Gone-Away Lake (A Voyager/HBJ book) [Paperback]

Elizabeth Enright (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 1987 | Series: A Voyager/HBJ book

Portia and her cousin Julian discover adventure in a hidden colony of forgotten summer houses on the shores of a swampy lake.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-6-Elizabeth Enright's 1957 Newbery Honor book (Harcourt, pap. 1990) will continue to entertain and enlighten today's children in this audiobook format just as the print version has for generations. A brief opening train ride (one of the only somewhat dated segments in the book) introduces listeners to Portia and Foster, siblings on their way to spend a summer in the country with their cousin Julian and his parents. But from that point on, the magic of discovering a small summer community, derelict for decades as its lake slowly dried, is just as enchanting today as it was nearly 50 years ago. Even Foster's play at robots and space stations contributes a contemporary feel to the story's details. The story is beautifully written with fairly sophisticated language, and it is even more of a treat to listen to thanks to a charming narration by Colleen Delany. Her lightning-fast transitions from voice to voice are absolutely on target, and she voices each character distinctly. The unfolding tale of the once-upon-a-time summer colony at the turn of the 20th century is wonderful, and Delany's clear, artful reading adds value. This story of a summer of discovery and adventure would be an outstanding choice for elementary school youngsters with a good reading and vocabulary skills.
Jane P. Fenn, Corning-Painted Post West High School, NY
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

Review

"[Has] a brilliance and a humor that make it seem as if it were happening right this minute."—The New York Times Book Review
"A beautifully written, wonderfully imaginative story."—Publishers Weekly

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich (1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0156364603
• ISBN-13: 978-0156364607
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (74 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,725,849 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A gem from the 1950s, August 21, 2000

By 

Sheila L. Beaumont (South Pasadena, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Gone-Away Lake (Gone-Away Lake Books) (Paperback)

"Gone-Away Lake" is a delightful, beautifully written story, just this side of fantasy and filled with interesting, likable characters. A brother and sister from the city take the train to visit their country cousin. The children discover an old, mostly abandoned summer colony of houses near a swamp that used to be a lake. There they meet the most charming people in the book, an elderly sister and brother, Minnehaha Cheever and Pindar Payton, who are living happily in the place where they spent summers as children. The pair wear old-fashioned clothes stored away many years ago by their family, cultivate a variety of gardens, and have chickens, goats, a duck, and a cat named Fatly. Once a month, Pindar cranks up the antique Franklin car and drives into town for supplies. The children are adventuresome and imaginative, and have no need of TV to keep themselves amused. The descriptions of the country are amazingly vivid, and there's plenty of humor too. Don't miss the sequel, "Return to Gone-Away." And Elizabeth Enright's series about the Melendy family is also fun to read.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars LOVE IT!!!, February 23, 2007

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Gone-Away Lake (Gone-Away Lake Books) (Paperback)

I'm 12 and just finished the book today and was totally SHOCKED at the bad reviews!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have read Miracles at Maple Hill and I loved it and these books are very similar but in a good way, a very good way! I am convinced that all of the people who disliked this book were either disappointed because they rather idiotically judged the book by it's mysterious cover or they just plain old don't like to read happy books with happy endings or just don't like to read at ALL (which is beyond my imagination)!! I was supposed to read this for school but I started it early having nothing else to read and finished LONG before the date i was supposed to START it!

So it's not a horror or a thriller, SO?!?!?! So it's not violent or action packed, WHO CARES?!?!?! It's sweet and fun and I read it for hours! It is one of the few books I could read again!

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I loved this story and its sequel..., March 2, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Gone-Away Lake (Gone-Away Lake Books) (Paperback)

These books made me wish I'd had this perfect summer adventure. Two children come across a group of old houses, mysteriously vacant and abandoned on the shore of a swampy lake. Somebody has been there -- there's a warning and an inscription carved into a rock. Can the children keep their find a secret? Who left the houses and where did they go? What's lurking in the lake?

A terrific story -- the main characters are a boy and girl who are good friends, interesting people, and respectful of each other's strengths and weaknesses.

It was one of my husband's favorite books and it has become one of mine after we read it aloud to our daughter. The sequel is just as good (Return to Gone-Away). If you enjoyed Enright's books about the Melendy children ("The Saturdays" "Four-Story Mistake", etc.) you'll love these.