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The Last Treasure
For thirteen-year-old Ellsworth, family has always been just him and his dad. That's all Ellsworth thought he wanted. But then the dreams start. Dreams of houses surrounding a beautiful green square. Suddenly a letter arrives, inviting Ellsworth to a home he doesn't remember: the Square in Smith Mills, New York. A home with a hidden treasure only a child can uncover, the last treasure of John Matthew Smith, the family's eccentric patriarch. But there are other things hidden in the Square. Can Ellsworth set these ghosts to rest and uncover the family's last treasure, or will the secrets of the past haunt him forever?
257 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
May 27, 2017
Review added 5/26!
Such an enjoyable read!!---for me. I've had a couple of students lay it aside of late, so I decided to pick it up and figure out why.
Here it is: its starts in an almost excruciatingly slow manner.
The payoff is good---old houses that beg exploring, mysterious family history, and delightfully eccentric characters. I was totally invested in the story. There are some rather sentimentally-sappy parts, but they are well-written enough to tug at heartstrings.
So, while I enjoyed it, I can understand as well why kids would put it down. I would probably recommend a well-done audio version for more restless readers.
I rarely half star, but I would say this one's closer to 3.5 than 4, but I can't bring myself to pick 3.
Such an enjoyable read!!---for me. I've had a couple of students lay it aside of late, so I decided to pick it up and figure out why.
Here it is: its starts in an almost excruciatingly slow manner.
The payoff is good---old houses that beg exploring, mysterious family history, and delightfully eccentric characters. I was totally invested in the story. There are some rather sentimentally-sappy parts, but they are well-written enough to tug at heartstrings.
So, while I enjoyed it, I can understand as well why kids would put it down. I would probably recommend a well-done audio version for more restless readers.
I rarely half star, but I would say this one's closer to 3.5 than 4, but I can't bring myself to pick 3.
August 23, 2022
4,25 stars - English Ebook
Review follows later.
Review follows later.
October 24, 2013
- The Last Treasure by Janet S. Anderson
- One of the main characters is Ellsworth Smith, but his dad calls him Zee, and another main character is Jess. The two of them are distant cousins and haven't met before.
- In the story The Last Treasure by Janet S. Anderson a 13-year-old boy named Ellsworth Smith lives in a old broken down motel with his dad. He receives a letter on his 13th birthday from his distant cousin Elizebeth asking him to come home to the square where the rest of the Smith family lives. He takes the bus to the square and meets Jess for the first time. The reason he comes to the square is to search for the last treasure. There are three treasure houses and two of the treasures have already been found. Ellsworth and Jess have to find the last one because the family is running out of money. Every time Ellsworth and Jess go into the last house the closer they get to finding the treasure. They realize that they need the whole family to work together to help find the treasure. Will the Smiths ever find the treasure?
- The conflict in the book is that the treasure can only be found by a child. This is why they need Ellsworth and Jess' help because they are still young. To resolve the conflict, Elizebth, Ellsworth's distant cousin, writes to him, asking him to come home. At first his dad doesn't want him to leave; but eventually he lets him go.
- I did not priticularly enjoy this book because it was extremely tedious. I thought it took the author an excessive amount of time to reach her point.
- One of the main characters is Ellsworth Smith, but his dad calls him Zee, and another main character is Jess. The two of them are distant cousins and haven't met before.
- In the story The Last Treasure by Janet S. Anderson a 13-year-old boy named Ellsworth Smith lives in a old broken down motel with his dad. He receives a letter on his 13th birthday from his distant cousin Elizebeth asking him to come home to the square where the rest of the Smith family lives. He takes the bus to the square and meets Jess for the first time. The reason he comes to the square is to search for the last treasure. There are three treasure houses and two of the treasures have already been found. Ellsworth and Jess have to find the last one because the family is running out of money. Every time Ellsworth and Jess go into the last house the closer they get to finding the treasure. They realize that they need the whole family to work together to help find the treasure. Will the Smiths ever find the treasure?
- The conflict in the book is that the treasure can only be found by a child. This is why they need Ellsworth and Jess' help because they are still young. To resolve the conflict, Elizebth, Ellsworth's distant cousin, writes to him, asking him to come home. At first his dad doesn't want him to leave; but eventually he lets him go.
- I did not priticularly enjoy this book because it was extremely tedious. I thought it took the author an excessive amount of time to reach her point.
