Carlton Dunne IV is a character in his own right which the reader will easily identify with.  From the elite boarding schools of Connecticut to the chase scene in Scotland this endearing book will certainly keep the reader from dozing.  There’s a generation’s old family feud, romance, kidnapping and travel only to mention of few antics that go on in this book.

The story begins in an exclusive boarding school in Connecticut where a kind of reserved boy doodling in class has no idea what is going to transpire.  He was put there by his estranged father who was obsessed with their Scottish family feud of which Carlton thought was made-up.  Carlton is an artistic teen who lives in a fantasy world of comics.

His comics appear in local newspapers under his father’s name, who the editor believes it is. 

Carlton’s father is obsessed with his family’s Scottish feud that has been going on for generations.  However, Carlton soon learns that his father wasn’t as crazy as he thought when he receives a late night phone call from Scotland telling him his father had been kidnapped.  He is told that the only way to free him is to bring the “proof” of this age-old feud between two Scottish clans.  Unfortunately, Carleton has no idea what the “proof” is. 

Carleton sneaks out of school to go home to Manhattan which set off a panic about his disappearance.  His apartment is ransacked by someone who was looking for the “proof”.  His father kept, locked in his desk draw, a last will and testament which referred to the feud but doesn’t explain it. What follows is a wacky tale of Carleton’s travels to Scotland to try and rescue his father.  He almost gets run over by a van and a girl.  This girl who is not what she seems to be rescues him.

The girl Carlton runs into is Aileen/Annabelle, who looks shy and innocent but soon finds out that she is slightly crazy and has cop fantasies and tough talking ways.  They do a lot of drinking on the quest to rescue his father but all in all, the entire entire book was intriguing.

There are a lot of graphics and footnotes which add to the humor.  I would recommend this book as it is a fast pace book with short chapters.  The excitement, the ups and downs make for a superhero/antihero comic book type story. 

© 2007 Patricia Ball

Patricia Ball, B.A., applies the following descriptions to herself:

• Research Chemist for 23 years
• BA degree in Biology, Elms College
• Recent graduate of Institute of Children's Literature
• Wife and Mother of two
• Published Poet/Writer
• Enjoy composing music, art, writing, reading
• Interested in Metaphysics, Psychology and Science
• Enjoy traveling:  USA, Canada and Europe

Categories: Children