The Secret of the Floating Phantom

Gr 3-6-In this sequel to The Shimmering Ghost of Riversend (Lerner, 1991), Kathy Wicklow's extrasensory gift helps her solve a mystery involving pirates and buried treasure. It is the summer before sixth grade, and the girl is visiting her grandmother in Monterey, California. There she befriends Lisa, whose grandmother's restaurant is located on property that is in danger of being taken over by the county unless its long-lost Spanish deed can be found. Against the backdrop of preparations for a community celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, Lehr weaves information about the early history of California and the Costanoans, or Coast Indians, as well as about pirates, fossils, and herbal remedies. While the background material is presented well, the weak characterizations and plot development make this a disappointingly mediocre offering in a popular genre.-Connie Tyrrell Burns, Mahoney Middle School, South Portland, ME