Travels with Gannon and Wyatt

September 1, 2016

Gr 4-6-Gannon and Wyatt are a jet-setting pair of Hardy Boys-like brothers who solve mysteries while learning about different parts of the world. When not saving the day, the boys are homeschooled by their international flight attendant mother, though she and their painter father make only brief cameos in their adventures. In Hawaii, the boys meet a local guide, see some sights, and rescue a man from drowning. Before going into a coma, the man gives them a top secret map to the remains of King Kamehameha. The boys must find these remains before the evil developers take the land for a new hotel. Along the way, readers encounter characters who offer information about the natural sciences and the history of Hawaii. Material is so crammed into each of these scenes that characters often speak more like encyclopedias than real people. Unfortunately, some of the secondary characters fall into the stereotype of "magical Natives." The mystery plot makes a complete arc and includes plenty of detailed action scenes. The brothers take turns narrating, as though writing in a journal. This occasionally makes tense confusing, but overall the first-person narration is easy to read. Minor grammar errors ("less than fifty people") and lots of slang ("All righty, then. Time to get some zzz'z.") add to the casual adolescent tone. VERDICT This book will be useful for families who are studying Hawaii in their homeschool curriculum or for readers interested in learning new facts while taking in a breezy mystery.-Amelia Jenkins, Juneau Public Library, AK

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