Summary:
Unhappy with the prospect of spending a boring summer with his mother and new step-father, Travis goes to his grandmother's house in Minnesota for the summer. California and his mother's new romance just doesn't seem to go well with Travis. He wants to know more about his father, and Grandma's house is an escape. While there, he learns of a mystery involving his father robbing a bank, hiding the money, and perishing in a boating accident. Travis, along with some locals, head out on a mystery to find the buried treasure.
My thoughts:
The highlight of this book is the humor. Since Travis is the narrator, it is written with the typical humor of a 13 year old boy. The fact that he has also completely out of his element in a small town also adds to several little zingers that had me laugh out loud. The mystery kept me guessing through about 2/3rds of the book, but if I had paid more attention, then I would have figured it all out earlier. I know that I've made it seem pirate-like, but it does not hit that theme as well. The children have more clues than they originally think when they set out. There is of course some conflict and a little bit of love (hand holding is all the rage). Altogether, this is a fun, quick read. Relax with a cup of tea and move through the book in a day.
Unhappy with the prospect of spending a boring summer with his mother and new step-father, Travis goes to his grandmother's house in Minnesota for the summer. California and his mother's new romance just doesn't seem to go well with Travis. He wants to know more about his father, and Grandma's house is an escape. While there, he learns of a mystery involving his father robbing a bank, hiding the money, and perishing in a boating accident. Travis, along with some locals, head out on a mystery to find the buried treasure.
My thoughts:
The highlight of this book is the humor. Since Travis is the narrator, it is written with the typical humor of a 13 year old boy. The fact that he has also completely out of his element in a small town also adds to several little zingers that had me laugh out loud. The mystery kept me guessing through about 2/3rds of the book, but if I had paid more attention, then I would have figured it all out earlier. I know that I've made it seem pirate-like, but it does not hit that theme as well. The children have more clues than they originally think when they set out. There is of course some conflict and a little bit of love (hand holding is all the rage). Altogether, this is a fun, quick read. Relax with a cup of tea and move through the book in a day.
