From School Library Journal
Grade 3-5AZiggy, Rico, Rashawn, and Jerome's weekend camping trip at Caesar's Creek State Park is far more exciting than they ever expected. Their counselor turns out to be an expert on the history of the park, which once belonged to the Shawnee Indian tribe. Mysterious tales about coming-of-age rituals and shadows that walk at midnight start the boys off on their own nighttime adventure, and soon they are lost in the surrounding woods. Rescued by an equally mysterious man named Hawk, who turns out to be a Shawnee chief, the boys' adventure ends safely, and they all learn valuable lessons as well. The connection between the Native American adults and African American kids is real and believable. The children occasionally come across a little too good and too nice, but Draper makes up for it by showing that it's plausible for 10-year-olds to respect other cultures and the land. The plot is predictable and slim at times, but this addition to the series should generate thoughtful questions about the past in general, as well as what information makes it into history books and what doesn't.ALinda Bindner, Athens Clarke County Library,
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Ingram
When Ziggy gets the word that the trip to Camp Caesar is on, he can't wait to tell his friends, the Black Dinosaurs. But the four pals couldn't know what excitement awaited them. In this third adventure, the boys learn a lot about American, Naive American, and African-American history.
