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Adventures of the Northwoods #3
The Creeping Shadows
The joy of Christmas Day for the Nordstrom family is followed by the dreaded fact that Papa must return to the dangerous work at the logging camp. Having lost her own father to a construction accident, Kate O'Connell truly fears for Papa's safety. And she worries that the worst part of winter must be faced without him, especially with wolves around their farm.
Josie Swenson is Kate's special friend whose family has been given a payment deadline of January 25 or lose their farm. Their plan to pay off the debt by selling a valuable ring suddenly ends when the ring is discovered to be missing. Who took it? Can it be found in time?
And who's been sneaking into the Nordstrom barn at night and taking Wildfire out for a ride? Could it be the same person who stole the ring?
Shadowy figures lurk about. What is real and what is only imagination?
Josie Swenson is Kate's special friend whose family has been given a payment deadline of January 25 or lose their farm. Their plan to pay off the debt by selling a valuable ring suddenly ends when the ring is discovered to be missing. Who took it? Can it be found in time?
And who's been sneaking into the Nordstrom barn at night and taking Wildfire out for a ride? Could it be the same person who stole the ring?
Shadowy figures lurk about. What is real and what is only imagination?
157 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1990
5 people are currently reading
153 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
May 28, 2024
I read the German version of this book and I absolutely loved it. I read them back in elementary and as a freshman in high school and they never got old as I re-read them time and time again. Erik and Kate's friendship (and the occasional small tiny pieces of flirting) were and still are everything to me. I recommend the entire series to anyone who lends a listening ear. They're clean and sweet and suspenseful and they have valuable lessons as the foundation!
September 29, 2014
These books just have a special place in my heart because of some things that were happening when I read them the second or third time. So now they are just really special to me!
February 24, 2015
My favorite part was when they found the ring. My friends would like this because it was exciting.
November 14, 2017
This book put me on the edge of my seat that's for sure
March 8, 2021
Love it! The characters are fun, interesting, consistent, and relatable. The mysteries are really quite good and I appreciate the Christian values.
June 18, 2021
Loved it do much!
July 13, 2023
Number of pages: 122
Genre: Mystery
Series: The Adventures of the Northwoods #3
Age recommendation: 10-14
Summary: Stretch is now living with Josie’s family, who think he deserves a second chance. However, when an expensive heirloom ring goes missing, Erik and Anders are quick to jump to the “obvious” conclusion.
My thoughts: I feel so bad for Stretch. He’s trying to be good, but because of his reputation Anders doesn’t want to give him a second chance. Also, the fact that only Kate can see that Maybelle is a jerk who only cares about herself is annoying. It’s like Anders and Kate’s roles have been completely reversed from the last book where Kate is warning Anders about a girl rather than him warning her about a boy. Maybelle is such a stuck up entitled jerk. I really don’t like her. The author did a great job of describing all the characters and making the reader feel emotions about the characters.
I thought there was a little more twists and turns than there needed to be. The fact that the ring kept getting lost and found happened a little more than I would have preferred.
I like that Kate is able to turn to God for strength and really trust him in this book.
Overall, it was a very fun, quick read and I’m excited to read more about Kate!
My personal rating: 4/5 stars.
Link to blog: https://karinaschristianreads.wordpre...
Genre: Mystery
Series: The Adventures of the Northwoods #3
Age recommendation: 10-14
Summary: Stretch is now living with Josie’s family, who think he deserves a second chance. However, when an expensive heirloom ring goes missing, Erik and Anders are quick to jump to the “obvious” conclusion.
My thoughts: I feel so bad for Stretch. He’s trying to be good, but because of his reputation Anders doesn’t want to give him a second chance. Also, the fact that only Kate can see that Maybelle is a jerk who only cares about herself is annoying. It’s like Anders and Kate’s roles have been completely reversed from the last book where Kate is warning Anders about a girl rather than him warning her about a boy. Maybelle is such a stuck up entitled jerk. I really don’t like her. The author did a great job of describing all the characters and making the reader feel emotions about the characters.
I thought there was a little more twists and turns than there needed to be. The fact that the ring kept getting lost and found happened a little more than I would have preferred.
I like that Kate is able to turn to God for strength and really trust him in this book.
Overall, it was a very fun, quick read and I’m excited to read more about Kate!
My personal rating: 4/5 stars.
Link to blog: https://karinaschristianreads.wordpre...
August 28, 2023
Continuing my re-reading of this series with my son. He loved the plot, is getting attached the characters of Kate, Anders, and Erik, and was hooked on Stretch’s redemption story and appalled by Maybelle.
I enjoyed the time period and the obvious research into the area around Windy Hill farm, the vulnerability immigrants faced from loan sharks, and the need for the wages from logging camps to help farming families prepare for spring.
From the viewpoint of an adult, (I can’t remember if I ever wondered this as a tween/teen when I read them multiple times) is anyone else curious how Kate has still not learned Swedish after nine months in a house where everyone else speaks Swedish? I know they speak English to Kate, but it does seem like she would have picked it up faster than the books make it seem like she is.
Overall, happy nostalgic memories for me and my son loved it. I probably knocked it down a star because some of the descriptions got repetitive (Stretch is constant referred to as “the tall boy” or “the tall, thin boy”. It seemed like a lost opportunity to flesh him out more as a character!
