Customer Reviews

The Last Treasure

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The Last Treasure, by Janet S. Anderson, is a mystery about the Smith family. The Smith family has been in Smith Mills, New York for 150 years. This exciting adventure is Janet S. Anderson's third book for kids, and was a good candidate for the 2004 Newbery Award.

Ellsworth Smith is thirteen and lives with his father. On Ellsworth's birthday, he gets a letter from a distant cousin inviting him to stay with her for the summer. He really wants to go, but he isn't sure why. When he goes to the square with ten houses built by his great, great, great, great grandfather, Ellsworth learns a lot about the Smith family members, both living and dead. He and Jess, his cousin, have to solve the puzzle of the last treasure house on the square in order to keep the family together.

The author uses journal entries to tell the story of the Smith family from long ago. She also uses flashbacks in time. It is a little confusing to follow, but still really exciting. And the ending makes you feel good about the Smith family and your own. I think you will like this book and the message it has about families.

The ghost of John Smith, was a wealthy patriarch, has been taking a yearly walk around the Square of homes he built for his large family. He had hidden three treasures, two of which were found by the family when desperately needed. Now it is time for the youngest relatives to find the third. Sending dreams to two Smith teens who have never met, he promises their return to Smiths Mills. Facing a counterpane of mystery, mechanically minded Ellsworth and angry Jess must join forces to figure out the family dynamics and the meaning of the treasure clues. In Ellsworth, she has created a fully rounded and appealing character that has never been told why his father cut off all ties with his relatives years earlier. With a touch of the family's happiness of The Monkey Tree and a bit of the fake Going through the Gate Anderson has made up an awesome book for puzzle lovers.
This book was great, it took ½ the book to get intrusting but well worth it! Ellsworth is the brains behind the adventure and was just waiting for a opportunity like this, Jess on the other hand was my favorite character, because Jess was a tough kid who was just pushy and a never say never type of person.
For all the mystery lovers out there, this is the book for you. I ratted it 5 out of 5 stars and I'm not much of a reader. I mean, I read only for and when I HAVE TO for school. Now, if you're like me this for shore won't make you read but it is a good book and if you're willing enjoy its twists and turns! What are you still doing here go get this book, come on get out of here! :)

This is Janet Anderson's third children's novel, and it contains the same sort of thought-provoking depth as her first two (GOING THROUGH THE GATE and THE MONKEY TREE). On the surface, this is a fast-paced, suspenseful read about the Smith family and the "treasure" that is hidden inside an old brick house. Intriguing flashbacks serve to hold our interest as we venture into this house and try to find the treasure.

However, this book is more than just a treasure hunt, and buried along with the treasure is the story of one boy and his outlook on the world. Ellsworth Smith is one of the most convincing characters I have read in a long time, but he's not the only one - all of Anderson's characters are brought to life with a unique and interesting style of dialogue. In the end, this story delivers a message about family, especially through the relationship between Ellsworth, his father, and his grandfather - the message, however, is never heavy-handed. Anderson's prose is amazingly vivid and poetic, and the story is one of her best yet. The book itself is a hidden treasure waiting to be found.

I loved this book because it reminded me how much I love my family. It made me think that in ups or downs a family stays together.

This book is about a teenager named Ellsworth. His dad moved away from the square so since then he and Ellsworth have lived in a motel. Now Ellsworth for his 13th birthday got a card from Elizabeth his aunt saying she wanted him to move in with her at the square. The square is a place that John Sullivan made about 100 years ago for his 13 kids. Since then members of the family have moved in and out of the square.

John Sullivan's family is falling apart and Ellsworth has to find the last treasure to save the family. A long time ago they found two treasures buried in two of three houses. One was 13 diamonds, the second was steel mines and the last treasure was . . . . . . You need to read the book to find out for yourself.

My favorite part in this book is when Ellsworth and his cousin Jessica meet for the first time in life. She thought they were twins!!!!

I would recommend this book to anybody ages 11+ years old. Someone who loves a book that it takes ½ the book to get what's happening. An overall awesome book! A thumbs up from me.

This book is good but some parts are hard to understand because it is poetry. The poetry is the clue to the mystery of the last treasure house. If you read the clues over you will understand what they mean. It is so good, I would probably read it again. I recommend this book for most ages.

