Secret of Abbott’s Cave

Max Elliot Anderson

6/23/2007

Review by Molly

As the narrative opens Randy Wilcox awoke to the sound of heavy trucks rumbling up his street. That was not too uncommon an occurrence in his hometown of New Market, Virginia. Randy had forgotten to set out the garbage. Randy and his buddies; Stewart Adkins, Jeff Stevens and Hal Conti had formed the Hilton Park Road Detective Club with the intent to help solve crimes. Randy and his friends are anxiously awaiting the delivery of the police scanner the fellows pooled their money to buy from an Internet site. When the boys’ new Sunday School teacher introduces himself in an unexpected manner the boys are set to thinking about people in a new way.

The members of the Detective Club wait for the scanner to lead them to crimes to solve, take a class on cave safety, check the Internet to learn about the caves dotting the state, learn that a bank has been robbed in the area and decide to go camping near Abbott’s Cave on land belonging to one of the boys’ uncles. When they discover the thieves and the bank robbery money the boys know they are in for quite an adventure.

Writer Anderson has fashioned an easily read, action packed, high adventure novel sure to please middle grade readers. Anderson appears to know his audience well, boys in this age group often shy away from books in favor of action and activity. Secret of Abbott’s Cave is a book I will take to my classroom, 4th grade, with the expectation that the setting and plot will draw reluctant readers into the storyline. Heroism, life lessons, values and expectations for behavior are presented in a non-preachy manner.

Few boys in the 10 -12 age group are not fascinated with police officers and crime solving, few do not see themselves as larger than life. Writer Anderson’s thrill packed page turner is filled with intensity, grit and determination as the robbers chase the boys through the cavern, find themselves outmaneuvered by the lads and ultimately face justice.

Anderson keeps the action moving. Quick-paced dialog, interspersed with adroitly wrought action scenes produce a certain winner for the target audience. Anderson’s command of language draws the reader into the work and carries interest from the opening paragraphs as Randy awakens at home in his own bed right down to the last lines as Randy discusses what true heroism is and how he can help honor the heroes, emergency workers, who work to keep us all safe each day.

Kids will enjoy having the list of 10-Codes and Fire Signals included on the last pages of the book. Secret of Abbott’s Cave is an excellent choice for the classroom, personal reading list and the school and home library.

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