Amazon Now on Amazon.com Amazon Kindle Category:  Fantasy Publisher: Createspace ISBN-10:  1453737022 Type: Fiction Pages: 214 Copyright: July 29, 2010 ISBN-13: 9781453737026 Tina Brooks lived in a quiet rural area that was incredibly normal until the Parker family moved in. Within no time at all, very strange things began to happen that affected both the Brooks and the Parker families. David, Cody and Sherry Parker get sucked into a mystery that is boggling and frightening, but know that without their help, Tina will never figure it out. Tina Brooks is a normal girl that was raised in a quiet area by the woods of Middleton Heights. She's a big fan of Harry Potter books and always thought of how exciting it would be to experience some adventure in her life. Her dream comes true when a new family, the Parkers, move in down the street. After their arrival, everything goes wrong. Tina must now join up with her new friends Sherry, David and Cody Parker to find out what the big mystery is in the woods of Middleton Heights before it goes too far. Excerpt It was a cool September morning. Not like last year when the mornings were still warm and muggy, but Tina didn’t mind. She opened her bedroom window and breathed in the fresh air as she looked into the sunlit sky and watched as a flock of birds flew by. She could hear the muffled sound of her mother making breakfast through her bedroom door. “Tina, breakfast is ready!” Tina’s stomach grumbled. “Okay Mom, be right there!” Breakfast was always Tina’s favorite meal of the day. She loved the way her mom made scrambled eggs with tiny bits of sausage in them. She flew down the stairs and jumped into her seat at the table. “Oh my, someone is hungry this morning,” her mom said with a grin. Tina breathed in the wonderful aroma of breakfast as her mom served her a healthy portion of eggs. “Mom, have you met the family that moved in down the street yet?” “Actually yes, I saw them taking a walk together yesterday and went out to meet them. They seem like very nice people.” “Are there any kids my age?” Tina asked hoping the kids weren’t all toddlers. “Well, let’s see—if my memory serves me right there are three children. The oldest is David, he’s twelve. Then there is Sherry, she’s ten. Then there is a younger one—oh yes, Cody, he’s seven.” Tina nervously tapped her fork on her plate when she heard about the new neighbors. “Can I go meet them when I finish my breakfast? It sure would be nice to have some new friends to hang out with and it is Saturday.” Her mom glanced up at the ceiling, going over her chore list in her mind. “Sure, I guess it would be okay. Just make sure you get your bed made up before you disappear for the day.” Her mom shot her one of her typical ‘how could I say no to you’ faces as she scrubbed the scrambled eggs out of the frying pan. Tina quickly gobbled her breakfast and slid the plate across the table to the other side so her mom could easily pick it up for washing. “Thanks Mom. Oh, and the eggs were great as usual.”

Great storyline
The Secret of the Willow Patch and sequel The Discovery are great reading and keep you in suspense throughout. This is great reading for fans of Harry Potter. The children and their families get involved in mystery, magic and the message is a positive one for young readers. Thumbs up!

A Cliff Hanger For The Young Adult
When new neighbors moved into the house up the street, in a neighborhood comprised entirely of elderly individuals, twelve-year old Tina Brooks was elated. Being home schooled, she seldom had contact with other children, much less those her own age. The Parker children turned out to be just the friends Tina was hoping for. When she took her new friends to her secret reading spot beneath an ancient willow tree in the nearby woods, unexplained strange things began to happen.

The authors of this fantasy have developed a story that engages a youngster's imagination with unexpected twists and turns in a way that keeps the young adult reader connected through believable, youthful, dialogue. The story is written in a way that does not `talk down' to the young reader, but speaks to them more in their own age appropriate language. This cliff hanger leaves the young reader encouraged to pick up the next book in what is obviously a spell binding series. I would recommend this story for eleven to twelve-year olds interested in reading works of fantasy.