The Clamdollar Caper

by Daniel Phalen

Overview

A summer visit to Washington, DC, turns into adventure and mayhem when essay contest winner Rose Doolittle witnesses the kidnapping of Percy Quince Clamdollar, teenage son of the U. S. President. What the White House won't tell the press is that the ransom is presidential pardon for Neville Dredd, serving a life sentence for killing a bank guard.

Dismissed by the adults in charge of the case, 12-year-old Rose makes friends with fellow essay contest winners Antonia Louisa "Toni" Dench, and Carter "Keybo" Stokes, a street-wise local with uncanny computer know-how. Rose and her friends find "Peek" captive on a James River plantation, but get caught themselves.

Recklace Vandle, the leader, releases Rose but charges her with telling the President he has two days to pardon Dredd or his son will die. Rose will be the messenger for both sides.

What will Vandle gain by Dredd's pardon? Are others involved in the plot, and if so, who are they?

With Percy's life hanging in the balance, Rose must answer those questions and more before she can deliver Vandle's message to the authorities. Fearful but trusting her Bear medicine, Rose steels herself for the task, unaware that the biggest surprise, and the most deadly, awaits her return to the capital city.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940012975409
Publisher:	Creston Hall Books
Publication date:	05/30/2011
Series:	Rose Doolittle Mystery Series , #2
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Daniel Phalen left a career as vice president of a computer consulting firm to devote his energy to writing fiction in quiet seclusion. His ranch on the edge of a thousand-acre agricultural preserve inspired his first book for children, THE CHUMASH CIRCLE.

Bringing to life the down-home flavor of his own roots, Phalen points out "most kids live with concrete and glass." From his new home in Oregon, he hatches out new plots with a common theme: "Rose Doolittle's experience is an extension of the daily routine in country life," he explains.

Phalen says response to his book has caused him to take an active interest in parent-child relationships. "I've discovered that kids nine-to-twelve have a lot more going for them than we realize," he says. "We should try to listen better."

The author agrees that what we usually hear from kids that age is a lot of noise. "After all, that's what they're about, with so much energy. But if you pay closer attention," he adds, "you'll discover a deeper level of interest. They're aware of the adult world around them. Often their questions are very perceptive and incisive."

Phalen believes that the key is remembering to listen. "Because really, you can learn a lot about yourself from the kids you live with."