The Legend of Red Horse Cavern

December 1, 1994
Gr 4-6-Horse fans won't find any equine characters here, but aspiring adventurers should relish the thrill-a-minute story. Paulsen weaves the elements of Native American legend, caving, and nasty villains into this yarn. Two kids-Apache Will Little Bear Tucker and his friend Sarah Thompson-spot a treasure chest and get nabbed by and escape from the bad guys in the first 30 pages. Events cascade from there, as Sarah is recaptured, Will rescues her, they solve the legend of Red Horse, Will disposes of a villain, and they are safe. The young people are resourceful in their underground wanderings; Sarah bravely thumps the scoundrels (although she does get slapped around a bit) and Will whips together a makeshift Molotov cocktail from ingredients in his backpack. Paulsen's crisp style and focus on Will as the central character aim this at boys seeking a quick read. The scenes suggest a TV show, somewhat reminiscent of a '50s Western (fans of Roy Rogers and Gene Autry might recognize the elements), but readers will "cave in" to the plot and follow it through as the kids triumph over the crooks and the ghost of Red Horse helps the lawmen.-Charlene Strickland, formerly at Albuquerque Public Library, NM