School Library Journal Review
Gr 3-6-In Light in the Cellar, set during World War II, Molly and her friend Emily deliver recycled magazines to the patients at the Oak Knoll Hospital to help the war effort. While there, they suspect theft when bags of sugar, a rationed item, go missing. The second story takes place during the Depression. Kit is visiting her aunt in Kentucky and meets a professor from Chicago who wants to learn local traditions. Trouble finds them when the professor's supplies and pictures are ruined. These nicely paced mysteries integrate historical information from each period into the story lines well. These titles seamlessly place the well-developed American Girl characters in longer stories. Concluding "Looking Back" sections include explanations about the eras and photographs. Older American Girl and mystery fans will enjoy learning more about their favorite characters.-Krista Tokarz, Cuyahoga County Public Library, OH (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
Kit, the Depression-era heroine of the American Girl mystery series, is visiting her aunt in rural Kentucky when Professor Lucy Vanderpool arrives to do research on Appalachian basket weaving. She asks Kit to help her collect information, but it soon becomes clear that someone doesn't want strangers nosing around Lonesome Hollow. At the same time, Kit is worried about her friend Fern. The county has threatened to send her to an orphanage, and Fern's older brother seems to have come up with a sketchy plan to earn money. Ernst does a fine job of showing not only the poverty of Appalachia during the Depression but also the ingenuity of its people. There is also a good deal about Kentucky's mining companies that used and abused their workers. The mystery element is solid, but this works best as an evocation of time and place. The historical backdrop is bolstered by the back matter, which gives more detail in words and photos.--Cooper, Ilene Copyright 2007 Booklist
