The year is 1968, and America is in an uproar over the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights movement. Lyza’s best friend isn’t allowed to eat with her at the local diner because of the color of his skin, her big sister has become an obnoxious Janis Joplin-loving hippie, young men from the town are getting drafted to fight, and her mother has ditched the family in search of a better life. If that weren’t enough, Lyza has to deal with the death of her beloved grandfather. The summer gets a lot more interesting when she discovers the gift that her grandfather bequeathed her: maps and clues that promise certain adventure and intrigue. With the help of her best friends Malcolm and Carolann, Lyza finds out that the notorious pirate Captain Kidd may have buried treasure right in their own New Jersey town. How can three kids possibly handle such a big secret? Will they be able to find the treasure? The entire novel is written in verse, an interesting and unique stylistic choice that will interest young readers in poetry. 272 pages.
Recommended by Molly Crumbley, Librarian.
