The Adirondack Kids is an entertaining tale about three best friends and the adventures they have while spending the summer in the Adirondacks. The main character is Justin Robert, a ten-year- old with a passion for animals. He and his parents spend summers at their family's cabin on Fourth Lake, near Old Forge, New York.

Justin's summer is off to an exciting start even before he reaches his cabin. While at an ice cream stand, a black bear ambles by their car and investigates a garbage can. Despite this incident, Justin is anxious to get to the cabin. He has been waiting months to see his best friends, Jackie and Nick.

The trio is nearly inseparable. They spend their days exploring, fishing, and playing in the woods. One day, however, Justin, Jackie, and Nick see two boys on jet skis chasing a loon. The group then begins a crusade for the loons protection on Fourth Lake.

This book is a perfect read for children ages seven to twelve. The story is exciting and wholesome. The Adirondack setting provides a perfect backdrop for a group of children's summer adventures.

Authors Justin and Gary Vanriper, son and father respectively, are no strangers to the Adirondacks. Justin's grandparents have a camp complex on Fourth Lake. “Once summer hits we are up there more than we are at home,” says sixteen-year-old Justin.

The Adirondack Kids started as a writing project Gary and his son worked on together. After receiving positive feedback on their story, they decided to pursue publication. The first book,The Adirondack Kids, has the same title as the others in its series. This book came out when Justin was ten.

Their sixth book was released at the end of March. “[In the series] we are chronicling one summer of these three best friends and their adventures in the Adirondacks,” explains Gary.

The best part of writing these books for Gary has been staying connected with his son. “I had always read to him from the time he was an infant until he was twelve years old,” says Gary. “The writing was a natural progression of the reading time.”

I enjoyed reading this book. I highly recommend The Adirondack Kids to parents as a great book to read to their children. The book is an easy read and is very suitable for beginner readers as well.

Children will find this book exciting and funny. After reading about the fun adventures Nick and his friends have, they may even be inspired to become Adirondack kids themselves.

Do you have any memories of summers in the Adirondacks?

The Adirondack Kids

By Justin and Gary Vanriper

Published by Adirondack Kids Press

Camden, New York

Copyright 2001