The cover and the back led me to believe that there was something mysterious at Gone-Away Lake. I read this to my kids, and after about 50%, none of us could stand it any more. So, we threw it away.The book never went anywhere. It was just a series of short adventures for two kids at the lake.It's not a bad book - it just isn't interesting. It's not very well written, has no suspense, doesn't teach any particular moral or lesson. In short - it's chloroform for kids.Get something from Mark Twain, or Jack London, or C.S. Lewis for your kids.