*Tree Street Kids: Lions to the Rescue! and Mystery in Crooked Creek Woods
The Tree Street Kids series continues as Jack, Ellison, Roger, Ruthie and Midge develop new and better friendships, and also solve a mystery.
Tree Street Kids series by Amanda Cleary Eastep, illustrated by Aedan Peterson: Lions to the Rescue! and Mystery in Crooked Creek Woods. Moody, 2022.
Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 8-10
Recommended For: Ages 8-10
Lions to the Rescue!
Jack’s adjustment to a new neighborhood and making new friends continues when he joins his friend Ellison at a new school. He is eager to be accepted by DJ and the guys on the peewee football team, but Ellison would rather sign up for the Library Club.
How can he persuade Ellison to play football while supporting his friend’s love of reading, AND care enough to try to understand the challenges Ellison faces with having a different skin color?
Inspired by an old photograph of an early book wagon, Jack modifies Ellison’s bike to make a bookmobile so he can make book recommendations and deliveries throughout the neighborhood. When things don’t go as smoothly as he had hoped, his friendship with Ellison is jeopardized.
Difficult providences unfold, leading to blessings in disguise as Jack’s Dad finds himself with more time to help his son repair the damages, and new neighborhood bridges are built.
Mystery in the Crooked Creek Woods
When Jack and Ellison try their pen at writing a mystery for a young authors’ contest and practice their impersonation of the great detectives Poirot and Holmes, weird lights at night and men in black seem to indicate a real mystery is at hand in their neighborhood.
Jack already has the villain figured out, but what is he doing down in the canyon, who else is involved, and why?
Also, the news that Mr. Bruno is moving to California brings a new problem: where will the Tree Street Kids hold their meetings without their neighbor’s permission to use Da Bomb Shelter?!
There’s a whole lot of candy eating at the end when the moment of truth arrives.
Tree Street Kids Series
Eastep’s series somewhat resembles a book list with a story woven throughout. It’s also a tribute to her love of nature, fascinating facts, and writing. I chuckled a few times at the humor, and appreciate that the stories include Jack’s growing faith in God while avoid triteness.
Gently handling themes of racism, reconciliation, family concerns, friendship, and loving your neighbor in general, Eastep continues the Tree Street Kids series as solidly as she began.
Win a copy of both books!
Who is your favorite literary detective, OR what is your favorite mystery series? Leave a comment below! Winner will be drawn at random.
DEADLINE: SATURDAY, AUGUST 6, 2022 AT NOON, EST.
Overall Rating: 4.75 out of 5
Worldview/Moral Rating: 5 out of 5Literary/Artistic Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Read more about our ratings here.
Related Reading From Redeemed Reader
A Review: Review of the first two Tree Street Kids books, Jack vs. the Tornado and The Hunt for FangA Resource: Browse the rest of our mysteriesA Reflection: Maybe Jack should try some of the sports books on this list.
We are participants in the Amazon LLC affiliate program; purchases you make through affiliate links like the one below may earn us a commission. Read more here.
The post *Tree Street Kids: Lions to the Rescue! and Mystery in Crooked Creek Woods appeared first on Redeemed Reader.
