A group of kids from a run-down neighborhood start using an old mansion for a club house and soon discover some mysterious goings-on involving a plot to destroy the mansion for the insurance money.
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Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal
Grade 5-7-Four fiesty, preteen girls; an abandoned mansion; a sleazy landlord; and a gang of troubled youths should add up to a story full of excitement and adventure. However, this one misses a few beats. Mary Jane, the narrator, introduces her friends, the Brick House Burglars, in a succinct and fun way. Heather is cool, Rainbow is little, Donnavita is exotic, and, as for Mary Jane, "The right word for me is ordinary." Readers may expect to see some growth and action from these characters, but they remain flat throughout. The mystery revolves around an old, abandoned house that is next door to the apartment complex where the girls reside. They decide to make the place into their clubhouse and break in daily to care for a wild cat and her kittens. They soon discover that someone is trying to burn down the building, and they prevent two fires from breaking out before they trap the culprit, whose identity is obvious from the outset. The disjointed narrative jumps from episode to episode, making it hard to experience the fulfillment of a good mystery.
Suzanne Hawley, Laurel Oak Elementary School, Naples, FL
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Suzanne Hawley, Laurel Oak Elementary School, Naples, FL
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Gr. 4-6. In a run-down neighborhood in San Antonio, Texas, four sixth-grade girls secretly set up a club in a big abandoned house and then find themselves involved in a frightening mystery. Someone is trying to burn the house down. Who is the arsonist? What's the motive? One of the club members, Mary Jane, tells the story in a casual, lively voice that captures the immediacy of the community in all its rich diversity. The characters aren't sentimentalized; for example, the leader of the motorbike gang hides a sad secret, but he remains a thug who pushes drugs. As the girls try to find out who's setting the fires, they uncover other unexpected truths, both exciting and scary. There are tense scenes when the arsonist traps Mary Jane in the house; almost as terrifying is the suspicion that the culprit may be someone close to home. With the large cast, it's sometimes hard to keep track of who's who among all the neighbors and relatives; but the main characters, both adults and kids, are strongly realized, and by the time the mystery is satisfyingly solved, you feel at home with them all. Hazel Rochman
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