Jimmy and the Secret Letter

by Haskin, Jim

• ISBN13: 9781456712402
• ISBN10: 1456712403
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-08-15
• Publisher: Textstream

Excerpts

Jimmy and the Secret Letter is the story of how children learn to balance right and wrong against temptation they encounter. The book also illustrates the role of mentors in shaping the lives of children. It's March 1944 and the fifth grade teacher puts Jimmy on probation for not paying attention in class. That same afternoon Jimmy signs a contract with Mr. West to deliver the Pontiac Daily Press and beginning April 1st, he has a paper route. His first customer is Mrs. Jones, and she wants Jimmy and his best friend Ralph to clean her garage. After they finish, Jimmy opens an old trunk that belonged to Mrs. Jones' former son-in-law. She tells the boys to take what they want from the trunk; she wants no part of it. They find a locked metal box in the bottom of the trunk, and Jimmy takes it home to open after dinner. To his surprise, he finds an envelope with fifty-five one dollar bills and a second envelope with a letter. The letter states that the writer is taking $600 and the rest of the stolen money is buried on the island next to a Y-shaped willow tree. The envelope has an incomplete address and the letter was never mailed. Jimmy tells no one of the letter and he is determined to find the island and the Y-shaped willow tree. Its summer break and Jimmy and Ralph have several bets with Ralph's older brother Joe on the number of fish they'll catch on the opening day of fishing season. They lose their bets, and Ralph, eager to win back his money doubles his bet with Joe. Armed with a special device Mr. Marohn, the shopkeeper, gives them, and an adequate supply of bait the boys are ready to fish. A severe storm interrupts their efforts and Jimmy suffers a concussion while beaching the boat. In July Jimmy is still searching for the island and the Y-shaped willow tree and devises a plan to fish on Orchard Lake and explore Apple Island. While exploring the island, Ralph uncovers several arrow heads, and a human skeleton, but Jimmy doesn't find a Y-shaped willow tree. On a Saturday in October, Jimmy returns from his paper route and learns from his father that his older brother is building a duck blind on 'the island.' He responds, "Everyone calls it 'the island,' but it's not an island." His father explains that long ago before the water receded it was an island. Jimmy's search was in vain, 'the island' was two blocks from his home. The next day he finds the treasure and follows his plan to bury the money and spend it after he graduates from high school. A month passes and he is troubled by his decision to keep the money and not tell his parents. Mr. West greets him when he picks up his papers and Jimmy asks a hypothetical question about finding twenty dollars and keeping it. "Did you keep it? You're not the first boy to ask that question." "I kept it!" "Do you feel good about keeping something that's not yours?" "No! I found the money last month, and I was going to bury it and spend it after I graduated from High School. I still haven't buried it." "We all have a conscience, Jimmy, and your conscience is speaking to you. You're an honest boy and it's against your nature to take what's not yours. Give the money to the Sheriff's Office and you'll be able to sleep better." "What you do as a boy stays with you the rest of your life."