The T-206 Honus Wagner Caper (Trillium Mystery & Adventure) Paperback – 1 Sep 1991

Janet Amann was the librarian at my elementary school. In 3rd grade she read us her book. I loved it so much I begged my mom to take me to the book store. They had to special order it for me. The next day full of excitement I went to the library and asked if she would autograph my copy when I got it. She of course agreed. Much to my surprise, when we went to pick up the book we learned that she arranged for the book store to call her first. It was already autographed with a special message and certified autographed by the bookstore. 22 years later it remains one of the most prized of my collection and inspired a life long love of books.

Janet Amann not only did a wonderful job with the plot structure and character development in this book, she also embedded many character and social conflicts that presented countless opportunities for discussion with young readers. I read this book aloud to a class of middle school students with cognitive disabilities (reading levels varying from preK to 3rd grade), and all of my students were absolutely hooked throughout. By the end, they were begging for me to read a sequel to the book so we could continue to follow Nick, Steve, and Ode on their misadventures. I then emailed Janet (an educational studies professor at the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire) inquiring about the book, and she came to our school and gave a 45 minute presentation to our students about creative writing. She also signed copies of the book for our kids. An absolutely amazing story written by an equally amazing woman.

This fast paced and very readable book is sure to catch the interest of baseball fans and sports card collectors, as well as would-be detectives. It's a good length for even the reluctant reader. Set in a small city on the Mississippi River, the story has been well researched. The author obviously has a good knowledge of sports card collecting, as well as a keen understanding of kids! The characters in the story are well developed and diverse. As a read aloud, the book sparked the interest of the whole class . I've been using this book in my fifth grade classroom for several years now, and it's alwqys a favorite. The students invariably ask for other books by Ms. Amann.

Even if you know little or nothing about baseball or baseball card collecting, you will enjoy this book. I read this book with my twelve year old son and we were both caught up in the story and the mystery. The characters and setting come alive for young people; my son couldn't wait to find out what would happen. There is enough suspense to keep an adult interested so it is a great story to share at bedtime or while riding in the car. I highly recommend this book for boys and girls in late elementary school.

I initially read this book because I knew the author, and the story takes place in my hometown. After reading the first couple of chapters, I was eager to find out what was going to happen. It was exciting! I also enjoyed learning more about baseball cards and the value of collecting them. This is an excellent book for children (and their parents) who want a good mystery about something that they are interested in (baseball and baseball cards). A great birthday or Christmas gift!