When Dewey's mom and dad go on their annual anniversary/work roadtrip up north, they're prepared with gas rationing tickets because of the summer's gas shortage. While they're gone, Lil and Dewey, the two oldest kids, are in charge of the younger three. It's not a big deal since they've done it before.
Trouble starts, however, when the gas crunch becomes severe. Flags go up on pumps nationwide because there is no gas available. Suddenly, Dewey's mom and dad are stranded indefinitely. The situation so bad that the nearby highway has become a huge bike and walking path, with only one lane available in case a truck roars through. The kids are on their own.
The Marriss family's Bike Barn repair shop has had steady business all summer since more people are biking to save gas, but now business booms. Normally this would be great, but Dewey and Vince are the only ones at home to make the repairs. Even with their father's eight bike-fixing rules to guide them, they're struggling to keep up with the many repairs that come in.
Things go from bad to worse when Dewey notices that parts are disappearing from the bike shop. He keeps this from his older sister Lil so she won't worry. Dewey is sure he can handle it, mostly because he's suspicious the problem might be their pilfering next-door neighbor Mr. Spive.
If you're looking for a great story and mystery with unique characters for your middle grade readers to enjoy, Leslie Connor's book Crunch, released this year through an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, is available at our local Poplar Creek, Batavia,Schaumburg, Bartlett, and Gail Borden libraries. Click on Leslie's name to drop by her website and find out if she'll be making an appearance near you.
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