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The Mad Dash for Cash — “The Secret Slide Money Club” Series

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Awards

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Book Review

The Mad Dash for Cash by Art Rainer has been reviewed by Focus on the Family’s marriage and parenting magazine. It is the second book in “The Secret Slide Money Club” series.

Plot Summary

Jake, Sophia and Brody are friends with a secret. When they go down the playground slide, their clothing transforms into secret agent suits and the slide takes them to an underground headquarters. There, Agent G.B. gives them challenges so they can earn the right to become full secret agents.

Their villain is Albatross. He turns kids into Albies. Albies are brainwashed and do whatever Albatross tells them to do with their money. Just as Jake, Sophia and Brody have watches that tell them when to meet Agent G.B., Albies have red bracelets that light up when they need to follow Albatross’ bad money advice.

Jake, Sophia and Brody talk to Kate. She likes to spend her money, but doing this is not making her happy. Agent G.B. tells them that Kate is their next challenge. Dressed in suits and sunglasses, the kids find Kate, who doesn’t recognize them. They tell her about the Master’s Money Plan. She should give and then save for a pretty and plush pony barn, not keep spending. She agrees.

Kate earns money by doing chores. The kids help her with her chores so she can give and save. By giving and saving, she can break free from Albatross’ power over her. Kate earns $10 and is about to give and save. But then an Albie drops out of a tree where he has been hiding. The Albie stops her from giving and saving. Jake, Sophia and Brody fight the Albie so Kate can put her money in give and save capsules.

Once Kate does this, they all hope her bracelet will fall off, but it doesn’t. Albatross’ power over her is stronger than they realized. Kate has to develop a habit of giving and saving before Albatross tells her to spend her money.

As the kids help Kate clean a neighbor’s porch, Albies throw mud at the porch to keep it dirty. Jake uses one of the brooms like a bat. He swats away the mud balls. The kids eventually finish the job, and Kate is paid for her work. Kate divides her money between the give and save capsules. The capsules are put in her backpack.

Still, Kate’s bracelet doesn’t fall off. So the kids help her pull weeds in the backyard of another neighbor’s house. When they are done, they try to go to the front yard to ask the neighbor for Kate’s pay. But Albies have locked the gate to the back yard. Then two Albies come from behind them and try to take Kate’s backpack.

The kids find a way to climb over the fence, but fall into a mud hole that the Albies made. Brody is able to pull everyone out. Brody, the capsules, Sophia and Kate hurry to talk to the neighbor. Jake takes the backpack so the Albies will chase him and buy Kate time. When Kate is paid, she puts her money in the give and save capsules. Her bracelet falls off. She is no longer an Albie. Jake, Sophia and Brody leave, knowing they have completed their challenge.

Christian Beliefs

A Bible passage on the screen in their underground headquarters is Proverbs 6:6-8. It talks about learning a lesson from hardworking ants.

Other Belief Systems

None

Authority Roles

None

Profanity & Violence

The Albies continually attack Kate and the kids to keep them from giving and saving, but the attacks are not graphic.

Sexual Content

None

Discussion Topics

Get free discussion questions for this book and others, at FocusOnTheFamily.com/discuss-books.

Additional Comments

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Book reviews cover the content, themes and worldviews of fiction books, not their literary merit, and equip parents to decide whether a book is appropriate for their children. The inclusion of a book’s review does not constitute an endorsement by Focus on the Family.