Missing on Superstition Mountain

Starred review from April 25, 2011
Broach follows her acclaimed Masterpiece with an exciting adventure set in a real-life Arizona mountain range that boasts numerous legends about colorful historical figures, unsolved murders, strange disappearances, and rumors of a hidden gold mine, which entices fortune-seekers despite the mountain's explicit dangers. The summer that 10-year-old Henry Barker; his know-it-all older brother, Simon; and his fearless younger brother, Jack, move into the house their family inherited from the boys' iconoclastic great-uncle, their parents declare Superstition Mountain forbidden territory. But when their cat runs away, the boys chase after her, and their escapades begin with the discovery of three human skulls. Joined by another newcomer, 10-year-old Delilah, the children research local history and folklore, study old coins and maps, and become acquainted with a variety of odd townspeople in preparation for a secret return to the mountain. Caparo's skillful grayscale illustrations add a spooky element: three skulls mark each new chapter, and images like a black cat sitting on a crooked gravestone inspire chills. Classic horror and thriller elements combine with modern touches in Broach's page-turner, a very promising start to this series. Ages 8â12.

May 15, 2011

This engrossing mystery pits three brothers recently transplanted from Chicago against the rocky caverns of Arizona's Superstition Mountain.

Simon, 11, feisty 6-year-old Jack and narrator Henry, 10, quickly grow curious about the menacing mountain that adults pointedly warn them against climbing. Their first clandestine trek ensues as they chase their roving cat, Josie. The boys feel the mountain's oppressive eeriness and encounter three skulls on a precarious ledge. After some research with library books and a historical-society pamphlet, the three secretly return to the mountain with Delilah, a smart fifth grader who's also new to Superstition. Broach brings her customary skill to this first of a projected series, articulating the boys' personalities, sketching out adults (Mrs. Barker, a medical illustrator, is the most interesting) and adding the evenhanded Delilah. A fall injures Delilah and brings adults to the rescue, but it also permits Henry's discovery of a hidden canyon, an old pair of saddlebags and a strange map. Broach sympathetically explores Henry's voice, allowing the third-person narration to filter his perceptions as a lonely middle child. He loves reading, relishes the big words he learns and worries about not living up to his namesake, the late, roguish Great Uncle Hank.

Broach reserves plenty of suspicious characters, spooky landscapes and loose ends for the slated sequels, which both boys and girls will savor. (author's note) (Mystery. 8-12)

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

July 1, 2011

Gr 4-6-Superstition, AZ, is the new home of Simon, Henry, and Jack Barker. The family inherited a house from an adventurous relative, Hank Cormody, for whom Henry is named. The boys know they are not supposed to explore Superstition Mountain, but when their cat runs away, they chase her up the mountain. They feel its eerie, oppressive atmosphere even more when they discover three human skulls. With the help of Delilah Dunworthy, a girl in the neighborhood, the brothers begin to investigate the stories full of mysterious disappearances and lost gold mines. Determined to identify the skulls, the clue hunters head back up the mountain for another dangerous sortie. Henry finds some of his great-uncle Hank's bravery and begins to appreciate Delilah's contributions. The dialogue is functional and the characterizations are broad. But for the most part, this book is a series opener with the associated deficiencies. Many of the adults' motives seem unclear or mysterious. Children will be pleased by the mountain climbing and clue-finding aspects, but until the next books arrive, there is much they won't know about this fascinating setting and its secrets. Black-and-white pencil drawings augment the story.-Caitlin Augusta, Stratford Library Association, CT

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2011
Grades 3-5 After moving to a small Arizona town, the Barker parents warn their sons to stay away from Superstition Mountain. Eleven-year old Simon, 10-year-old Henry, and 6-year-old Jack listen, but when their cat runs off in that direction, they follow her anyway. Feeling the mountains creepiness and finding several human skulls, they leave shaken but determined to find out why adults fear the place. After some research in town, they brave the mountain once more, along with a new friend, Delilah. The four children are clearly defined in terms of their personalities and physical traits, while several other characters are introduced but remain mysterious. Clearly, the mountain and the townspeople are guarding secrets as yet undisclosed. Readers may be disappointed that so little of the story takes place on the mountain, but Broach seems to be laying the groundwork for a series. And with the unusual setting, the lure of mystery and adventure, appealing pencil drawings, and a certain innocence reminiscent of the Boxcar Children series, this story should find a ready audience.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)