Good Morning, Everyone! Today, we are welcoming Darlene Foster back with a review of another of her wonderful Amanda books. Amanda in Holland is available on pre-order now for September delivery, and I’ll bet after you read this review, you’ll be eager to go do just that. Enjoy this one, and pass it along if you would, thanks!

REVIEW:

Amanda in Holland: Missing in Action
by Darlene Foster (Goodreads Author)

Jacqui‘s review 
May 27, 2019

It was amazing.

Darlene Foster’s Amanda in Holland: Missing in Action (2019) follows the heroine, Amanda Ross, as she makes a trip to Holland to visit friends and try to unravel what happened to an Uncle who never returned from WWII–declared missing in action. If you follow the Amanda series, you know that Amanda cannot travel without getting into trouble, causing mischief, or solving mysteries despite her young age. In this story, Amanda rescues a thrown-away puppy named Joey, tracks down a missing gardener, and helps to solve the theft of rare tulip bulbs. She does all this while exploring the culture and excitement that is found nowhere but Holland. Besides the Anne Frank house and the famous Holland canals, Amanda enjoys:

“…banket, a puff pastry filled with an almond paste.”
“…Hotchpotch Stamppot, a traditional Dutch dish of mashed potatoes mixed with carrots and onions,”
“…Bloemenmarkt. It is the world’s only floating flower market.”

The story is told in a conversational voice that will draw all readers in and deftly mixes the cultural details with how Amanda engages in and solves the mystery.

This book is available for pre-sale now for delivery in September 2019. This would be a great gift for a child to celebrate the end of summer or a favorite teacher to add to their classroom library (or the school librarian, of course). It’s an uncommon book in that it takes children through the clever bits and pieces of Holland not found in any other nation without feeling like a travelogue.

The series includes:
Amanda in Arabia
Amanda on the Danube
Amanda in Spain
Amanda in New Mexico

…and more. This book and the entire series is highly recommended for elementary age and Middle School children and parents. Continue reading →