Riley Mae Hart, spokes girl for Swiftriver Shoes, is on the run with the company’s owners from murderous conspirators. They hole up in the Montana wilderness and after the coast seems clear, a detective, who happens to be Riley’s mom, meets the twelve year-old at the secluded resort. Riley goes white water rafting on a company sponsored secret photo shoot featuring Riley’s Ready Eddy Rapids footgear. But are the mysterious villains still on their trail?
Although the action is slow, the author maintains tension and interest through several series of mini adventures, sparkly dialogue and the ongoing vague threat of a conspiracy. Boys might tune out, but girls should enjoy the interesting characters and friendship development, especially during the middle of the story. Spirituality is high, Scripture quoted freely and the protagonist is determined to share the gospel with her troubled friend, Rusty—all low-key, realistic and cool. Outstanding writing by Jill Osborne makes Riley Mae and the Ready Eddy Shoes a great read for young girls.
Age Range: 8 to 11
Genre: Action Adventure/Mystery
Series: The Good News Shoes Book Two
Zonderkidz 2013: Other Zondervan girls’ titles can be found at Faithgirlz
Available: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Also ask for this title at your local library
