I love older Young Adult writing particularly because, while they are short and simple enough for a quick read, the writers don't assume their readers are *stupid*, like too many modern authors do. All right - perhaps 'stupid' is too harsh. They don't assume their readers are reluctant learners: they're writing for people who are curious and engaged with the world and won't turn away from something because it's too complicated, to technical, not disney-colored and fast-paced enough.

This book has that in *spades*. I picked it up thinking it would be a fun, tom-swift-style story where a pair of boys acquire an awesome car, fix it, and then fight crime and have hijinx. Instead, it starts with a story about the occupation of Germany, and then spends the next fifty pages teaching me the principles of commodities trading and the modern farming business.

It's *amazing*.

It does eventually get to the car, too, but instead of glossing over the tinkering and getting right to the hijinx, the restoration of the car is the main thrust of the book, and I learned more about steam engines and steam cars then I imagined I could: it's a Dobel Model E steam automobile, and it's brilliant: it's the best car in all the world, it honestly is, and I fell in love with it along with the characters.

I want one now.

There is a story, too, it's not *just* an excuse to talk about the car; it's a story about family relationships, sibling and intergenerational, and about growing into and out of yourself. (But mostly about the car.)

If you know someone who's not a great reader but loves mechanical things, find them this book. ( )