This book is about two kids who are fifth cousins named Jess and Ellsworth. Ellsworth and father, Ben Robert, live and help manage a hotel. On Ellsworth's birthday, he is invited to Smiths Mills, New York where his whole family lives. At first, Ben Robert doesn't want him to go but he knows it is necessary. As little as, they know there is treasure waiting to be found. The treasure is in a house which was built by Ellsworth's great great grandfather. This house was built on Smiths Square. It takes the whole family to find it.

Can Jess and Ellsworth get their whole fighting family to work together or will they fail like every one else who tried? How will they get along? Will they get the treasure? Go ahead read "The Last Treasure."

I recently read a book called The Last Treasure by Janet S. Anderson. The book itself is kind of long, but I promise you'll love it. This book is about the Smith family and it goes very far back in their generation to explain things about their family. Back in the 1800's the Smith family had thirteen children so the father, John Matthew, built ten houses on a square in New York. Before he died he hid three priceless treasures in three of the ten houses to be found by members of the Smith family when times were bad. Your probably wondering how anyone could find them, or even know about them. Well the mother, Betsy Sullivan,painted three pictures each had separate clues in them so their Smith decendents would be able to find the treasures one day. One of the treasures was found in 1910 and the other in 1932. This book takes place in 2003 and the last treasure still hasn't been found. Something that is odd is adults cannot seem to find the treasure, it is always a child who ends up finding it because they look at things adults don't. The most recent Smith children are Jess and Ellsworth. They come to Smith square in New York because they are determined to find the last treasure in house No. 2 South. Will they find it or will it be lost forever?

Since his death, the ghost of John Smith, once a wealthy patriarch, has been taking a yearly walk around the Square of homes he built for his large family. He had hidden three treasures, two of which were found by the family when desperately needed. Now it is time for the youngest relatives to find the third. Sending dreams to two Smith teens who have never met, he promises their return to Smiths Mills. Facing a counterpane of mystery, mechanically minded Ellsworth and angry Jess must join forces to figure out the family dynamics and the meaning of the treasure clues. Anderson excels in her memory of the detailed setting, which is absolutely necessary for the success of the end. In Ellsworth, she has created a fully rounded and appealing character that has never been told why his father cut off all ties with his relatives years earlier. With a touch of the family's happiness of The Monkey Tree and a bit of the fake Going through the Gate, Anderson has made up an awesome book for puzzle lovers while adding in an important message about relationships.
For all the mystery lovers out there, this is the book for you. I ratted it 4 out of 5 stars and I'm not much of a reader. I mean, I read only for and when I HAVE TO for school. Now, if your like me this for shore won't make you read but it is a good book and if your willing enjoy its twists and turns!

Written by:
Jason

This book is featured on the Texas Bluebonnet Reading list for 2005-2006. Like "Chasing Vermeer," the book is about a puzzle that must be solved, in this case there is a treasure to be found.

Thirteen year old Ellsworth lives a nomad life with his father and his fish, Hugo. He receives a birthday card from "some kind of cousin" named Elizabeth who invites him to visit for the summer. All that he knows about his father's family is that his dad does not want anything to do with them. Never the less, he is intrigued by her reference to the puzzle of the "last" treasure and despite his father's misgivings leaves for the Square in Smith Mills, NY.

As Ellsworth gets to know more about his family he also learns more about his parents and especially his mother. With a distant girl cousin his age named Jess he tries to solve the puzzle of the last treasure house. My favorite part of the story is where Ellsworth and Jess read the journal of their great grand-relative and get to know him by hearing his story in his own words.

I was overwhelmed by the number of names and relationships. There is a family tree and a map of the Square in the front of the book; I should have referred to it more often. I think it is a bad sign when you have to work extra hard to keep all the characters straight.

An ok read but I cannot see how it made the Bluebonnet list. It is interesting for kids to think about family histories, genealogy and even recording their own family stories.

I read this book for a reading group, and I really enjoyed it. "The Last Treasure" was a cleanly suspenseful book. It was very realistic and I felt like I was part of the whole story. There were many emotions in the book which I enjoyed. When I read this, I felt like I was watching a play performed just for me.
"The Last Treasure" is about a boy named Zee, and in the beginning he receives a mysterious birthday card from the only family member that he is in touch with, other than his dad. The birthday card begs Zee to come back "home." That is when the mysteries which Zee had never bothered to find out about, come back to haunt him.
For reading group, I had to fill out many sheets to help with the discussions. Surprisingly, I had fun! The discussions I had with my group were the best part though. We debated all the interesting subjects the book offers. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes mysteries. "The Last Treasure" is really a treasure.

This was a very compelling read and was outstanding!! I love a good mystery and this was perfect!!!