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http://www.circlecadventures.com

The fifth book in the Circle C Adventure series, Andrea Carter and the Trouble with Treasure is a glossy softcover book of 141 pages, with additional pages at the back displaying the first four books available in the series with synopsis. This review also includes the free Enrichment Guide available on the Circle C Adventures website, a 24-page unit study guide written by Susan K. Marlow. The guide may be completed before, during, or after reading the book and in any order preferred by the user. Sections include Vocabulary, Discussion Questions, A Closer Look (at the California gold rush, with a focus on maps, and at Annie Oakley), Nature Connection (a peek at mountain lions and rattlesnakes), Just for Fun (including recipes for rattlesnake, beef jerky broth, and more), and Web Links. The pages include fill-in-the-blank vocabulary pages, thought provoking discussion questions with space for writing in answers, some additional reading pages for information, map activities, a lengthier writing activity, an Internet research response activity, and more! Answers are provided at the back of the Enrichment Guide. No additional materials are required, and the book is written for "tweens" by a homeschooling mom who happens to also be a freelance editor and teacher.

With her usual wit, Susan K. Marlow continues to offer an excellent read to an age group often left to struggle between reading material that is too easy and subject matter that is too intense. This book finds Andrea Carter, the main character, placed in a dangerous situation during what should have been a vacation with her older brother and best friends. If you are new to the series, you will quickly get to know Andrea ("Andi") Carter, a tomboy growing up in 1880s California. The start of Andrea Carter and the Trouble with Treasure offers a one-page letter from Andi that serves as introduction to her family and to the series. This particular adventure has the reader following Andi on a horseback ride into the California mountains hoping to pan for gold while her brother, Mitch, is traveling to a meeting on business. The story begins at home, where Andi and her friends meet the new local deputy, who actually puts them in jail over horseplay at a water trough! Through an important twist of circumstances they are released, and they happily join Mitch for an 1880s version of a road trip--via horseback, of course. We get to see Andi's playful side as she bickers with her long time friend, Cory, as well as her rough-and--tumble side as she reassures her city-friend, Jenny, throughout the journey. As with other books in the series, the author consistently points to God, good morals, and the basic value of life. There is never a dull moment in any of the Circle C Adventures, and Andrea Carter and the Trouble with Treasure reaches the high standard the series is known for. We enjoyed this book, as our family has grown to love the ever-exciting Andi Carter!

This book is a wonderfully creative way to approach map skills, information about California, and historical information about the 1880s and the Wild West. The free Enrichment Guide (available at www.circlecadventures.com) is a great way to get more educational value out of the book. In a time when too many of our children are growing up too fast, we love that these books provide wholesome reading without shying away from the difficult decisions children nearing the teenage years face. We see Andrea run to her Heavenly Father in prayer, struggle with right and wrong, and grapple with the idea of growing up to become the young woman God created her to be. Andi continues to shine as a morally sound example of a young adult, regardless of the era, presenting positive choices to the tweens age group.

Product review by Donna Campos, Senior Product Reviewer, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, June 2010