Living with her mother and grandparents on their Michigan farm, eleven-year-old Iris tries to find out about her father, who died before she was born, and to solve a local murder mystery involving a friend of her grandmother.
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
This debut novel may be set in 1960s Scottsburg, Mich., but today's readers will readily relate to the antics of spunky sixth-grade narrator Iris Weston. As the story opens, Iris is riffling through the dictionary, looking up "illegitimate"-a word snooty Alice Pruitt called her because Iris won't reveal the whereabouts of her secret club. The bulk of the tale takes place in and around the club's headquarters, the Voodoo Shack, an abandoned lean-to that belonged to hard-drinking Ol' Man Hazard, who died mysteriously. In a subplot reminiscent of Louis Sachar's Holes, Iris and her friends are convinced that a sum of money Ol' Man Hazard allegedly stole must be hidden somewhere near the shack. But they're not the only ones looking: Ol' Lady Hazard seems to be searching, too, and her half-dug holes surround the lean-to. Martin infuses the novel with a spirit of adventure and a strong supporting cast (Iris's grandparents and eccentric Ol' Lady Hazard are especially compelling), and the author's smooth interweaving of parallels in Silas Marner (assigned to Iris for a book report) help the heroine cope with the mystery of her own roots. Young adventurers cum sleuths will hope to hear more from the unsinkable Iris Weston. Ages 8-12. (Oct.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Grade 4-8-Stolen money, a "Voodoo Shack" for a clubhouse, an eccentric old lady whose actions frighten the club members, and being called illegitimate by one of her schoolmates provide Iris Mae Weston with plenty of distractions to keep her from reading Silas Marner for her assigned book report. Iris and her friends decide to search for the money Ol' Man Hazard supposedly stole, not knowing that his widow is also looking for it along with her recipe book of potions that he hid as well. As Iris struggles with understanding her family's relationships, the chores her grandmother insists she complete, the hunt for the money, and Silas Marner, she finds herself unexpectedly drawn into the story, which in many ways seems to parallel the problems she faces in her own life. When her grandmother nearly dies from pneumonia, Iris discovers that helping the eccentric Widow Hazard is the key for curing her grandmother. Set in the early 1960s, Martin's novel traces the girl's journey toward understanding the true meaning of love, family, and friendship. Iris is an appealing character whose relationships with friends and family are realistically portrayed as she struggles to find her place. The plot and characters work well together and have enough action and interaction to provide a good read.
Janet Hilbun, formerly at Sam Houston Middle School, Garland, TX
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Janet Hilbun, formerly at Sam Houston Middle School, Garland, TX
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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