Play Book Tag discussion

At the age of 12, Abilene Tucker is sent to live with a family friend in 1936 Manifest, Kansas. Her father, Gideon, is working for the railroad and wants Abilene to have a steady homelife while he is on the road. Abilene's mother had deserted them years before, so now Abilene is entrusted to the care of 'Pastor' Shady Howard. On her first night in Shady's home/church/bar, Abilene stumbles upon a hidden box with several seemingly unrelated treasures and a stack of letters from a young man named Ned to someone named Jinx. The letters were written in 1918 as Ned was serving with the Army in Europe during WWI. An intriguing sentence in one letter warned Jinx that "the Rattler is watching". Abilene and her new friends, Ruthanne and Lettie, are determined to find out who the "Rattler" might be.

Abilene spends many hours working for the local 'diviner', Miss Sadie, who slowly fills in the history of Manifest and the box of trinkets that Abilene found. Abilene will come to know Ned and Jinx almost as if they were there in person. What seemed at first to be nothing but a quiet, dusty Kansas town, becomes a town rich with the history of immigrants, coal mines, and small-town intrigue.

This book won the Newbery Award in 2011. It is a fun adventure story that even I, at my advanced age, thoroughly enjoyed. The town is full of wonderful characters who work together in surprising ways to save themselves from the despicable mine owner. You can't help but admire Abilene and her steadfast belief that her father will soon be with her again. Abilene will find her father in a way she had never imagined. It's a great children's novel.

Add me to "advanced age" readers who loved this one. I originally read it because it was based on the true immigrant, coal mining experiences of the author's grandparents.