A Newbery Honor Book: Spending the summer in a dull French village is not what Johnny had in mind . . . but soon he's hot on the trail of a Nazi spy! When twelve-and-a-half-year-old Johnny Littlehorn's dad returns from the front lines and announces they're spending the summer in France, Johnny is appalled. He doesn't understand why they're going to France when they could stay home at their Wyoming ranch instead. But that's before he discovers an old German pistol hidden in a loaf of bread. When Johnny arrives, he finds the village of Saint-Chamant anything but boring. With the help of his new friends Suzanne and Charles, Johnny follows a winding trail that leads to a fugitive spy and a stolen fortune. Before long, he's learning French, helping his oncle Paul build a real airplane, and unraveling an evil Nazi plot!
"I can't think of many, if any, stories with such an engaging blend of suspense, thrills, mystery, humor-and, yes, I have to say: charm. Don't be timid about giving kids a chance to learn quickly about a great many things."
Lloyd Alexander, French linguist and author of the Newbery Medal winner The High King
"Full of vitality and suspense."
The Horn Book
"A permanent contribution to boys' books and understanding how a boy's mind works and how, on occasion, he can change it."
