Disclosure: Macmillan Publishing sent me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Do you have a child who craves adventure in books? Perhaps with a bit of the scary supernatural stuff as well? Well have I got a great new middle grade novel for you. It is Legends of the Lost Causes by Brad McLelland and Louis Sylvester.
In this adventure you meet Keech. He is an orphan living at the Home for Lost Causes with his new "family". His new "family" consists of Pa Abner, Granny Nell and four other orphans. He is the oldest child in the family and sees it as his role to help take care of them. However when a stranger approaches him and his brother and asks about Pa, they get worried and then utter disaster strikes. Keech must go out to avenge his family's deaths and figure out the secrets Pa Abner kept all those years. Pa's past came and killed the family with zombies and an all-seeing and talking crow. He luckily runs into a group of orphans who joins him fighting off the raised dead and searching for the sacred stone that Bad Whiskey asked Pa about. Of course the orphans are not afraid to fight because they are already lost causes. This book is perfect for the adventure loving boys. It is set in the late 1800's in the Wild West. It is full of lots of adventure, drama and creepiness. After all when do you see someone not die after being shot in the heart. The visions created by the writing are dark and sinister yet the Bible is quoted as well. It is a power of good versus bad and the struggle over it all. Although the topic does not really fit my interests it is well written and easy to read. The book draws you in with the action and adventures. It mentions telegraphs, sheriffs and outlaws. I can see a middle grade boy loving this story. I hope you will check it out!!
