The Mystery Cave (Sugar Creek Gang Series # 6) [Paperback]

Paul Hutchens (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1966

The tales and travels of the Sugar Creek Gang have passed the test of time, delighting young readers for more than fifty years. Great mysteries with a message, The Sugar Creek Gang series chronicles the faith-building adventures of a group of fun-loving, courageous Christian boys. Your kids will be thrilled, chilled, and inspired to grow as they follow the legendary escapades of Bill Collins, Dragonfly, and the rest of the gang and see how they struggle with the application of their Christian faith to the adventure of life. A late night hunting trip for the Sugar Creek Gang leads to a surprise discovery. Later, Old Man Paddler invites them to his cabin for a sassafras tea party. An urgent knock on the door interrupts the party. Soon they find themselves knee-deep in a quicksand rescue. Explore with the gang the effects of sin in one's life and the benefits of following Jesus.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

A late night hunting trip for the Sugar Creek Gang leads to a surprising discovery. Later, Old man Paddler invites them to his cabin for a sassafras tea pary. An urgent knock on the door interrupts the party. Soon they find themselves knee-deep in a quicksand rescue. Explore with the gang the effects of sin in one's life and the benefits of following Jesus.The Sugar Creek Gang series chronicles the faith-building adventures of a group of fun-loving, courageous Christian boys. These classic stories have been inspiring children to grow in their faith for more than five decades. More than three million copies later, children continue to grow up relating to members of the gang as they struggle with the application of their Christian faith to the adventure of life.Now that these stories have been updated for a new generation, you and your child can join in the Sugar Creek excitement.Paul Hutchens's memories of childhood adventures around the fishing hole, the swimming hole, the island, and the woods that surround Indiana's Sugar Creek inspired these beloved tales.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

The late PAUL HUTCHENS, one of evangelical Christianity's most prolific authors, went to be with the Lord on January 23, 1977. Mr. Hutchens, an ordained Baptist minister, served as an evangelist and itinerant preacher for many years. Best known for his Sugar Creek Gang series, Hutchens was a 1927 graduate of Moody Bible Institute. He was the author of 19 adult novels, 36 books in the Sugar Creek Gang series, and several booklets for servicemen during World War II. Mr. Hutchens and his wife, Jane, were married 52 years. They had two children and four grandchildren.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 127 pages
• Publisher: Moody Pr (J) (June 1966)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802448070
• ISBN-13: 978-0802448071
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 4.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,797,827 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Theology for kids, September 24, 2008

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Crease in the Page (Hills of Northern California) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Mystery Cave (Sugar Creek Gang Series) (Paperback)

These books are underrated. Hutchens is really quite a theologian, and quite profound sometimes. I have been reading this book aloud to my two oldest kids (ages 6 and 7) and they are intrigued with the story--at least they sit and keep listening. Meanwhile, I am intrigued by the deep ideas that Hutchins is conveying. This book describes a hunting scene, rather compassionately toward the animals that are killed, and then parallels that with the idea of sacrifice, ultimately Jesus' sacrifice. The parallel makes sense in the mind of a kid; my kids understand it when I talk to them about it.

I admit the writing style is not quite appropriate for today's audience. We are not accustomed to reading the description of setting for two whole pages. There is also a problem of what would probably be considered racism in today's society, although Hutchins meant it in a noble way: one pious character is praying for missionaries around the world using a map that he has marked with pins--brown-headed pins for missionaries in Mexico, black-headed pins for Africa, and yellow for China. Yeah. Not exactly politically correct! But innocent enough, probably.

The whole story is very outdoorsy, very good for boys especially. The gang is a group of boys who has fun together, play fights, teases, but ultimately encourages each other toward goodness.

Anyway, if you have a budding theologian in your house, this is an ideal book!

4.0 out of 5 stars A review by Caleb, age 9, February 15, 2007

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Mystery Cave (Sugar Creek Gang) (Paperback)

The Sugar Creek Gang is a group of kids that have many adventures and all of them have nicknames. First there's Bill then Poetry who knows about 100 poems. Then there's Circus who is very acrobatic. Next is Dragonfly who is always seeing things before everyone else. The littlest in the gang is little Jim. And the leader is big Jim. The Sugar Creek Gang find a cave that they plan to sleep in. Dragonfly is afraid that there are ghosts in the cave. Poetry plans to scare everyone. Bill helps Poetry with his plan. Everyone gets scared. They find a secret passage in the cave that leads to someone's house that they know.

In 1925 the author, Paul Hutchens, was made a Baptist minister. Only a few years into his career, Hutchens was forced out of the ministry when he was told he had a terrible disease called Tuberculosis. Though his time as an evangelist was cut short, Paul Hutchens guessed that he had preached 1,777 sermons and saw 2,500 people become Christians. While he was getting better from his sickness, he tried writing and soon found out that he was good at it.

I'm amazed and fascinated at how the Sugar Creek Gang found the secret passage. I was curious about what was going to happen after they slept in the cave. I was interested at how old man Paddler came to the cave through the secret passage. There are many things to be excited about in this book cause this book is written about how a boys life can be. This is an astounding story. I think it is awesome.

I think you should read this book because it shows how a boy's life can be. The Sugar Creek Gang is a series of books about some kid's who live a very adventurous life. They all have some special talent and I appreciate that.

4.0 out of 5 stars AMAZING BOOK!!!, December 15, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Mystery Cave (Sugar Creek Gang Series) (Paperback)

MYSTERY CAVE IS AWSOME! A LATE NIGHT HUNTING TRIP KEEPS THE SUGAR CREEK GANG HAVING FUN. LATER, A FRIEND OF THEIR'S, OLD MAN PADDLER, INVITES THEM TO HIS CABIN FOR A SASSAFRASS TEA PARTY. THEN SUDDENLY, A KNOCK ON THE DOOR ENTERUPS THE PARTY! THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW, THEY FIND THEMSELVES KNEE-DEEP IN A QUICKSAND RESCUE--FOR SOMEONE THEY DON'T REALLY LIKE. PRETTY SOON THEY FIND THEMSELVES HELPING SOMEONE FIND THE BENEFITS OF FOLLOWING JESUS AND THE CRUELTY OF SINNING. THESE BOOKS ARE ABOUT A FEW CHRISTIAN BOYS DOING WHAT'S RIGHT AND HELPING OTHERS TO KNOW JESUS AND TO FOLLOW HIM AND READ HIS WORD!