School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-6-Two more winning entries in a popular series. In Secrets, Josefina lives on her family's New Mexico homestead in the 1820s. She is fascinated when a mysterious man with an injured leg is brought to her house and she and her family must care for him. While laundering his clothes, Josefina accidentally discovers a treasure map in a pocket. Could it lead to buried treasure somewhere in the hills around her house? In Peril, Felicity lives on her family's Virginia plantation where she dotes on her prized horse, Penny. As things begin to heat up between the Loyalists and Patriots, the girl is intrigued by a local visitor, Mr. Haskall, who admires Penny and studies local plant life. However, Felicity begins to suspect he is not who he pretends to be when she discovers detailed maps of her family's plantation in his notebooks. Each story begins slowly, but methodically weaves in clues as it builds on the mystery. Background information is carefully integrated, especially in Josefina's story, which is rich with tales of buried treasure and local traditions, foods, and crafts. Both books include a historical note with color photographs and illustrations.-Kristen Oravec, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Strongsville, OH (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
Gr. 3-5. Books in the American Girl Mysteries series, set in various periods of American history, feature familiar characters from the earlier doll-based book series. In this adventure, Felicity hears disturbing news about the theft of a neighbor's horse and, more seriously, about the threat of British and Loyalist troops raiding nearby plantations. With her father in Williamsburg working for the Patriot cause, Felicity takes it upon herself to protect her home, her family, and her horse by engaging in some detective work. Like the previous stories about Felicity, this one features an appealing heroine and a well-developed period setting. Experienced genre readers will find the clues rather thickly dispersed, but children new to mysteries will enjoy having their suspicions confirmed. A Looking Back section provides information about the period. The combined appeal of the genre, the main character, and the attractive jacket will definitely invite an audience. The paperback edition's smooth, thick pages and relatively sturdy binding make it a good choice for libraries considering the purchase of multiple copies. --Carolyn Phelan Copyright 2006 Booklist
