Horten’s Miraculous MechanismsBy Lissa Evans
Stuart Horten is very short for his age – his name, S.Horten or shorten, is rather unfortunate. When his family moves to another town at the beginning of the summer, Stuart is bored, has no friends, and is tormented by the triplets that live next door: April, May and June.
But Stuart’s world gets much more exciting when he begins to discover some family secrets. His great uncle, Tony, he learns, was a magician called Teeny Tiny Tony Horten. Tony’s old house is about to be torn down in the very town where Stuart now resides. Are there secrets to be uncovered in this decrepit house? Stuart is determined to find out.
When Stuart learns that Great Uncle Tony had a workshop, he knows he has to find it. Legend has it that this workshop is filled with wondrous mechanisms and marvels. But Stuart is not the only one after Tony Horten’s secrets. Jeannie, an evil business woman, is determined to find the workshop before Stuart does.
Following a series of clues left by his uncle, Stuart embarks on an amazing adventure that leads him to all kinds of strange and wonderful sites in town. But can he find the workshop before Jeannie does?