Andrea Carter & the Trouble with Treasure - A Review

Product: Andrea Carter & the Trouble with Treasure

Price: $7.99

Author: Susan K. Marlow

To Purchase: Kregel Publications

Brief Overview:
From the website -

When innocent horseplay temporarily lands Andi and her friends in jail, they decide that a trip into the mountains will leave their troubles far behind. Accompanied by big brother Mitch and armed with a map showing old gold diggings, they can't wait to strike it rich. What could be better than two weeks of camping and horseback riding?

But instead of gold they find heaps of trouble -- trouble that leaves Mitch gravely wounded. Andi needs help fast. But who can she trust? And what good is a bag of gold when her beloved brother lies near death in the middle of nowhere?

In-Depth Look:
Susan K. Marlow is a freelance editor, teacher and homeschooling mom. She speaks at young author conferences and teaches writing workshops for kids.

She has written a series called Circle C Adventures. And this book is the 5th in the series. Book 6 will be out in August 2010.

The series is set in the 1880s in Fresno, California. This is one of my favorite time periods. Our family has enjoyed reading the Laura Ingalls Wilder series and several other books during the pioneer era. So, I was super-excited to discover that this book was set during the same time period. Not to mention, the fact that the author is a fellow homeschooler. Super cool.

There were other factors that made this a good fit for my family. The main character is a 13 year old girl. My oldest is close in age at 11. Horses are a big part of the story, especially Andi's mare Taffy. My girls are fascinated with horses.

The story is about a ranching family named Carter. The main character is Andi and she lives with her mother, sister and three brothers. Her father died a few years back in a ranching accident. The tale follows Andi on her adventures and more than a little bit of trouble.

Andi learns the consequences of being in the wrong place at the wrong time and being guilty by association. She learns that desperate times call for desperate actions. That being brave means to be scared and yet do it anyway. To treasure the things (or people) that really matter in life. I appreciate juvenile fiction books that portray characters with good values and strong morals. Stories that have a lesson to be learned. Also, I like that Andi reminds us on several occasions that God is a "very present help in trouble". Her faith and prayers set a fine example.

I had my daughters rate the book on a scale of 1-10. My 8 yo gave it a 7. My 11 yo gave it an 8. I like the story and would enjoy reading the rest of the series.

I just have to mention an added FREE bonus. Each book has an enrichment guide (unit study) available as a free download. What a great bonus. I was super thrilled to see this.

Read more reviews here.

Disclaimer: I was asked to review this product as part of the TOS Homeschool Crew. The above is just my opinion. Please remember that opinions may, and do, vary.