Montooth and the Canfield Witch--Robert Jay

Montooth and the Canfield Witch
Robert Jay
Montooth press (Cloverleaf Publishing), Aug 1 2009, $27.95
ISBN: 9780615296456

In 1950 near the Everglades in Winter Free, Florida, tomboy Catherine “Carty” Andersson, Blake Holmes and Hale Wending form the Crew group of friends. Soon afterward, Maximilian “Mack” Stein joins the Crew. All four are fourteen years old with Carty being the only female.

Their parents warn the kids to stay away from Morose Swamp where the infamous witch Sally Canfield resides. She is as the last of her line dating back to the Salem Witch hunts. However, being young teens, cautionary tales from parents are to be ignored. So they enter the swamp to just peek at the witch. The Crew is stunned with what they see as the hag is younger than their parents and harassed by deadly treasure seekers who believe the crone conceals a fortune. Led by brilliant strategist former marine Cruz "Cuban” Cruz, they deploy as a unit on a destroy and search mission. The counter force is the Crew and Montooth the duck protecting alligator.

Montooth and the Canfield Witch is an entertaining historical fable starring a fully developed cast (including the swamp) who brings alive the early days of the Cold War near the Everglades. Carty keeps the tale focused whether she is with her BFFs Crew, beating the snot out of odious schoolmate Haywood Dolder or protecting the crone in the swamp. Young adult readers will relish the battle between good and evil as, oh my, the witch, the thug, and the alligator make for a terrific 1950 teen adventure.

Harriet Klausner