This month's book reviews
A kids' suspense novel
that is filled with danger and terror
School
was out and Brian had just arrived at Medicine Park with his
family to spend the summer. Brian was from Chickasha, Oklahoma.
Medicine Park wasn't far from home but it was a totally different
atmosphere. The terrain was wild and rugged and there were
places nearby that probably had never been explored. Brian's
closest friend, Gary Marler, lived there year around. Since
they were little, they had played together during the summers
at Medicine Park.
Brian knew that Gary's grandpa recently had
died in a fishing accident. The grandfather had been a great
companion to the two boys. To Brian's astonishment, Gary told
him that his grandpa had been murdered and the two of them
were going to find out who did it and why.
The town sheriff, Odie Ralston, was also the
storekeeper of the general store. Brian wanted to tell him
what they suspected, but Gary didn't trust Odie, even if he
was the sheriff. He just seemed greedy and his friendship
toward the boys didn't seem genuine.
Gary's grandpa had given Gary a map before he
died that seemed to show the location of some gold coins that
were rumored to be hidden in the Medicine Park area. There
was some thought that the treasure, if it existed at all,
might be hidden somewhere in or near a cave that the Indians
had used in the past for ancient rituals. The Indians believed
evil spirits dwelt in the underground caverns that were hidden
in the hills above the town.
As you might guess, the boys manage to get themselves
in a spot where the murderer is surely going to kill them
so that he can get away with the treasure. If he doesn't murder
them, they can reveal his identity. Who is it? Can they save
themselves from a sure death and see that justice is done?
Among other things, all they have to endure is flooding water,
ancient skeletons, hundreds of hissing rattlesnakes, and almost
total darkness in a deep pit in an underground cave. The odds
certainly aren't in their favor.
A girl sets out to clear her name
when charged with stealing a rare book
Becky
and Toby are twins who live in Checkertown, Ohio. Summer vacation
from school was just about to begin when Becky got a phone
call. It was Mrs. Brattle, the Checkertown librarian. She
asked Becky to come to the library as soon as possible. The
town policeman was there and wanted to talk to her about some
books that had been stolen. Becky was mortified that anyone
would think that she would steal books!
Becky had asked the day before for a copy of
"The Wizard of Oz" and was told that is was not available.
When she and Toby arrived at the library, Mrs. Brattle hinted
that Becky might have stolen the rare copy of "Oz" that the
library was now missing along with some other valuable children's
books. Of course, Becky denied knowing anything about the
books. There was no proof that she wasn't telling the truth.
But Becky was not going to be satisfied until she found out
what happened to the books. She was bound and determined to
clear her name of all suspicion.
As she and Toby begin their investigation they
find that strange crimes have been committed all around Checkertown.
The two are of the opinion that the books that were stolen
hold clues to the location of some valuable treasure that
is located somewhere in town. All they have to do is figure
out what all these clues mean. There are several people introduced
in the story who draw the kids' suspicions, including Miss
McPherson, Becky's sixth grade teacher for next year. Even
Mrs. Brattle is a suspect. The two kids have to locate the
treasure, whatever it is, before the thief unravels the clues
himself or herself. Can they do it?
A hardworking painter and paperhanger
becomes owner of twelve penguins
Mr.
Popper lives in Stillwater, where he works most of the year
as a house painter and paperhanger. He didn't have much work
in the winter, so in that season he spent his time reading and
daydreaming. His two kids liked him to be home but his wife
thought he was just too untidy around the house. Mr. Popper's
favorite daydreams were about Antarctica. He thought the snow
and ice were beautiful. He especially admired penguins.
While listening to a radio show about Antarctica
one evening, a polar explorer named Admiral Drake thanked Mr.
Popper over the air for his nice letter and told him he would
be receiving a surprise package. Mrs. Popper was amazed, since
she didn't know her husband had sent any letters to the Admiral.
But, sure enough, a rather large package arrived just the next
day.
You probably already guessed what was in the package
- a penguin. Mr. Popper called his new pet Captain Cook. Captain
Cook immediately made himself at home. He explored everywhere
in the house. Eventually, Mr. Popper fixed him a place to sleep
- in the refrigerator! Holes for air had to be drilled in it
and a handle placed inside the door so Captain Cook could get
in and out at will. Naturally, the Popper kids and just about
everybody in Stillwater were impressed with the town's new penguin.
When Captain Cook became ill and started running
a high temperature, Mr. Popper wrote the Curator of the Aquarium
in Monmouth City to find out what to do with a sick penguin.
It turns out the Aquarium had a sick penguin also. The curator
thought maybe if the two penguins could be companions, maybe
they would both survive. So in a few days, the Poppers had another
penguin. She was named Greta.
The two penguins not only got better, they became
great company for each other. Not too much later, Greta started
laying eggs! Before long the Poppers had ten more penguins!
By this time, Mrs. Popper is frantic. The family is bankrupted
taking care of all these penguins, even though the fish canning
company is giving them free fish for advertising purposes.
You have to read the book to find out what happens
to the Poppers and their twelve penguins.
A teen-age boy endures the horrors of battle
during the Civil War
Charley
Goddard was only fifteen when the Civil War began. He lived
on a farm in Minnesota and the war seemed far away. Also, they
said the war wasn't likely to last very long. In fact, it was
supposed to be over by fall. When the call went out for volunteers,
he lied about his age and signed up. After all, he had never
been more than five miles away from home and he needed to have
some adventures.
Things didn't start off very well. The uniform
they gave him was too short. His hat was cheaply made and drooped
when it rained. The food was just awful. The beef was so bad,
even dogs wouldn't eat it. They just had beans, and more beans.
They drilled a lot with rifles on their shoulders. The heavy
rifles were inaccurate, not nearly as good as the one he hunted
with at home.
Since Minnesota still was Indian country, the
rumor was that these volunteers would be used to man the forts
in Indian country while the regular troops would go off to fight
the real war. Instead, Charley, along with his fellow recruits,
was taken south and east on steam boats. All of them were then
placed on trains and transported to the Washington, D. C. area.
All of a sudden Charley found himself in the
first major battle of the Civil War - one the Rebs called the
Battle of Manassas and the Union called the Battle of Bull Run.
It was just outside of Washington. Charley and his fellow Northern
soldiers suffered a terrible defeat in this their first battle.
They had seen death everywhere as their friends died around
them.
Charley found that the time between battles was
boring and monotonous, but the battles were horrifying ordeals,
each one worse than the one before. Yet, he went from battle
to battle, until he no longer could feel anything. He had turned
into a fighting, killing machine. He couldn't understand how
he came out alive while so many were wounded and dying around
him.
Finally, Charley was wounded. He thought he was
killed, but he survived and was able to go back to Minnesota
at the end of the war. But for Charley, the war never really
ended. In his mind he kept fighting it over and over.
Charlie's story is not a happy one to read. It
may tell you more about a soldier's life than some of you want
to know.
