When Kate Cummings breaks her arm on the very first day of vacation, she's convinced that her summer has been ruined. Then the Witherspoon children, visiting with their grandfather in Ashtabula, come over to play, and Oscar Witherspoon breaks his ankle. Determined to do something to pass the time and keep entertained, Kate and Oscar form 'Cripples Incorporated," and set out to solve 'The Secret' of Kate's home, rumored to have been a stop on the Underground Railroad.

I enjoyed this story of two creative, inquisitive children immensely. With natural and man-made caves to explore, a historical mystery to solve, and some clever coded messages to exchange, Kate and Oscar have more than enough to keep themselves (and the reader) occupied. The Secret of the Strawbridge Place is set during the Great Depression, and I appreciated the very real sense of pathos that Jacob created in her story. Some of the scenes were quite heart-breaking, particularly the lunch with Mr. Lord of Brooklyn, and I found myself wondering if hobos really did have a system of secret signs to communicate with one another. Clearly I will need to do a little more research...

I have a great fondness for the state of Ohio, where I was born, and a keen appreciation of its rich history. My college town was a major stop on the Underground Railroad, and many of the older buildings have secret passages and compartments where runaway slaves were hidden. I once house-sat for a professor whose basement contained a small earthen chamber, hidden behind a massive bureau, and can easily understand and enter into the fascination with such secret places. So too, apparently, can Jacob. ( )

One of my absolute favorite books growing up. This is the story of Kate and Oscar, friends who devote a summer to discovering the Secret. Legend has it that the Strawbridge Place was a stop on the Underground Railroad, but nobody has ever found the hidden rooms or spaces that would have made this possible. But when Kate and Oscar work together, they discover more than they ever imagined. Set in 1930s rural Ohio, this book also offers a glimpse at farm life at the time. ( )