The Aztec Skull

by Anthea Goddard

An ancient relic brings doom to a young runaway…

The house was just the sort of place twelve-year-old Jenny had dreamed of when she ran away from unoccupied, secluded and well-stocked with food and supplies. The kind of place no one would ever think to look for her.

But somewhere in the strange house, stashed away amongst the stuffed birds and lifelike statues, is a priceless Aztec skull. The owner, the mysterious Diego Gama, hid it there years ago after ‘stealing’ it from his village in Mexico – but now the villagers have finally tracked him down and they’ll stop at nothing to get it back.

Suddenly, Jenny has the mark of death on her forehead and she must use all her cunning and wit to escape the house with her life.

Anthea Goddard was born in Australia and worked there as a journalist for many years before coming to Europe.

142 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1977

Reviews

[Pingin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This wonderful book opened my eyes to reading. It was the first 'proper' book I remember reading in fact. I borrowed it from the school library as a child, mainly based on its 'scary' cover. I loved it so much I read it twice at least. The character and her predicament completely captured my imagination. To this day I t has a special place on my bookshelf.

[Bandit · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is how I came to read a children’s book. It’s all Endeavor Press’ fault. They send out a daily email listing their freebies and I sometimes grab those because they have a certain bygone British quaintness and this one grabbed me with the title. I’m interested in Aztecs, so I downloaded it without reading up on the plot. To be fair, nowhere in the plot summary does it describe this as a children’s book. Shame on you, Endeavor. All it says is that the book features a young protagonist. Which some adult books do.
But as I read the book it became impossible to ignore that it’s just too simplistic to be targeting an adult audience. Some adults are into that, not this one. This one was just kind of bemused by such a silly mistake.
But then again, it did feature Aztec skull and all sorts of things Aztecs. Along with some terribly dated racial slurs and attitudes, but that’s Endeavor for you, they like old things in all their bigoted, xenophobic, racist splendor.
Outside of that, the book was actually kind of cute. And would probably be cute for kids. It features a plucky twelve-year-old girl who flees an orphanage and takes refuge in a mansion belonging to a wealthy collector of Mesoamerican treasures. The adventure is objectively decently written, charming, and has one of those heartwarming endings…you know, just to give the kids a completely wrong idea about life.
So yeah, now I’ve read a kids’ book. Reminder to myself to pay more attention.

[Mrs Susan J Bociek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely young adult reading

Jenny has run away from the Children's Home, where she has lived since the death of her parents when she was very young. Now twelve years ols, she leaves in the middle of the night, making her way across rough tracks in the countryside, she begins to realise that she has no plan and nowhere to go. There follows mystery and adventure, with Jenny frequently making stories for herself, where she has a home, is happy and has people who care for her. An uplifting, innocent kind of book, one to enjoy. A lovely Teen or Young Adult book.

[Lili · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply charming

This has everything,treasure, wicked intruders, brave boys and lost girls. I loved it and can’t wait to read more by Anthea Goddard.

[Haydn Pope · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably a good children's book.

I can see children enjoying this novel. I picked it up by error and having started reading it, had to finish it.