Kregel Publishing (Andrea Carter and the Trouble with Treasure)

The "extreme bookworm" in our home was pleased that we received another book to review for the TOS Crew. This time it was a paperback "historical western", Andrea Carter and the Trouble with Treasure a Circle C adventure by Susan Marlow, intended for ages 8-12.($7.99)

Here's the description for this book from the website:
When innocent horseplay temporarily lands Andi and her friends in jail, they decide that a trip into the mountains will leave their troubles far behind. Accompanied by big brother Mitch and armed with a map showing old gold diggings, they can't wait to strike it rich. What could be better than two weeks of camping and horseback riding?
But instead of gold they find heaps of trouble -- trouble that leaves Mitch gravely wounded. Andi needs help fast. But who can she trust? And what good is a bag of gold when her beloved brother lies near death in the middle of nowhere?

I immediately handed the book over to my bookworm, and off she went.
Not long after, when she had finished the book, I asked her opinion. She was rather ambivalent about giving it, which meant that while she didn't HATE it, she wasn't overly thrilled by it either. Her main comment was that she didn't think her 9+ year old brother should read it, because it would bother him.

When I had the chance to read the book, I understood her reaction. While the plot is good, the characters are likable, and the story is well written,  I had one small "problem" that tended to be what I remembered more than the actual story. The portrayal of the activities leading to Mitch's wound, as well as the graphic description of his wound made ME flinch. To some degree, I chalk this up to my general dislike of graphic novels/movies, etc..., coupled with the slipping of society's standards in general. It's been a long time since I've picked up a Louis L'Amour or Zane Grey western novel, which were written to adult audiences, but I would put this on a par with them from a "descriptive" standpoint.

Now, I do have friends and extended family members who would have absolutely no problem with this at all, but some of their early teens were also reading Tom Clancy novels, and the content of the movies and video games they allow in their homes is of a more graphic nature than we have here.

 If your family tends toward CSI, Halo, and just about anything that is on prime time TV, or are well acquainted with shoot 'em up westerns, you might find this a reasonable purchase. I am actually interested in the Andrea Carter and the San Francisco Smugglers, because of the storyline, but I don't think I would recommend these books for ages younger than 10 or 11, due to what I feel are gratuitous descriptions.

And, a gentle word of warning, if your family leans towards Anne of Green Gables, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, The Moffats, The Saturdays, Swallows and Amazons, and the Little House books, (to name a few) you may be less interested in this book.

For more opinions, please check out the rest of the Crew's reviews, of this and another Kregel Publishing Book, "Bertie's War" As always, I hope this review helps you to find products that are a good fit for your family.
Blessings,

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this/these item(s)/service for free as part of the TOS Crew Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."