  | Lost cipher Author: Oechsle, Michael | |
| Price: $6.50 | ||
Summary:
Lucas's father has recently died in Afghanistan, and his grandmother sends him to Camp Kawani. When Lucas and his newfound friends decide to track down a treasure, they embark on a mission that could be too dangerous to survive.
| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: MG Reading Level: 5.50 Points: 8.0 Quiz: 184350 | Reading Counts Information: Interest Level: 6-8 Reading Level: 5.60 Points: 14.0 Quiz: 67940 | |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (03/15/16)
Booklist (04/01/16)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 04/01/2016 Knowing that his single-parent dad died a war hero is cold comfort for 13-year-old Lucas, who now shoulders the responsibility of helping his grandparents and saving the West Virginia mountain they call home. Reluctantly, Lucas spends a week in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains at a camp for kids dealing with the recent loss of a parent. Intrigued by tales of the legendary stash of gold awaiting the person who decodes the Beale ciphers, he leads two new friends into danger the likes of lightning strikes, venomous snakes, and an apparently crazed old codger. There’s plenty to like in Oechsle’s first novel, including the depiction of Lucas and other well-drawn characters, the treasure hunt, the wilderness adventure, and scenes that capture the enmity as well as the humor behind campers’ sometimes reckless pranks. An appended author’s note discusses the actual Beale ciphers and includes the three encrypted messages as well as the translation of the only one decoded. A well-paced story with appealing characters, cliff-hanger moments, and a resonant emotional core. - Copyright 2016 Booklist.
