Amanda in Spain by Darlene Foster

Darlene Foster is a well-known Canadian writer of young adult fiction. Her young heroine, Amanda, loves to travel. (I think she inherited this from her creator!) Darlene, originally from Canada, lives in Spain and, as I gather from her blog posts, travels all over Europe. She also visits many schools and entertains the children with her marvelous stories.

Now, of course, she seems to hunker down like the rest of us but we all can still travel with Amanda in our imagination!

Her is my review of Amanda’s adventures in Spain:

A curious young girl, a pony, and a mysterious painting

Amanda Ross from Canada is invited by her British friend Leah and Leah’s parents on a trip through Spain. Amanda loves to travel. She is an enthusiastic, spunky, and curious young girl, always eager to learn and explore. And it is precisely her curiosity and her desire to figure things out that often get her into trouble. A painting in a museum of a beautiful, mysterious young girl, a modern real-life version of the girl, a stolen pony, and a few mean-looking men and the relaxing days at the beach Leah was looking forward to, turn into a turbulent and potentially dangerous detective story for the two friends.

Amanda in Spain is a book for the young and the young-at-heart. Vivid descriptions of the country and its customs, humorous details, and enough tension that keeps you turning the page, make this a very enjoyable reading. I look forward to Amanda’s next adventure!