I enjoyed the time period and the obvious research into the area around Windy Hill farm, the vulnerability immigrants faced from loan sharks, and the need for the wages from logging camps to help farming families prepare for spring.
From the viewpoint of an adult, (I can’t remember if I ever wondered this as a tween/teen when I read them multiple times) is anyone else curious how Kate has still not learned Swedish after nine months in a house where everyone else speaks Swedish? I know they speak English to Kate, but it does seem like she would have picked it up faster than the books make it seem like she is.
Overall, happy nostalgic memories for me and my son loved it. I probably knocked it down a star because some of the descriptions got repetitive (Stretch is constant referred to as “the tall boy” or “the tall, thin boy”. It seemed like a lost opportunity to flesh him out more as a character!
November 22, 2023
Book 3 in the Northwoods series. I continue to roll through this series! This book's a fun one, complete with birthday parties and new character dynamics and growing friendships between the gang. Love seeing Erik and Kate and Anders together (with Josie now and again!). The best parts of these books are just the small moments with the best friends. And yes there's a mystery, and somehow I actually remembered what was going on as I read, so it didn't confuse me at all. Success! This book deals quite a bit with fear and how we should handle such. In a lot of these books, Kate has to deal with the fact that she's often afraid and not sure how to handle things. And oh so reassuring it is to remember and hold on to the promises that we have a God we can always run and cling to. Oh also! This book introduces Maybelle, who I'd forgotten enters the series this early. Oh what a character. As soon as she entered the series, her whole persona came back to me and I got annoyed at her all over again. Good writing, that.
June 29, 2020
Ich finde es war ein sehr schönes und mitreißendes Buch. Diesmal war der Ring von Kats Freundin verschwunden, wo doch gerade in einem Monat die Zahlung für das Haus ansteht wo sie unbedingt den Ring brauchen. Noch dazu wird Anders Pferd Wildfire geritten, obwohl er es niemanden erlaubt hat und so nicht weiß wer es tut. Diese Person bringt Wildfire, aber in Lebensgefahr, weil sie das Pferd nach dem reiten nicht trocken reibt oder so.
June 27, 2021
This middle-grade novel caught my attention in my local library. I appreciated the plot, the characters with their individual personalities and the creative design of the plot so that the reader had a difficult time finding the culprit in the mystery. It's also about a cozy, loving, hardworking family that loves the Lord.
Hope Irvin Marston, winner of the 2021 Charlotte Award (High School division): THE WALLS HAVE EARS: A BLACK SPY IN THE CONFEDERATE WHITE HOUSE
Hope Irvin Marston, winner of the 2021 Charlotte Award (High School division): THE WALLS HAVE EARS: A BLACK SPY IN THE CONFEDERATE WHITE HOUSE
March 10, 2021
Entertaining story that is hard to put down at times. I really like the early 20th century setting and how the characters solved real relational problems.
October 25, 2021
I feel like if you've read one story in this series you've read them all
January 27, 2023
Cute book!
May 15, 2020
This was an assigned book for 2nd graders at my daughter's school. The selection baffles me a bit b/c Amazon lists the age range as 9+ and Christian Book Distributers recommends the title for ages 8-12.
Aside from the fact that the reading level is probably too high for most 2nd graders, the story centers around two almost 13-year-olds. Although very subtle/mild, I wasn't a fan of the romantic elements for such young readers.
It is also strange that the school put this on the book list since it is #3 in a series. Very frustrating for people like me who prefer to read series IN ORDER. ;)
***Updated on May 15: Same as before. All three of my girls have enjoyed the mystery elements of these books, but this series would be best for ages 10-12 and is not "classic enough" to be on a required reading list.
Aside from the fact that the reading level is probably too high for most 2nd graders, the story centers around two almost 13-year-olds. Although very subtle/mild, I wasn't a fan of the romantic elements for such young readers.
It is also strange that the school put this on the book list since it is #3 in a series. Very frustrating for people like me who prefer to read series IN ORDER. ;)
***Updated on May 15: Same as before. All three of my girls have enjoyed the mystery elements of these books, but this series would be best for ages 10-12 and is not "classic enough" to be on a required reading list.
February 15, 2008
What is it about these books that I happen to enjoy so much? Mostly it's the characters and the setting -- Scandinavian people in the Minnesota/Wisconsin wilderness. That's certainly something right up my alley. And the historical research seems very accurate.
The mysteries themselves are now a little bit weak, but still appropriate for the targeted reader.
My wife has enjoyed this series immensely as well and has loaned out our copies many times.
Still a recommended series.
The mysteries themselves are now a little bit weak, but still appropriate for the targeted reader.
My wife has enjoyed this series immensely as well and has loaned out our copies many times.
Still a recommended series.
April 2, 2013
I thought it was fun to read about the newfangled telephone that will eventually make its way to the farming families! I like the message about how important it is to treat others well, even when they do not treat you well in return.
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October 8, 2007Johnson, Lois W. PB
August 5, 2008
One of my favorite ones in this series.
March 24, 2012
it was great! i loved it!
June 11, 2012
I loved the plot line,and how she and Erik get to become better friends.
November 4, 2012
Great book!!!!!!!!!!!
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews