Trina Bell's Humming Summer

Shooting ghost bears? Twelve-year-old Trina Bell has finally had enough. Why should she spend another dull summer watching Great-Aunt Roswinda play lawn bowling, while her father has all the fun? This year, she won't let him get away with the usual excuses. To her surprise, she succeeds. Her dad, the famous wildlife photographer, agrees to take her to the Canadian rainforest, on a quest for the elusive Kermode bear. Trina's triumph is short-lived, however; soon she finds herself in a city on Vancouver Island, dumped in a strange apartment building that may not be what it seems. But when she befriends Moss, the three-legged dog living across the street, and becomes involved in a mysterious case of vanishing hummingbirds, events take an astonishing turn...

*May Contain Spoilers*

 

When Trina Bell convinces her father to take her along on his next photographic adventure in Silke Stein's novel, Trina Bell's Humming Summer, she didn't expect to be chosen as the perfect detective by a group of hummingbirds whose friends are disappearing.

 

Trina Bell is a young girl who has always felt abandoned by her father. She's smart, imaginative, sweet, and in tune with nature. Readers will bond with her sympathetically through her loneliness and hope for the best when her father finally gives her a chance to join him on his expedition in Canada. Trina is an inspiring young girl who befriends a three-legged dog and a boy who is sensitive to light and smell. She's also a pretty good detective. Though it helps to be able to talk to animals. Her partner is Moss, the neighbor's dog who is the first to relieve Trina of her loneliness. He loves telling stories and eating junk food.

 

Trina's summer truly is a magical one. The story begins with Trina demanding her father take her along for his next trip. She's tired of being sentenced to a summer with her boring, but nice, Aunt. She's completely surprised when he agrees and her adventure begins. Though she hoped that her father would actually spend some time with her. Unfortunately, he leaves her to her own devices and imagination. This will connect Trina to readers on a deeper level. Trina feels like her father hates her because she reminds him of her deceased mother.

 

When the hummingbirds recruit Trina to be their detective, a mystery opens up around her. Certain hummingbirds have been reported missing and the ones left behind have no idea what's happening. They believe that Trina can help them before more disappear. Trina Bell's Humming Summer is the story of a young girl's first imaginative adventure laced with fantasy and strong emotions. The vocabulary is, at times, advanced, but I think the novel is aimed at tween/teen readers who enjoy a nice, easy mystery.

 

Rating: 3.5/5 Cups