Missing On Superstition Mountain (2011) - Plot & Excerpts
Elise Broach does an excellent job of weaving together various legends about the Superstition Mountains just outside of Phoenix, Arizona-- including the one about the Lost Dutchman Mine. Children will be reading an exciting tale of adventure, but they'll also be absorbing the deeper subjects of history, friendship, and exploration. When this book was offered to me, I wasn't told that it was a children's book, but since it is a mystery, and it is set right in my own backyard, it didn't make much difference. What impressed me was how much I enjoyed reading it, and how much it reminded me of similar books I read when I was a child. Simon, Henry, and Jack are following in the footsteps of the Hardy Boys, and it was wonderful to read about four children who were off on their bikes exploring and not cooped up inside enslaved to electronics. In fact, they're only on the computer once for a brief time in the entire book.Since this is the first book in a trilogy, it will be interesting to see how the characters and the story develop. Simon is the responsible older brother with just a touch of the know-it-all. Jack is the extremely annoying little brother his siblings wish they could leave behind, and Henry as the middle brother feels a bit like a misfit. The story is mostly told from his point of view, so we get to know him best. Delilah? She's the first friend the boys have made in Superstition, and even though she's a girl, she's a big help and can't be left behind. The parents are there behind the scenes. They're busy keeping the bills paid so the boys can have adventures.It's obvious that this is the first book in a trilogy because little plot threads are left dangling. I'm convinced Josie the cat knows a lot more than she's admitting, and what about the behavior of the local librarian? Is she hiding something? And there was definitely something odd about those tombstones in the cemetery!If it sounds as though I was hooked after reading Missing on Superstition Mountain, I was. I'm looking forward to seeing what those four get up to next. The three Barker boys and their parents have just moved to Superstition, Arizona, with the infamous Superstition Mountains practically in their backyard. Chasing their cat, the boys venture up into the mountains and are struck by the ominous feeling of the place--and finding those bones doesn't help. On their return, their parents and a police officer forbid them ever to go into the mountains again, which of course just makes them curious. With the help of a pushy neighbor girl, they start investigating the history of the mountains and their legends, and decide they have no choice but to return.I felt completely cheated by this book. Up until the end, I was liking it a lot; it had a good sense of place, good characters (some a bit stereotypical, though), good pacing, an interesting series of mysteries, and a touch of middle-school appropriate horror. Then at the end... Well, all I can say is, don't worry about my putting in any spoilers, because Broach didn't either. The boys find out the answer to one of their 50 or so questions about the mountains, and the answer was the one they expected. Nothing else gets answered. Nothing. This is not a complete book. I understand cliffhanger endings to get you to read the second book, but this one did not give the reader enough to make them feel as though they'd uncovered at least part of the mystery. I kind of felt like throwing the book across the room, honestly, even though I'd liked it up until the end (which is why I gave it three stars anyway).
What do You think about Missing On Superstition Mountain (2011)?
Good juv read, enough believable action to interest young readers.
—Newtonleung
A neat mix of fact and fiction in a kids book. My kids loved it.
—allaboutU
A good mystery with room for a sequel. Good use of vocabulary.
—annie
Enjoyed it for a children's mystery/adventure book!!
—gadenerb
