Johnnie was born with cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. He does not find his disability to be a handicap, just a challenge to overcome in order to be accepted by the kids in his new town. To join the Gun Lake Gang, he needs to complete an initiation. He must go to the old barn by the lake and bring back something to prove he was there. He stumbles onto a CD-pirating ring while in the barn and the gang decides to find out who is running it. In this first book, Johnnie and his friends solve the mysterious explosion of a race car. Many clues point to the mechanic, and the Gun Lake Gang takes the case on to clear his name. The kids in the gang are realistic. Some of them accept Johnnie, some question his disability, and one boy is uncomfortable with the situation but tries, with reluctance, to accept what Johnnie has to offer. The characters are well defined and the mysteries are puzzling enough to keep readers involved. Ages 8 and up.
♦ Link to Book 2 – Mystery Explosion
© 1998
Audience: Adolescents/Teens, Children