Sammy and the Headless Horseman

Gr 4–6—Sammy, a Polish immigrant to New York, is sent to stay with his aunt and awful cousin Joshua at a hotel in the Catskills, just after World War I. His newly remarried dad thinks he's sending his son on vacation, but Aunt Pearl has other plans for the boy—she has signed him up to work at the hotel to earn his keep. This is fine with Sammy, as he soon befriends 15-year-old Adam, who also does odd jobs around the property. Adam tells Sammy about the Hermit, an escaped slave from Georgia who lives on the hill overlooking the hotel. During their first encounter with the Hermit, they learn that several instances of vandalism have occurred on his property and that he's seen a black horse with a headless, cloaked rider during each event. The kids form their own sleuth squad and set out to find out who is really haunting their friend. As a mystery, this book lacks tension and is not that successful, but as a historical piece, it's unique in its portrayal of a time period about which little middle grade fiction is written. It's also an interesting look at the culture of Judaism and the practice of cooking and keeping kosher. The jacket art and text don't accurately represent the story, so kids who pick it up hoping for the spooky tale the cover promises might be disappointed.