Book Review of The Mystery of Mystic Mountain
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The Children’s Book Review
The Mystery of Mystic Mountain
Written by Janet Fox
Ages: 11-14 | 288 Pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books (2024) | ISBN: 9781665956666
What to Expect: Friendship, ranch life, lost treasure, divorce, and identity.
The Mystery of Mystic Mountain is a story about growing up, being true to one’s identity, and focusing on what really matters, and Becca is the perfect protagonist for this journey.
Freshly emerging from seventh grade, Becca is dealing with a whole host of unexpected problems. First, there’s the maybe-immanent divorce of her parents. Then, there’s the fact that her best friend is very unhappy about her new friendship with the in-crowd at school. However, her biggest problem is that she and her mom are not spending the summer at a vacation spa because of an unfortunate mistake. Instead, they’re stuck at a horse ranch in the middle of the woods with no internet and nothing to do.
It’s not the summer Becca had hoped for—but as the ranch owner annoyingly keeps telling her, she just has to trust “the plan.” And maybe she’s right—because when Becca meets Jon, a boy with lots of mountain know-how and a secret he’s only half-telling, it turns out Far Away Ranch might have some hidden treasure for Becca after all.
A little bit insecure and a little bit self-absorbed, Becca is also thoughtful, kind, intelligent, and open-minded. As she navigates the difficulties of growing into her adolescent self, she offers readers a model for both self-reflection and connection with others that cannot fail to serve them well. A real strength of the novel is its emphasis on being willing to admit when you are wrong, learn from mistakes, and trust your intuition. The story is an intriguing mystery that draws on history and a love of the Montana countryside, with just enough suspense to make you want to keep reading—without being disturbing or harrowing.
Uplifting, absorbing, and thoroughly satisfying, The Mystery of Mystic Mountain is an equally tremendous read for rainy days inside or on the beach Becca thought she longed for.
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About the Author
Janet Fox is an author, mom, outdoor enthusiast, and former teacher. She’s been to the bottom of the ocean in a submersible and had a brief fling with rock stardom. Her award-winning stories, which range from picture books to young adult novels, have won fans of all ages. She lives in Bozeman, Montana.
For more information, check out JanetSFox.com.
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