Under Copp's Hill

This adventure takes place in 1908 in Boston and concerns a young girl of Italian ancestry, her sisters, and a place called a Settlement House which is based on places that actually existed (as covered in the historical section), that were built to help immigrants adjust to the U.S. culture. The one Innie goes to is one for girls only, but generally they were for people of either gender.

There are several threads running through this story. For one, there's the thread dealing with Innie and her family adjusting to American ways and her eldest sister studying to take the test to become an American citizen.

Then there's the thread about the settlement house itself, and the types of work it does and how it helps the girls.

A third thread deals with the major problem in the book. Innie is suspected of being a thief at the house, stealing food, clothing, etc. She eventually gets banned from attending the place which is really bad, especially since it will lend out books and she loves to read.

So it's up to Innie not only to prove that she is not the one that is stealing things, but to actually catch the crook, and this involves a secret tunnel and Innie and two other girls working together to sneak up on the thief late at night.

It's a really good story and another very good entry in this, apparently discontinued, series of books.

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