I really liked this book, I felt drawn to the characters and think it is an excellent book for children as it shows that even though telling the truth is not always easy, it is the right thing to do. Very serious subject with believable roles. I could see through Brady's eyes and was pulled into the story. I also liked how it showed that even though the boys were friends they had different lives at home.

Younger teenagers want ACTION -- in their movies, video games, music, classrooms, extra-curricular activities, and books; in short, they are doing anything and everything they can to avoid "The Big B": Boredom. Too easily are kids on the verge of complaining that they're "bored!!!" And what rids us of boredom? ACTION!

RED KAYAK made be the diagnostic tool needed to determine the maturity level of any young adult -- the less mature will have trouble getting through this book because they're missing the requisite Action (these are the kids who deem THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK "incredibly boring because nothing happens!") ; the mature teenager, however, will embrace this book because he or she sees him- or herself in the character of Brady, and recognizes that the way we torture ourselves with our thoughts and fears and memories forces us to create Action in our lives in order to move forward.

RED KAYAK is written for the teenager who has tortured him- or herself by stressing over whether or not he or she has done the right thing when faced with a choice that provides no winning outcome. RED KAYAK is for the teenager who has come to realize that Character is the most important element of a coming-of-age story as it reflects Self; RED KAYAK should be read by adults who tend to de-value the teenage mind thinking it's not capable of deep thoughts that aren't driven by selfishness.

Author Priscilla Cummings has written a book that will challenge the reader head-on. The first-person narrative of a boy who experiences an event that will forever change who he is as a person and how he looks at life is a gorgeous character-driven piece that flops around in time from event to thought to memory and back, all the while aching to find how our actions (and inactions) can affect the world around us. This book digs deeply into the maturing process -- the time when we begin to accept responsibility for ourselves and how our actions affect others.

I found Cummings's writing excelled right from the first chapter with gorgeous prose channeled through the thoughts of a fourteen-year-old boy. Her language was simultaneously poetic and character-appropriate. Most remarkable was the unpredictable nature of where the story was going next, and THAT is rare in the world of Young Adult novels.

I find this to be one of the most mature YA books I have ever read, I would be remiss to not shout it out that this should be REQUIRED reading for all thirteen-, fourteen- and fifteen-year olds. It is a mirror in which many of today's youth could possible see themselves. Adults would do themselves a favor by reading it to check on their own maturity, and to reshape the perception of teenagers as complex individuals who understand that their lives have context.

In short, RED KAYAK is better, deeper and more worthwhile than any action movie or video game.

In truth, I had trouble getting into this book at first; when I finally just sat down and read Red Kayak, I found that the novel spun a tale that even made me hurt in the same way the main character did. Unexpected and horribly frightening at times, Ms. Priscilla Cummings tells the story of a group of boys who get themselves into a whole lot more trouble than planned, resulting in a death, sadness, separation, and three lonely boys. To get the full impact of the moral, I would recommend that teenagers and young adults read Red Kayak, but any age can learn a lesson from this truly heart-wrenching novel.

If you are like most young teens, there will be a time when you will struggle to do the right thing. For sometimes, doing the right thing means your life or the life of someone else will never be the same. The Red Kayak is exactly that kind of story. This gripping and tragic story of a sunken red kayak centers on Brady, his two best friends and a Chesapeake Bay town that is undergoing some very big changes.
This book captures your attention from beginning to end with vivid descriptions and unexpected happenings. From the beginning, when the kayak is seen traveling down the street on top of a sports car, to the death of a young boy, and to the end when Brady discovers the truth behind the sunken kayak, the story grabs your attention. Brady is faced with one of the biggest decisions of his life.
I would highly recommend this book to any young readers, age 9 and up, because the reader can really relate to the many emotions and struggles of the characters. It is a quick and easy read with lots of suspense and life lessons. Even though the book is fictional, the author does a great job of making the story seem realistic.

-Kaylor Kelley

This book was very good, a little dramatic and the language lacked hard words and use of words. I would overall recomand for kids 8-12.

I just borrowed this book from my husband who teaches 6th grade, and I devoured it in one weekend. It is a good story that reminds me of 'On My Honor'. It deals with loyalty, death and friendships. The end was slightly predictable and I felt it was missing some resolution between the main charater and the mother he was working for.
I think this would be a great read aloud because it moves along quick and it has some good cliff hangers. It would also lead to some good discussion.