Yours Truly

Yours Truly

By Heather Vogel Frederick

Truly Lovejoy is a typical 13-year-old girl – except for the fact that she’s 6 feet tall.  She lives with her 4 siblings and her parents in her grandparents’ house in Pumpkin Falls, a place that takes maple syrup very seriously.

It’s spring, and Maple Madness is upon them.  Busloads and busloads of tourists arrive in Pumpkin Falls to tour local farms, try the maple cookies, cakes and treats, and of course, to buy syrup.  Truly and her cousin Mackenzie are a little stunned by how much this little town loves its maple syrup.  But when sap lines are found to be cut on the Freeman farm, and later on the Maynard farm, Truly and Mackenzie have a mystery on their hands.

They turn to their friends, the Pumpkin Falls Private Eyes for help.  As neighbour begins to turn against neighbour, each blaming the other for sabotaging their farm, the Private Eyes know they must get to the bottom of this mystery for the sake of their town.  

Meanwhile, Truly and Mackenzie make a shocking discovery.  Hidden under a floorboard in Truly’s closet is a diary dating back to the 1860s and written by the original Truly Lovejoy, young Truly’s ancestor.   The Civil War has broken out in the United States and 1860s Truly is keeping an incredible secret – one that has great historical significance.

Mystery fans will love Yours Truly.  The secret in the diary evolves into a historical mystery which compliments the sap mystery – two mysteries make the book doubly intriguing! 

History buffs will love this story too – the American Civil War and the Underground Railroad come alive in Truly’s diary.  Yours Truly also has a dose of boy/girl friendships and romance.

Yours Truly is the second Pumpkin Falls Mystery, but it is ok to read this one first. A great read!

Scar Island

Scar Island

By Dan Gemeinhart

Jonathan Grisby is just a boy, but already he has committed a crime that has sent him to Slabhenge Reformatory School for Troubled Boys. 

 

Slabhenge is no ordinary place.  Located on a remote, rocky island, Slabhenge can only be reached by boat and keeps its young residents isolated from everything comforting and familiar.  The school itself is cold, damp and rat-infested.

The teachers are a cruel bunch and treat the boys like the worst sort of criminals, often torturing them on a device called the Sinner’s Sorrow. 

But an unlikely incident occurs, and the boys find themselves suddenly alone, with no adults whatsoever.  They can eat what they want and go to bed when they like.  

But their newfound freedom quickly disappears when Sebastian takes over.  Sebastian demands that the boys follow him, or else.  Those who do his bidding get the best bedrooms and food.  Those who cross him, beware.

Jonathan must make a choice.  Will he take the easy route and follow Sebastian?  Or will he do the right thing and stand up for all the other boys?

Creepy, disturbing, and totally riveting, Scar Island is a great read.  You won’t be able to put it down!