Horn Book

Vicarious adventures of the best sort: imagine stumbling upon a vanished resort town and a vanished lake, meeting and befriending two delightfully eccentric residents, and then moving into one of the derelict summer houses, a fascinating Victorian that, of course, might contain treasure. Available once again in hardcover, these are welcome reissues of Enright's lively stories.

ALA Booklist

This timeless Newbery Honor Book tells of two cousins who discover a 50-year-old secret at an abandoned lake. The mystery and excitement of the youngster's clandestine investigations are capably imparted by Delany, who renders both young and old characters with charm and grace. The emotion in her warm and youthful voice gives each of the characters credibility, whether they are exhibiting impatience, anger, fright, or curiosity. She also succeeds in making the children's discovery of the ghost town of tangled vines, abandoned mansions, and the "gulping" swamp very believable and in keeping with the long-ago feel of the text.

School Library Journal

Gr 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.

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Delany proves a nimble, accomplished reader on this inviting adaptation of Enright's Newbery Honor novel. Eleven-year-old Portia and her younger brother Foster can't wait to spend the summer in the country with their cousin Julian and his parents. Soaking in the fresh air, the rural setting and Julian's company is usually pleasure enough, but this summer the children stumble upon Gone-Away Lake, a settlement of elegant summer homes that have long been abandoned with the lake grown over, obscured by wetland plants. They also discover two kindly inhabitants of Gone-Away, who are happy to remain living in the past—and virtual isolation. Delany's dulcet voice conveys the children's wonder at their discovery as well as the warm and welcoming manner of Gone-Away's keepers, Aunt Minnehaha and Uncle Pin. Though some of the language is dated and today's children rarely have the same freedom to wander alone, this tale of friendship and the joys of a life lived well never sounds stale. Throughout, Delany's easy rhythm paired with Enright's detailed descriptions will have listeners longing for a summer vacation. Ages 8-up. <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">(May)