From School Library Journal
Grade 3-5-Cousins Timothy, Titus, and Sarah-Jane have formed a detective club. In Hobo, they stumble upon a secret message carved in a tree trunk. Their grandfather, Pastor Gordon, tells them that it was a message left by a hobo during the Depression. He explains that hobos were honest, wandering workers, and that his own father was one during his teen years. This is why he knows their code. Later, the children use the code to save their grandfather from being swindled by phony real-estate agents. This is a slight mystery cloaked in a message about the spiritual theme of kindness. However, the characters and theme are better defined here than in others of this series. It's a good addition for collections looking for Christian fiction. In Magi, the cousins have been selected to dress up as the Magi and hand out flyers to the crowd during their resort town's "Christmas in July" Arts Fair. After a stranger hands them three beautifully made boxes to carry as gifts, they learn that these objects have been stolen from the fair and catch the thief. Here, the theme is goodness, the idea being that even someone who seems bad can do something good. It's a rather confusing presentation. Also, it takes the children a whole chapter to realize that they are holding the stolen art in their hands. Characterization is weak; the cousins blend together and seem like one person. For wholesome, better written mysteries, stick with David Adler's "Cam Jansen" books or "Fourth Floor Twins" mysteries (both Viking).
Elaine Lesh Morgan, Multnomah County Library, Portland, ORCopyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Gr. 2^-4. While cousins Titus, Timothy, and Sarah-Jane vacation at their grandparents' house, their grandfather, a pastor, is busy settling the estate of a deceased woman parishioner. Because her house sits on prime property, developers are pressuring him to make a deal. While playing on the grounds, the cousins make friends with twins Matthew and Amanda. Soon the five children discover a secret code carved in a tree and learn that the carvings are old hobo symbols. As the plot evolves, the children use a hobo code of their own to warn the grandfather of a developer's scam and thus save the house, which eventually becomes home for the twins, who, it turns out, have been homeless. Although the contrived plot in this chapter book offers little mystery, the message about helping those in need is lightly handled and pleasing.
Shelley Townsend-Hudson
