How can treasure cause trouble? Andrea (aka Andi) and her friends are about to find out in this latest installmentof the Circle C Adventures, Andrea Carter and the Trouble with Treasure. As our church librarian, I was familiar with the first few books in this series and was happy to see that Susan Marlow was continuing to find new trouble for Andi!
Set in the western Sierra Nevada during the 1880s, The Trouble with Treasure brought back many happy memories for me. During my middle and high school years, my family lived in San Diego but spent many happy weekends on the eastern side of the Sierras, outside Bishop, CA, at Cardinal Village Resort. Although the eastern and western sides of the Sierras are very different in terms of terrain and vegetation, Mrs. Marlow’s descriptions still captured the essence that I remember—majestic heights, rocky faces, and pine-scented unending wilderness that could only come from the Creator’s hands. Even their encounter with a mountain lion brought back memories—of the time we were walking our cat and a mountain lion was 50 feet away…but that’s a story for another time.
Andi, her older brother, and two friends are enjoying a trip away from Fresno’s summer heat, into the mountains to visit a logging camp her family owns. After several misadventures, they find themselves at the mercy of “good” old fashioned outlaws and eventually have to deal with one of their group getting wounded. While Andi learns some valuable lessons through the trials, these aren’t pounded into the reader’s head. Mrs. Marlow does an excellent job not spending too much time in Andi’s head, but showing her change of heart and attitude through Andi’s actions.
Andi’s adventures even captured my husband’s interest and I found him reading through the book one evening after the children had gone to bed. I zipped through it in an evening also, but it took my two bookworms a little longer. Even my son, who was skeptical about a book with a girl on the cover, truly enjoyed it disliking the villian in this story. My daughter is already looking for books 1-4 at the church library and can’t wait to read more. Although she is only 7 going on 8, she enjoyed the book and I enjoyed giving her something that had a slightly older heroine who wasn’t obsessed with boys or dealing with boys obsessed with her. I found this book very refreshing and enjoyable. Highly recommended!
Each book in the series is available from www.kregel.com for $7.99. A free enrichment guide is available here.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for review purposes. The opinions expressed here are my own and I received no other compensation.
