The Original Freddie Ackerman

From Publishers Weekly Twelve-year-old Trevor Ackerman conjures up an alter ego to liven up a summer stay with elderly great-aunts. Ages 10-up. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From School Library Journal Grade 5-8-- Trevor Freddie Ackerman, 12, has quite an assortment of real parents, stepparents, and stepsiblings. He feels uncared for and alienated from them all. As a result, he is sent to spend the summer with two great-aunts who live on an island off the Maine coast. Cal and Lou are charmingly eccentric, but Trevor feels trapped and bored by the slow pace of the island. In the process of planning a quick getaway, he becomes swept up in a series of adventures secretly engineered by his aunts to provide excitement for him. In the meantime, he becomes increasingly attached to Ariel, a bright but lonely girl. By the end, Trevor has found a sense of family and a more positive self-image. This is a beautiful coming-of-age story with wonderful characterizations. Trevor's loneliness and low self-esteem are palpable as he escapes painful realities through a series of fantasies of himself as a war hero. It is satisfying to follow his growing realization of his aunts' love and his gradual integration of his imaginary and real identities. The boy's offbeat aunts are an utter delight. Irwin effectively conveys a sense that magic, adventure, and love might be found in unexpected places. A fine book with a winning combination of humor and poi gnancy. --Jacqueline Rose, Southeast Regional Library, NCCopyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.