When fourteen-year-old Dewey Marriss agreed to run his father's bike shop for a week during the summer, he never dreamed that week would stretch on into two or three. Nobody knew the fuel tanks would dry up while the Marriss parents were away on their big rig. Thankfully, the Marriss children are resourceful and responsible. They continue to keep things afloat despite the disappointment of an art class canceled (for the eldest daughter, Lil, who is eighteen), the pressures of a burgeoning bike business (everybody has resorted to this form of transportation), and the complications of a thief in town (stealing bikes and money and anything he can get his hands on, a little bit at a time).
Lil turns her frustration over the cancelled class into motivation to create a stunning work of art on the side of the barn. Dewey and thirteen-year-old Vince manage to keep the Bike Barn up and running, until it becomes completely overwhelming. Then, they manage to think up a clever plan to clear the Bike Barn of all the repairs before their dad has a chance to return. The two five-year-old twins muddle through the difficult emotions caused by their parents' absence. Together, they even manage to identify the crook (with the help of a little blue paint).
All is restored to normal by the time the parents return. The kids have proven that even though they can manage to be resourceful and responsible, it's a whole lot more fun to just be a kid.
This was an easy read and very suitable for boys and girls within the 8-12 year range. The book had a good dose of humor, well-drawn characters and a pleasantly-paced plot. This is one I'll have to remember to read to the boys in a few years' time. I'd read it to them now, but I'm a bit afraid that Trevor would expect to do his own mural with spray paint on the side of our barn. Ha!
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