Lilla M. Waltch

What ages would I recommend it too? Eight and up.

Length? An evening.

Characters? Memorable, several characters.

Setting? Real World, Peruvin Andes.

Written approximately? 1968.

Does the story leave questions in the readers mind? Ready to read more.

Any issues the author (or a more recent publisher) should cover? No.

Short storyline: Two boys discover a ancient forgotten Inca road. Only it leads to a hidden part of a recently closed mine shaft.

Notes for the reader: Character changes happen rather fast.… (meer)

Like most old paperback Scholastic mysteries, this combines some kind of mystery with an "issue." In this case, two boys exploring the Andes find criminal activity and a secret mine - and the main character also builds a better relationship with his father. In fact, the mystery is secondary to his growing maturity. This book is definitely older - I can't picture a contemporary juvenile fiction or mystery that has one of the characters talking about it being no big deal to obey his parents and the other character's major lesson being that his own stubborness and refusal to listen are the main problems in his relationship with his father. There's also an odd view of the locals - the boys' families are both there as part of an American mining concession and modern sensibilities wince at the way they obviously consider everything theirs, not just the mine. Yes, I forgot the boys' names. Finally realized that, huh?

Verdict: Mildly interesting, not my favorite of the old Scholastic mysteries.

ISBN: 978-0590044813; Published February 1970 by Scholastic (original title Cave of the Incas); Received through Bookmooch… (meer)