Daring to Be Abigail: A Novel

By Rachel Vail

Book Overview

I never say no to a dare, Abigail brags to her bunkmates at Camp Nashaquitsa. And so the dares begin. Play a prank; kiss a boy; tell a secret. But there's one secret she'll never tell. At home,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0531088677
• ISBN13: 9780531088678
• Release Date: January 1996
• Publisher: Orchard Books
• Length: 128 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.5" x 0.8" x 5.8"
• Age Range: 9 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 7

Customer Reviews

awesome camp book

I htought the girls in this book were so like real girls. It was awesome the feelings the girls had and thier relationships with thier friends and enemies. If you like this book, I also think you'd like Belle prater's Boy, CAMP OF THE ANGEL and THE BEAR"S HOUSE!!!

Taking any dare

Welcome to Abigail's funny,tough,disturbing summer at camp nashaquitsa.Abigail brags to her bunkmates that she'll never say no to a dare,so the games begin.kiss a boy.go off the divingboard.Towards the end of the summer she gets the hardest dare to unbelieveable to say.As to her friends at the bunk get separated."i came to camp to learn courage" Abagial writes to her mother.But did she learn courage or honesty?"Rachel Vail stars at the dream come to true book where daring and courage collide"Yuli reviews"how does she do it? Once again a wonderful and enjoyable book.A terrific book with an unpopular girl at home becomeing a popular and daring gal"yulemister"Abigail puts up with death,courage ang dares in this outstanding book"yuloooo"Great charecters,humor and toughness."ApplingYuli

Complex and haunting - a winner!

This book packs more emotion and realism than books twice or even ten times its length! Abby's struggle to reinvent herself is a universal experience to which boys and girls can relate. When confronted with expulsion from the camp, Abby's cry that she is "not the kind of person who does these things" contains the voices of all children who ever lamented a bad choice with irreversible consequences. That would just about cover every single child I've ever known (including myself). I'm an adult and I cried when I read this book. The picnic scene between Abby, her mother and Jake unlocked all those tears I tried to hold back during all those traumatic camp experiences in early adolescence. Simple yet profound, this complex and haunting novel deserves a wider audience than it's received. To get a glimpse inside the 11-year-old mind (as well as your own), I heartily recommend this novel to girls, boys, moms, dads and teachers alike. Vail is brilliant, and you don't want to miss this triumph!

Really good book. I reccomend it.

I thought that "Daring To Be Abigail" was a fantastic book. It really sucked you into what was going on with Abigail at camp, and how unsure she felt about doing mean things to Dana, or going out with a guy that liked her. I suggest it to anyone who hasn't read it.