Sugar Creek Gang, Book #1
I’d always known about The Sugar Creek Gang. I think my friends growing up read them and The Boxcar Children, but I personally had never read a one! But when I came across nearly the full series being tossed by a church library and noticed that they were published by Moody, I just had to get them. After reading this first tale to my children at bedtime, I suddenly realized that I didn’t know what I was missing. This book was amazing, and I think every Christian parent interested in reading to their kids should put this entire series into the queue.
This first book (and I assume all the rest) is narrated by young Bill Collins, an only child (soon to be older brother) who lives on a farm and wiles away his post-chore summer hours with his best buds down at the creek, fishing and swimming and trying to avoid misbehaving. The Sugar Creek Gang, as they call themselves, is led by Big Jim and is made of boys like Bill, Dragonfly, Circus, Poetry, and Little Jim. Each boy has his own quirks, making them unique and likable characters, and my kids and I alike can’t wait to find out what further adventures are in store for them!
In Swamp Robber, we’re introduced to the Gang as they try to unravel the mystery of Old Man Paddler’s sudden reappearance after ten years, a bank robber who lives in the swamp, a treasure map, and a disguise hidden in a tree. Add to this a drunk father, a couple of births, and a black-widow-spider bite, and it’s safe to say that this book has it all. And when coming from the perspective of a ten-year-old boy who tells things as they are, even the Gospel teachings, prayers, and Bible verses don’t come across as preachy. They simply are what they are, and I know for a fact that they got the wheels of my kids’ heads turning.
I especially appreciated the parts where Bill was afraid to pray in front of his friend, Circus, and where Bill finally made a decision to trust Jesus for himself, not banking on what other people told him to believe. These portions were especially thought-provoking and they really informed our nighttime prayers afterwards. My kids (6 and 8) were so attentive throughout, they were really bummed one night when I was sick and I couldn’t read to them. I absolutely love that about this book.
I found myself reading to my kids with a Kentucky accent, for some reason, but it goes to show how well this series works as stories to be read aloud. Not too many books can flow the way this one does (even some Newberry winners feel clunky in comparison), so I look forward to reading the whole litany this year, much as we finished the Tintin books last year. These book are wholesome adventures, and judging by how I felt about Book #1, I feel safe recommending the entire series!
Next in the series: .
©2019 E.T.
Read More from The Sugar Creek Gang:
- #1 The Swamp Robber (1940)
- #2 The Killer Bear (1940)
- #3 The Winter Rescue (1940)
- #4 The Lost Campers (1941)
- #8 The Palm Tree Manhunt (1944)
- #10 The Mystery Thief (1946)
- #12 Screams in the Night (1947)