When I was seven years old the Air Force sent us to Honduras. Mom was worried about having enough books in English for her children to read, so I was signed up for the Calling All Girls Book Club. Fripsey Summer was one of the selections and I loved it. I love it still.

The book opens in June with Marcy Prescott thrilled to think of a summer filled with Fripseys, the large family who moved in next door last September. The Fripseys aren't as thrilled, though. It's not Marcy, it's money. Mr. Fripsey's job in Mayville doesn't pay as well as the one he left when he inherited their big Victorian house. The family voted to move, but the house needs repairs. Lots of repairs. That the older boys are great handymen doesn't help if there's not enough money in the repair fund for more shingles.

Mr. Fripsey finds out that he's one of three men being considered for promotion when Mr. Wharton retires. The raise in salary would come in handy -- if only Mr. T. Tibber, the company president, will choose Mr. Fripsey. Mr. Tibber will be coming to Mayville to check out all three men, their homes, and families. They've got to make a good impression. There's so much to be done!

Meanwhile, Marcy and Patty's club, the Bampejens, takes a camping trip in the woods. It's beautiful! It's fun! Well, until the night of that big storm...

I love the visit with the elderly Satterly sisters, especially the story about what their father did the time they were snowbound and their mother had nothing with which to make a pie.

There's a bit of 1950s conformity in the scene where Liz is thinking up color schemes for painting the house. White might be the normal color for Mayville houses, but from what I've read that wasn't a popular color for Victorian homes. I rather like Liz's ideas. These days who would worry about pink or plum against a huge vine bearing orange flowers?

Then there's that little house at the end of the Fripseys' big back yard. No one can figure out what it was used for originally, but Davey and Baby think it makes a great playhouse. That's where they meet kindly Mr. Hank. He tells good stories. His wife sounds very fussy, though. Davey thinks it's a real shame Mr. Hank has a wife like that.

As the time for the Terrible Tibber inspection draws near, tension rises. Mrs. Fripsey sends the kids and Marcy off to swim at the lake for a break that doesn't turn out to be as relaxing as expected.

At last the Terrible day arrives. Great-Gram is off at a reuinion for the Miss Harmer's Boarding School for Young Ladies Class of [18]88. Mrs. Fripsey had assured her that they had everything under control, but that was before the accident.

Can things possibly get any worse?

There's plenty of fun for everyone with just enough danger to spice things up. Remember Bob Dittle, Liz's date in the last book? They're still dating. I'm afraid that Davey's mixed-up version of his name, 'Bobbydiddle,' has stuck. Loved the scene where Bob drops in during the making of the big dinner for Terrible Tibber!

Fans of the Fripseys' head cat, General Custer, will be glad to see him again. I laughed at his reaction when Fritter got herself stuck in a tree again. The mice, fish, and canaries don't put in an appearance, but all three Fripsey dogs and four cats do.

I would have loved to have lived next door to the Fripseys when I was a girl. I'm glad I can still revisit them.

My book club edition's (BCE) dust jacket has a plan white back with a drawing of a fake medal or ribbon on the back. It has the words 'An Approved Selection of Parents' Magazine's Book Club for Children' on it. I got this copy in 1963 and the pages are much browner and more brittle than my non-book club edition Fripsey books. It's still a great read. I just have to be more careful when I read it. ( )