From Publishers Weekly
To distract his younger brother, Oggie, from the trauma of their parents' separation and imminent divorce, 11-year-old Archie starts inventing a story about the "Mysterious Mole People," an underground network of people who were "normal humans once" but developed thick fur and claws. They attempt to save civilization by sucking bad guys into the earth. While Archie creates exciting escapades in his mind, his own life takes an adventurous turn. First, he single-handedly thwarts a hold-up attempt at a convenience store; then a gang of hoodlums (who witness the robbery attempt) hire Archie to make some deliveries. Connections between the Mole-People story and Archie's entanglement with the gang seem sometimes forced and other times vague, and occasionally the logic in the "real" plot goes haywire (e.g.: Why doesn't Archie just recover Oggie's stolen wallet from the gang instead of running errands for them?). The magical meshing of fantasy and reality found in Lisle's previous novels (Afternoon of the Elves; The Lost Flower Children) is sadly absent here. The author clunkily makes a point of distinguishing fact from fiction, stressing how six-year-old Oggie enjoys imagining the Mole People's world without believing in it. "He knew the Mysterious Mole People weren't really there, living underground, slurping bad guys." Archie and his brother may be admired for their courage to "fight back," but ultimately they get lost in the tug-of-war between the story lines. Ages 9-12.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Grades 4-6--Archie's life has become more difficult since he and his six-year-old brother, Oggie, have been switching between his parents' apartments. They call it going from Saturn to Jupiter, because their homes are so different that they might as well be on separate planets. The possibility of a new baby at Dad's disturbs the boys, as do their Mom's struggles to work and care for them. In addition, the neighborhood between the two homes is scary: a gang called the Night Riders threatens the boys' safety. Archie is a writer and uses his "mole people" adventures to help Oggie cope, and to process his own experiences. One day, on a mundane errand, the sixth grader experiences an inexplicable moment of bravery when he trips a thief and uses the hold-up gun to keep him there until the police arrive. The Night Riders decide they can use him and despite his innocence, Archie becomes involved in their crimes. It's a tribute to Lisle's powers as a writer that this frightening scenario never overpowers the real essence of the book, which is about how fiction and life are different and equally useful to one another. Such great truths are stated simply and shown in the action at the same time. In this fast-paced, adventure-filled title, readers may be surprised to find Archie's observations about life with divorced parents and helpful hints about writing stories as memorable as Oggie's chance to do some actual driving in the final scenes.
Carol A. Edwards, Sonoma County Library, Santa Rosa, CACopyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