June 8, 2020
cover: well-chosen, supports the story (Scholastic ed)
front matter: Smith genealogy - intimidating; labeled copy of cover - good ref
Ellsworth (Zee)'s life takes an abrupt turn on his 13th birthday when he is called back to his family home. Would this storyline entice kids to learn about their own family history? (Although very few, if any, family stories could match this one.)
Anderson has woven a fairly complex but compelling story that kept me turning pages. I'd like to hear what kids in the target age group have to say about the book.
p 105: Places are what make history live. Things. You walk a battlefield, you touch an old uniform with a bullet hole in it—that's when you know there was a real battle where real people got killed.
front matter: Smith genealogy - intimidating; labeled copy of cover - good ref
Ellsworth (Zee)'s life takes an abrupt turn on his 13th birthday when he is called back to his family home. Would this storyline entice kids to learn about their own family history? (Although very few, if any, family stories could match this one.)
Anderson has woven a fairly complex but compelling story that kept me turning pages. I'd like to hear what kids in the target age group have to say about the book.
p 105: Places are what make history live. Things. You walk a battlefield, you touch an old uniform with a bullet hole in it—that's when you know there was a real battle where real people got killed.
July 26, 2016
An interesting story with likable characters. 13-year-old Ellsworth comes from a long line of Smiths from Smith Mills New York, a family with secrets, resentments, history, and love. Ellsworth goes to the Square, the ancestral home of his family, to search for the last hidden treasure. As the story unfolds, we learn about the family and why they became the way they are. Working with his distant cousin Jess, Ellsworth sets out to find the treasure and unravel the mystery of the family's estrangement.
I found the long list of relations and relationships to be confusing at times (even though there is a family tree at the beginning of the book - I didn't refer to it much) as many of the family names are re-used. But that didn't seem to matter a whole lot - the main message of the story is of family and of forgiveness. I enjoyed this book and would happily read others by this author.
I found the long list of relations and relationships to be confusing at times (even though there is a family tree at the beginning of the book - I didn't refer to it much) as many of the family names are re-used. But that didn't seem to matter a whole lot - the main message of the story is of family and of forgiveness. I enjoyed this book and would happily read others by this author.
July 15, 2013
My nine-year-old granddaughter thought I should read The Last Treasure because she really loved it. I haven't read a child's book for some time so I tried it. It was very good, and I had a hard time putting it down. It was a mystery that contained good lessons too...the value of family, the idea that we should help each other through this life, and how courageous we can be when we have to be. Quite a good little preteen book!
March 6, 2011
Even though this is considered a book for young adults, I found it to be quite good. It is refreshing to find a book with a good story without all the crud that goes into most of them these days. It is a story about friends and about family and about what really matters in the end! Good book!
May 3, 2011
The pace is a bit slow for today’s teen and yet I enjoyed the great characters. This could be a book for the whole family. ,
May 4, 2012
The Last Treasure is a very well written book and i know if is something i would have loved when i was younger also.
February 18, 2020
Star Rating: 5 stars
In an effort to make my Goodreads as accurate a reflection of my reading as possible, I have been re-reading a lot of childhood books and usually gaining a respect for them as an adult that I didn’t necessarily have as a child (Maturity leads to different perspectives and appreciation.) When I was a child, I read The Last Treasure by Janet S. Anderson for the treasure-hunting/mystery aspect, but as an adult, I found that I appreciated the themes of family, home, and importance of children. This book tells the story of Ellsworth Smith who has spent his entire childhood moving from place to place with his widower father, Ben Robert. However, when he is 13, he starts having dreams of 10 houses surrounding a beautiful green square, and when he receives a letter from the extended family that he never knew he had, he realizes he is being called back to the Square in Smith Mills, New York to find the “last” family treasure and possibly to find where he truly belongs.
As previously stated, my favorite part about this book is the themes- themes of family, home and the importance of children. Over the course of this book, we see many different types of family from the small family unit of Ellsworth and Ben Robert to the big extended family of the Square in Smith Mills. Learning about the different types and styles of families can be very enlightening for a child and may help them see others or even themselves in a different light. Also, they get to see that no matter what the family looks like on the outside, what is important is the love and affection that exists on the inside.
In the same way that they get to see multiple different kinds of families, they also get to see various different versions of home, whether it be a hotel room or an antebellum house filled with family history, and they learn that, again, it isn’t about where you live but who you live with and the love and understanding you have with that person.
Finally, there is a great emphasis on the importance of children in this book and I think it is good that children get to themselves in a hero’s light. I know that there are a lot of adventure stories in which the child gets to be the hero, but this one is different because the child isn’t saving the world but their own family. This theme is also pertinent to adults as they learn over the course of this book that even though monetary treasures can help your family out of a sticky situation, the real treasure is the children because they are the only thing that can keep your family going decades and even centuries into the future.
All in all, this is a great book, even better than when I read it as a child, and I think it holds up almost 17 years after it was written. 5 stars and totally worth a read!!!!!!!
In an effort to make my Goodreads as accurate a reflection of my reading as possible, I have been re-reading a lot of childhood books and usually gaining a respect for them as an adult that I didn’t necessarily have as a child (Maturity leads to different perspectives and appreciation.) When I was a child, I read The Last Treasure by Janet S. Anderson for the treasure-hunting/mystery aspect, but as an adult, I found that I appreciated the themes of family, home, and importance of children. This book tells the story of Ellsworth Smith who has spent his entire childhood moving from place to place with his widower father, Ben Robert. However, when he is 13, he starts having dreams of 10 houses surrounding a beautiful green square, and when he receives a letter from the extended family that he never knew he had, he realizes he is being called back to the Square in Smith Mills, New York to find the “last” family treasure and possibly to find where he truly belongs.
As previously stated, my favorite part about this book is the themes- themes of family, home and the importance of children. Over the course of this book, we see many different types of family from the small family unit of Ellsworth and Ben Robert to the big extended family of the Square in Smith Mills. Learning about the different types and styles of families can be very enlightening for a child and may help them see others or even themselves in a different light. Also, they get to see that no matter what the family looks like on the outside, what is important is the love and affection that exists on the inside.
In the same way that they get to see multiple different kinds of families, they also get to see various different versions of home, whether it be a hotel room or an antebellum house filled with family history, and they learn that, again, it isn’t about where you live but who you live with and the love and understanding you have with that person.
Finally, there is a great emphasis on the importance of children in this book and I think it is good that children get to themselves in a hero’s light. I know that there are a lot of adventure stories in which the child gets to be the hero, but this one is different because the child isn’t saving the world but their own family. This theme is also pertinent to adults as they learn over the course of this book that even though monetary treasures can help your family out of a sticky situation, the real treasure is the children because they are the only thing that can keep your family going decades and even centuries into the future.
All in all, this is a great book, even better than when I read it as a child, and I think it holds up almost 17 years after it was written. 5 stars and totally worth a read!!!!!!!
July 29, 2017
What is the Smith Family treasure, anyway?
Ellsworth has always lived with his Dad, with no contact from extended family at all, until one summer he gets a letter. He is invited to come to the Square in Smith Mills, New York, to visit his relatives. The thing is, he's been having these dreams about the Square. How can that be? He's never been there before, that he knows of. His Dad certainly doesn't want him going back. Grandpa lives there, and it would be a severe understatement to say that the two of them have never gotten along. But Ellsworth feels compelled to go.
Once he gets there, he finds a friend--a girl named Jess his own age, who is also visiting for the summer. The 10 houses around the Square were built way back in the day by a great-Grandpa, who built one for each of his kids. Three of the houses are treasure houses. At least that's the story.
In fact, real actual treasure was found in 2 of the houses already, each one just in time to save the family from financial ruin. All of which means there is probably some in that 3rd house as well. The thing is, lots of relatives have already searched for the treasure and haven't found it. The house itself is practically falling down, too, so it's really not safe for anyone to poke around in. Not that that's going to stop Ellsworth and Jess.
It may take more than treasure to get the remains of this family back on friendly terms again. Then again, perhaps it depends on what that treasure is...
* * * * *
A unique premise. You don't find many middle grade novels with a focus on family history like this one. A bit of a supernatural element woven in as well, with the spirit of great-grandfather John wafting around here and there, trying to make some (good) things happen.
Kids will probably keep reading to find out about the treasure. There's enough focus on that to carry through the family relationship stuff, I think. Well-written. I enjoyed it, but none of my kids have picked it up yet. Maybe if I read it out loud to them...?
I blog at: www.ofbooksandblooms.com
Ellsworth has always lived with his Dad, with no contact from extended family at all, until one summer he gets a letter. He is invited to come to the Square in Smith Mills, New York, to visit his relatives. The thing is, he's been having these dreams about the Square. How can that be? He's never been there before, that he knows of. His Dad certainly doesn't want him going back. Grandpa lives there, and it would be a severe understatement to say that the two of them have never gotten along. But Ellsworth feels compelled to go.
Once he gets there, he finds a friend--a girl named Jess his own age, who is also visiting for the summer. The 10 houses around the Square were built way back in the day by a great-Grandpa, who built one for each of his kids. Three of the houses are treasure houses. At least that's the story.
In fact, real actual treasure was found in 2 of the houses already, each one just in time to save the family from financial ruin. All of which means there is probably some in that 3rd house as well. The thing is, lots of relatives have already searched for the treasure and haven't found it. The house itself is practically falling down, too, so it's really not safe for anyone to poke around in. Not that that's going to stop Ellsworth and Jess.
It may take more than treasure to get the remains of this family back on friendly terms again. Then again, perhaps it depends on what that treasure is...
* * * * *
A unique premise. You don't find many middle grade novels with a focus on family history like this one. A bit of a supernatural element woven in as well, with the spirit of great-grandfather John wafting around here and there, trying to make some (good) things happen.
Kids will probably keep reading to find out about the treasure. There's enough focus on that to carry through the family relationship stuff, I think. Well-written. I enjoyed it, but none of my kids have picked it up yet. Maybe if I read it out loud to them...?
I blog at: www.ofbooksandblooms.com
March 17, 2023
This is one of the few books that I actually didn't enjoy that much. First of all, I can tell there was a lot of thought put into the storyline but the author doesn't do a good job telling us what that is. At the end I was left feeling disappointed And a little bit confused. Many parts of the story didn't make a ton of sense.
I disliked that most of the characters were pretty boring and bland without much personality.
It also seemed like 50% of any given conversation were just the words "yeah, right, sure" or "okay, listen". In fact, the characters said these words so much it made the conversations confusing at times.
Parts of the story I had to re-read because they weren't written too well.
It was a creative book but poorly written and put together.
Parts were cheesy and over dramatic which I really disliked such as *SPOILER* when Ellsworth was first wanting to go to the square but realized he couldn't take his fish. It felt extremely overdramatic in a way that is too childish for even a children's book. *SPOILER ENDED*
I liked a couple parts (mainly the parts where I really understood what was going on) but as a whole this book was, and i hate to say it, but pretty awful.
2 stars
SPOILER ALLERT:
It never said anything about the dreams that Ellzworth or Jess had other than that they came true. It doesn't say why they had those dreams and I found it weird.
I disliked that most of the characters were pretty boring and bland without much personality.
It also seemed like 50% of any given conversation were just the words "yeah, right, sure" or "okay, listen". In fact, the characters said these words so much it made the conversations confusing at times.
Parts of the story I had to re-read because they weren't written too well.
It was a creative book but poorly written and put together.
Parts were cheesy and over dramatic which I really disliked such as *SPOILER* when Ellsworth was first wanting to go to the square but realized he couldn't take his fish. It felt extremely overdramatic in a way that is too childish for even a children's book. *SPOILER ENDED*
I liked a couple parts (mainly the parts where I really understood what was going on) but as a whole this book was, and i hate to say it, but pretty awful.
2 stars
SPOILER ALLERT:
It never said anything about the dreams that Ellzworth or Jess had other than that they came true. It doesn't say why they had those dreams and I found it weird.
August 3, 2019
3.5 stars. I enjoyed reading The Last Treasure, but it wasn't as effortlessly charming as some other middle-grade fiction (
Gone-Away Lake
comes to mind). I think this would be an excellent read-aloud book for children ages 8-12. Aspects I appreciated included family history (complete with descendant chart in the front!), the treasure hunt, and the dynamics among this inter-generational family. Anderson writes some lovely pieces of prose, especially in the prologue and in the few flashback scenes. I think the main detractor was the over-simplification of the problems between family members; as an adult, I doubted Ellsworth's ability to bring the family together since he is a thirteen-year-old newcomer. But I was willing to suspend my disbelief, especially since the plot shows some nice family values.
March 8, 2023
I read this book when I was in 5th grade. That was almost 20 years ago. It stuck with me so deeply, that for years I searched for it. I knew that it had to do with treasure and I knew the cover art. But I could not remember the name of the book. After years of searching I found it on a blue bonnet book list (a Texas thing) from the year that I read it. After rereading it, I think it's still a wonderful story and something that anyone can enjoy. I ended up buying a copy for my niece. It's very sad to me that only 900 people have rated this book. I hope that more people will read it and share it and find the love that I have for it. This is my first time ever writing a review on Goodreads. I normally just rate, but I thought I would share this with anyone who thought, "Hey maybe I should read this?" Or "should I buy this for my kid?" YES.
December 5, 2019
I really enjoyed the idea of this story - treasure hunts and creative mechanism and puzzles are used to tickle the brains of the characters - as well as the readers.
The author had some difficulty using dialogue effectively throughout the story for most of the characters - characters would interact with one another, but a lot of that interaction was actually padding, and it wasn't very often when something new and vital to the story through the dialogue.
I had been hoping to see more of a supernatural element in this book, especially after being teased about it in the first chapter - the ghost is not shown again throughout the story except by name or reknown.
It was still a good story, but it could have been more tightly woven together than it was.
The author had some difficulty using dialogue effectively throughout the story for most of the characters - characters would interact with one another, but a lot of that interaction was actually padding, and it wasn't very often when something new and vital to the story through the dialogue.
I had been hoping to see more of a supernatural element in this book, especially after being teased about it in the first chapter - the ghost is not shown again throughout the story except by name or reknown.
It was still a good story, but it could have been more tightly woven together than it was.
January 22, 2026
My wife and I read this together. She liked it, I thought it was slightly boring. But to be fair, I got on my phone often and did business things. We gave it 4 stars to split the difference... to me it was slightly like a Downtan Abbey, in the sense that it was strongly built around extended family relations...maybe not the upper/lower class stuff, but, it went into details that bore me. It did map out father/son relations that hit a little close to home..
October 27, 2016
In this book there are 10 house and a treasure in 3 of them. A family has always wondered about these treasures but only were willing to go if they knew exactly where the treasure was. Ellsworth was written to on his 13th birthday that someone have a hint of where the treasure is. He and his 13 year old cousin goes against his parents rules by going to square where all the houses were and looking for treasures.
April 26, 2019
Throughout most of the book, the writing is strong and beautifully written. However, I felt dissatisfied with the part where the puzzle was finally solved. It was a bit anticlimactic in my opinion, using the same cliche ending that's used in nearly every treasure hunt story.
Despite my dissatisfaction with the climax, I enjoyed the story and I would read it again.
4 / 5 stars
Despite my dissatisfaction with the climax, I enjoyed the story and I would read it again.
4 / 5 stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 17, 2024
This story is a treasure. I found it at a used book sale at a public library having never heard of it or the author before. I loved the setting, the characters, the central mystery and the redemption arc. This time I won't be donating it back to the library, sorry, because this treasure I plan to keep.
October 2, 2018
This book is about a boy named Ellsworth, On his 13th birthday he gets a letter from his distant relative telling him his family needs his help. So he packs up his bags and goes to help his family. Elizabeth tells him the last treasure needs to be found and he is the only one who can get it.
September 17, 2021
I read this book a few weeks ago after finding it at a second-hand store. I am still thinking about the mechanics of the story. I like when an author develops a concept that makes you wonder how it was possible, long after “The End.”
October 19, 2023
This is a wonderful book that shows the importance of family and forgiveness. Written for fifth grade and up but I thoroughly enjoyed it as a quick read for adults. It would be a great read for a family to do together!!
July 4, 2024
Many years ago I read about a father that had read to his daughter every night for years. The daughter had compiled a list of the books and this book was on it. It definitely captured your attention as you tried to find out what was the last treasure. I thought it was a very enjoyable read.
September 23, 2025
A family treasure with Quaker beliefs.
Thirteen year old Ellsworth is sent to Smith Mills New York to reconnect with his father’s family.
There are three abandoned houses that are part of a hidden treasure that only children can find.
Thirteen year old Ellsworth is sent to Smith Mills New York to reconnect with his father’s family.
There are three abandoned houses that are part of a hidden treasure that only children can find.
November 1, 2025
It's the first book (besides a Bruchac book) that features Quakers, so that was cool. The mystery part was cool, too. However, it was tough to get into, and I only stuck with it because I'm that kind of reader.
August 10, 2018
A family favorite!
Read
December 15, 2019one copy?
January 10, 2020
I thought this was a nice read. A few cute little lessons learned about family as well as a playful mystery to the treasure.
May 22, 2020
Simple, surprisingly-enjoyable read that encourages family and forgiveness, with a mysterious treasure to boot.
October 25, 2020
En ovanlig bok, som innehåller lite mystik och andlighet, men främst medmänsklighet. Det handlar om olika generationer i släkten Smith, om förväntningar, att ge varandra frihet och att kunna förlåta.
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