reading and sipping lemonade. The easy to pack, ‘doesn’t take up much room’ eBook version is perfect for taking along on vacation, perhaps for a trip to the sea?

From the opening lines as Cathy tries to convince her mother that staying home would be a good idea Cathy is a very likeable, typical teen. She laughs at herself, exhibits the same uncertainties and self-deprecations as are found in most teens and is completely believable. Writer Herrick subtly guides the young reader into realizing that fretting over hair, and boyfriends, and fitting in are natural, to be expected and are all a part of growing up. Cathy, as are most fifteen-year-olds, is a delight. Summer Replacement will be a nice addition to the home and school library.

You can find more about this book at the author's homesite.