TAC'S ISLAND

A warm story about a short summer friendship which promises to last beyond vacation-time. Ten-year-old Steve and his parents live in Pennsylvania and spend a week each summer on an island off the coast of Virginia. This summer, Steve meets Thomas Andrew Carter (Tac), an island native. Tac's southern-style politeness and Virginia drawl intrigue Steve, as does his self-reliance and intimate knowledge of the island. The boys are a bit wary of each other at first: Steve is a conventional suburban type; Tac inner-directed, quirky, and scornful of Steve's summer-only attitude toward the island. But despite their differences, their friendship grows. Tac takes Steve crabbing, shows him his secret beach and his ""treasure"" (boatloads of nude female sunbathers), and gets Steve to play his trumpet at the local carnival. By week's end, Steve has come to know and appreciate Tac's island more fully, and the two have developed a close friendship. When Steve invites Tac to come home with him for a visit, adventurous Tac readily accepts. Likable characters, Steve and Tac complement each other nicely. The author has portrayed the standard rites of newfound friendship with perception; the result is a ""thin book"" with appeal for middle readers.