The Misadventured Summer of Tumbleweed Thompson by Glenn McCarty
MG Adventure/Western. 311 Pages. 4 Stars
Synopsis:
For Eugene Appleton, the summer of 1876 in Rattlesnake Junction, Colorado promises to be just as sleepy as the ones before, his only excitement provided by the pulse-pounding Dead-Eye Dan adventure novels he devours. But Eugene’s life takes an unexpected turn with the arrival of Tumbleweed Thompson, a gangly, red-haired boy who spins yarns about whaling voyages in the Atlantic and hidden stashes of gunpowder. Drawn into Tumbleweed’s orbit, Eugene soon finds himself chasing smugglers, firing rifles, and competing for the attention of the lovely Charlotte Scoggins. The pair’s innocent mischief takes a serious turn when they stumble across a sinister plot hatched by the infamous Clean Shave Gang. Soon, Eugene and Tumbleweed are smack inside the middle of a twisty plot lifted from the pages of a Dead-Eye Dan book. They’ve learned a lot from each other’s friendship. But will it be enough to thwart the Clean Shave Gang’s plans?
The debut novel from Glenn McCarty, The Misadventured Summer of Tumbleweed Thompson is a wild and woolly tale that’s classic Americana for a new generation.
My Review:
I’d never heard of this book before, but someone recommended it to me and I must say I’m glad this one ended up on my desk. I’m torn between 4 and 5 stars, so we’ll call this one 4.5.
My first thought is this gives me Hardy Boy’s vibes, but in the wild west of the 1800s and with two young boys who get into more misadventures than sanctioned ones. (Aptly titled.) It was a fun little read that truly felt like a summer adventure. We meet new friends from new places, grow closer to old chums, and learn new things about people we thought we knew. We explore our small town, ponder grand adventures on the frontier, and even get in over our heads in a few spots. It’s a right good story with a classic feel and fun characters.
I liked how there were different sections in the book of “mini” adventures, so to speak, but that the whole summer still had an overarching adventure that developed as time went on. It gave the book an almost episodic feel with good stopping points if you wanted to make it a bedtime read.
I also really enjoyed the cast of characters. Eugene is a fun boy who wobbles between what he’s always known and the adventure his heart longs for. He’s loyal and true and it’s fun to see him come into his own a little in this story. Tumbleweed is quite the character! He brings the pzazz and wow factor from out of town, but we also get to dig a little deeper into his character as the story goes on and we discover that perhaps there’s more (or in some cases, less) beneath than he lets on.
I must also admit that I loved Wendell. He was a favorite! Speaking of adults, another reason I enjoyed this book is the portrayal of solid adult figures like Eugene’s parents and the widow. We don’t seem to get many positive portrayals of parental figures and adults in fiction at the moment–especially kid’s fiction.
The illustrations are absolutely top notch, and definitely added to the experience for me. They’re infrequent enough that they don’t take you out of the story, but they add a sense of wonder and made me smile each time I came to one.
With a good, hearty adventure, classic characters, and a time which felt both simpler and wilder, The Misadventured Summer of Tumbleweed Thompson was a win in my book. I’d definitely recommend it to others.
Content: no swearing, no graphic violence (some good, old-fashioned western adventure, suspense, and action here and there), and brief mentions of a schoolkid crush. This book is a family friendly, wholesome story for all ages.