The Swamp Robber (1940)

Wm B Eerdmans Publishing, 1947; ninth edition; hardcover, 92 pages

An okay book for kids, especially boys. I think my son will like these when he's older. It has a very wholesome, old-fashioned feel to it, but it does get a bit preachy. I understand they are Christian books, but it gets a bit mushy at times, at least for tody's readers I think. ( )

William Jasper "Bill" Collins and his five friends are growing up in a small rural town. Bill and his friend Roy "Dragonfly" Gilbert discover a hidden disguise while out fishing one summer afternoon. The next day, police report a bank robber on the loose and possibly in the area. Bill and Dragonfly get together with their Sugar Creek Gang--Little Jimmy Foote, Big Jim, Leslie "Poetry" Thompson, and Daniel "Circus" Browne--to discuss what they can do about it. Mix in a missing old man from the hills, his long-lost nephew, and the resident drunk and it adds up to quite an adventure for a group of boys, all but one under the age of twelve.

Overall, this is a fun and easy read. I realize this is a Christian book, but still I think it weighs a little heavy on the preachy side. I would recommend The Swamp Robber by Paul Hutchens to any of my friends with boys or girls ages 8-12. ( )

Series of 36 books, good to read aloud (so you can edit on the fly), OK for independent readers of 9-10 years old