Hunter Moran Digs Deep

August 15, 2014
The Moran family follies continue as Hunter and Zack search low and high for town father and soup magnate Lester Tinwitty's storied buried treasure. Under the twining ivy, the carvings on Tinwitty's 1905 gravestone seem to offer clues. Followed, usually, by little brother Steadman and his dog, Fred, the Moran twins grasp one interpretation of the mysterious signs after another, chasing after the treasure that will allow them to fulfill their ever changing dreams. But Bradley the Bully always seems to get there first. Hunter describes their madcap pursuit and ensuing trail of disaster in a fast-paced, first-person narrative that stretches over a week. There's plentiful dialogue, and each short chapter is headed with a black-and-white illustration. Hunter's world is small, consisting mainly of his large family (six siblings), his good friend, Sarah Yulefski, his enemy, Bradley, and two parochial school teachers: Sister Ramona, who discovers his percussive talents, and the fearsome Sister Appolonia. It feels like a world of the past, and it's a grand place to visit. Readers who haven't already met the Moran family in the first two volumes are in for a treat. A major strength of this series is the underlying warm family feeling; Hunter's continuing efforts to teach his baby sister to say his name are just one example. The nonstop action and near-slapstick humor will surely please Hunter's middle-grade fans. (Fiction. 8-12)

COPYRIGHT(2014) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

October 1, 2014

Gr 4-6-After inadvertently breaking their father's most recent project, Hunter Moran and his twin brother, Zack, are determined to find the town founder's hidden treasure. But, as with many of their plans, things go wrong from the beginning. After all, getting stuck in the school basement, taking drum lessons, and climbing train bridges wasn't part of the plan. And even worse, it seems that Bradley the Bully has his own group looking for the treasure. Can Hunter and Zack find it before their father discovers his damaged project or are they already doomed? Small town as well as family life are humorously highlighted in this adventure story. Giff adeptly creates an entertaining and believable story about two mischief-making boys. There are enough surprising developments to keep the story moving and engagement high. The short sentences and paragraphs make the book especially appropriate for reluctant readers. A fun adventure well-worth general purchase.-Heidi Grange, Summit Elementary School, Smithfield, UT

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2014
Grades 4-7 When sixth-grader Hunter Moran attempts to retrieve his underwear from the jaws of his unruly dog, Fred, he has no idea that the ensuing chase will take him to the cemetery and lead to clues to a treasure hidden by town founder Lester Tinwitty. Hunter, twin Zack, and classmate Sarah Yulefski all have big plans for the anticipated windfall, and they eagerly follow their leads into the basement of St. Ursula's school, where Hunter agrees to take drum lessons from Sister Ramona in order to cover up the noise of Zach's and Sarah's digging in the room next door. Predictably, the treasure is much less than expected, and the nuns are not nearly as clueless as the kids think. As in the earlier titles (Hunter Moran Saves the Universe, 2012, and Hunter Moran Hangs Out, 2013), short chapters, nonstop action, good humor, and a cast of well-developed minor characters make this a worthy addition to the easy-chapter-book shelf.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2015
Hunter and his large, quirky family star in a third enjoyable adventure in which the characters and their small town feature as prominently as the plot. When Hunter, his twin Zack, and neighbor Sarah hunt for the treasure rumored to be buried by the town's founder, their interactions with neighbors, teachers, and the town librarian beg to be read aloud.

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)