The Adventures of Holly Hobbie Author:Richard Dubelman Now, for the first time, the beloved American classic Holly Hobbie comes to life in a magnificently illustrated novel of high adventure. — Not a trace is found of celebrated archaeologist Melville Dutton, who mysteriously vanished in the trackless jungles of Central America. His quest -- the greatest of Maya ruins -- the lost Jaguar City. Hope fo... more »r the survival of the charismatic explorer is eventually abandoned. Only his daughter, Liz, tormented by a recurring nightmare, steadfastly believes that her father is alive.
On a snowy Thanksgiving in her grandparents' New England farmhouse, Liz is entranced by a portrait of her ancestor -- a breathtakingly beautiful teenage girl. The haunting picture, painted in 1803, seems to glow with an indefinable magic. Flames dance wildly in the old stone fireplace...heatwaves shimmer...definition is obscured...then -- Holly Hobbie. Is this intelligent, graceful young girl in colonial dress another of Liz's dreams? Or the portrait come to life?
The author takes us along with Holly and Liz on a fascinating odyssey triggered by scattered clues -- the snarling jaguar pendant, Dutton's last jungle diaries, cryptic Maya inscriptions -- all crucial in linking their destiny with that of Mel Dutton.
Richard Dubelman weaves a richly textured novel of compelling action and authenticity of detail with touches of humor and characters that are utterly real and believable.
We follow the girls' determined journey -- to the spine of this suspenseful narrative -- to paradoxical New York, mesoamerican archaeological institutions, the black jazz scene of New Orleans, and colorful Mexico. A jungle river trip leads to chilling terror within the walls of an ancient sealed tomb, culminating at Temple IV in Tikal, Guatemala. This dramatic spellbinder climaxes with the startling discovery of an ancient Maya secret.« less