Minnesota is the land of 10,000 lakes, but it also has many interesting books. In this series, we are sharing some of the books we like from Minnesota, or Minnesota authors.
We are mapping our literary journey around Minnesota, so you can see all the interesting places where our books are set. Follow our progress on our Google Map, accessible by clicking that link or searching for the title CMLE Reads Across Minnesota!
This week’s book was suggested by CMLE reader Karen Landsverk. She said it was “both funny and heart-rending” so I had to give it a try – and indeed it was both!
I like to read YA books, and this one focused on thirteen year old Travis, and his adventures in Minnesota. Was his dad – who died before Trav was born – a bank robber? What secrets is his grandmother hiding? And, why does Iz suddenly seem so interesting??
There is enough adventure here to hold even a fidgety reader’s attention, some low-key romance, and a solid friend group to help overcome the difficulties of dealing with those adults who don’t always measure up to the needs and expectations of these early teens. (Dealing with adults is so hard!) Plus: hunting for hidden treasure is always exciting!
Definitely hang in there all the way to the end, because you will want to see how all the different threads in Trav’s life get tied back together!
Quick note on our Google map: we drop pins on our Minnesota map to show the location of the books we are reading. This book takes place in a fictional setting; but we dropped a pin at Green Lake, MN. This is where Bullard spent summers as a kiddo; and the book’s location is loosely based on this spot. Sorry – she says the specifics of the book are not here; but it sounds like a great vacation area!
“Thirteen-year-old Trav has always wondered about his dead-before-he-was-born dad. But when he heads from California to his grandmother’s house in rural Minnesota, hoping to learn about his past, he gets more than he bargained for.
It turns out his dad was involved in a bank robbery right before he mysteriously disappeared, and the loot from the take is still missing. Along with Kenny and Iz, the kids next door, Trav embarks on a search for the cash. But the trio’s adventure quickly turns dangerous when it becomes clear that someone else is looking for the money—someone who won’t give up without a fight!”