The Summer of the Pike
by Jutta Richter
The story of three friends, a castle, and the loss of innocence.
Anna, Daniel, and Lucas seem to be living a dream. While their
parents take care of a castle, they have the run of the grounds, along
with the beautiful countryside that surrounds it. Their only concern is
how best to catch the mysterious pike that lurks in the deep water of
the moat. But when Daniel and Lucas’s mother first begins to seem tired
all the time, and then loses her hair, Anna wonders what is going on.
It is cancer, she is told, but Daniel and Lucas must not know.
As the summer days slowly grow shorter and the colors of the fields
and flowers change, the boys eventually learn of their mother’s
illness. Daniel becomes convinced that catching the pike will bring
luck—that it might even cure his mother. But as her condition worsens,
these three friends must come together and find courage to face the
future.
Anna realizes that the fading summer days may not be the only thing fading away.
Contributors: Translated from the German by Anna Brailovsky
Jutta Richter
Author's Bio:Jutta Richter is among the most celebrated of German children’s authors. She won the 2001 German Youth Literature Award for Der Tag, als ich lernte die Spinnen zu zahmen
(The Day I Learned to Tame Spiders) and the 2004 Herman Hesse Prize for
her body of work. She lives in a castle in Munsterland, Germany, and in
Lucca, Tuscany. She writes for both adults and children.
Quotes:“Children’s literature is often thought of as a kind of kid sister in
the literary world. But when they avoid the simplistic didacticism that
so often haunts the genre, books for young readers occasionally
discover greatness in the seemingly smallest detail. This is the
achievement of The Summer of the Pike.”—Die Zeit (Germany)
“There is a good deal of wisdom in this heartwarming story of loss and
the enduring power of friendship. An extraordinary book that stays with
the reader long after it is finished.”—Tagesspiegel (Germany)
You may also be interested in this/these product(s):
The Cat
From the author of The Summer of the Pike, a modern, illustrated fable
2008 Mildred L. Batchelder Honor book more...
$ 14.00
Add to Cart
|
|
Price:
$ 6.95
Binding: Paperback
Availability In Stock: 195
Immediately
Publisher: Milkweed Editions
Published: 2006
Size: 5 1/4 x 8
Genre: Intermediate Fiction
Pages: 132
ISBN: 9781571316721
|
