A suspense tale that pits moose against men, when poachers' greed threatens wildlife in the north woods of Minnesota. Seth doesn't intend to be a defender of wild animals. As the story opens, he is girding himself to kill his first rabbit on the sly, without his game warden stepfather's permission. After shooting the rabbit, he cuts off one of its paws as a good luck charm. But the experience comes back to haunt Seth when he unintentionally witnesses some poachers viciously shoot a mother moose with a calf in tow. Although the easy thing to do would be to turn to his father for help, Seth decides to try and save the calf on his own. Seth ultimately brings the poachers to justice, but only after a few close calls that keep the tension high until the book's finish. Casanova's first book is a quick-moving adventure that, without preachiness, shows the importance of knowledgeable gun use and respect for wildlife. The attention-grabbing action and emotional struggles of the hero will hook reluctant readers, too. (Fiction. 9-12)
