April 6, 2010

Leepike Ridge - by N. M. Wilson

Young Thomas lives in a rickety house on top of a giant rock, and doesn't think his life can get weirder than it already is.  Boy, is he wrong.  The trouble starts when his teacher starts trying to marry his mom, and doesn't get any better when he falls asleep on a floating piece of styrofoam in the river, and winds up lying next to a corpse in a hidden underground cave.  With mysterious cave-dwellers, grumpy old men who throw their dogs into rivers, scary large men who sit in the basement of a bowling alley and smoke, and treacherous treasure hunters, this  book is full of adventure and surprises.  Can Thomas find his way back home?  Will the treasure hunters succeed in their evil plans?  How strong is rope made from your own beard?  I suppose you'll have to read the book yourself to find out.
This book is a surprisingly good story, full of twists and turns and delightfully quirky characters.  It will interest lovers of history, cave-exploration, and dogs.  It's both a mystery and a survival story, and it's a tale with a heart and a satisfying ending.

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