The Adventures of Vin Fiz
Grade 3-5–Cusslers first childrens book is a tribute to an airplane that crossed the United States in 1911. It is the tale of Casey and Lacey Nicefolk, who receive a gift from a hired hand that allows them to make their toys real and life-sized. First the twins make a tractor for their parents farm, and then they use the magic to create an airplane designed by the Wright brothers that they callVin Fiz. They decide to fly across the country to New York. On the way, they rescue townspeople who have been turned into gold-mining slaves by an evil man, keep a steamboat from crashing into a barge, stop a runaway train, and rescue two girls from going over Niagara Falls in a boat. Unfortunately, the book suffers from a lack of characterization as well as problems with gender stereotypes. Lacey, the female twin, is never the hero in the adventures. The writing is stilted and the story fails to come to life even though the situations have the potential to be exciting.–Tasha Saecker, Caestecker Public Library, Green Lake, WICopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.