Jane, Dakota, Sketti, and Elle are the Ragamuffin Sisters, a group of four misfit girls each with their own kinds of creative genius. They're engaged in an ongoing war with the four boys they call the Thickheads. Things keep ramping up, from pranks on each other to attacks on each other's clubhouses, until one night the girls paint the boys' treehouse pink, hear strange noises in the ravine--and the next day, a dead body is found.
It's Mr. Whistler, a bookstore owner who has shared books with Elle, but who is otherwise a bit of a mystery to the girls. There's also a remarkably stinky, sticky substance in the ravine, along with a surprising number of dead animals.
What's going on?
It turns out the boys have their own questions about what happened, especially when it begins to appear events in the ravine are tied to the factory where Jane's father, Dakota's stepfather, and head Thickhead Jimmy's father all work.
The two gangs unhappily decide they have to work together to save the town.
It's a lot of fun, with twists, turns, and frights along the way. All the kids grow and learn, without any heavy-handed "lessons." As always, Michelle Babb does a great job of giving life to the story and individuality to the characters.
Recommended.
I received a free copy of this audiobook, and am reviewing it voluntarily.
