The Curse of the Cursed Temple of Curses--or--We Nearly Died. A Lot.

May 31, 2019

Gr 3-7-They say "don't judge a book by its cover," but in this case, it is appropriate to judge this middle grade adventure by its absurd and diverting title. When Mike "Momo" Gonzalez and his little sister Dani become separated from their parents on vacation in the Amazon, cautious Momo does everything he can to reunite them while free-spirited Dani enthusiastically accepts every chance to dance with danger. The siblings soon realize that the captain of the boat on which they accidentally drifted away has no intention of helping them. The single goal of Captain Kevin Adventureson is to track the treasure he believes lies in a temple in the rain forest, and if two pesky kids are along for the ride, so be it. Both siblings grow throughout the journey. Momo realizes that he can rise to the challenge when faced with a crisis, and Dani discovers that her actions have consequences and that she must weigh risks. Each learns to value and respect the unique strengths of the other. The story moves at a frantic pace; at various points the trio are attacked by caimans, vengeful villains, shipwrecks, mummies, and the temple itself. Dani and Momo are forced to step up to save their own lives when Captain Kevin panics, fumbles, or gets cold feet during his quest. VERDICT Coauthors Peterson and Pruett deliver an action-packed ride through the Amazon in this series debut; recommended for fiction collections.-Lauren Younger, Nicholson Memorial Library, Garland, TX

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2019
A cursed temple? Magical jewels? Hungry hippos? A bumbling captain? Adventure ahoy!On a family vacation in Brazil, 12-year-old book connoisseur Mike Gonzalez does his best to protect his rambunctious 8-year-old sister, Dani, from the dangers of thrill-seeking. Enter Capt. Kevin Adventureson, an overconfident, pun-loving adventurer seeking fabled treasure deep in the Amazon. When the siblings inadvertently get swept up in Capt. Kevin's antics, Mike longs to escape the captain's orbit at every turn, while Dani can't get enough of her newfound hero. A detour leads to clashes with villainous thieves, and soon enough the trio is joined by Aruna, a feisty former waitress with a secret. As the quartet pushes further into the Amazon, the makeshift heroes must narrowly overcome their adversaries, including ghastly caimans, dastardly rogues, and, of course, Capt. Kevin's bungling whims. With backgrounds in child-oriented television franchises, Peterson and Pruett deliver a pulpy, screwball novel that emphasizes action, danger, and humor over authentic exploration of Brazil. Chapters vary between Mike's and Dani's points of view via third-person narration, providing emotional plateaus as necessary, and sporadic journal entries from Capt. Kevin--a sort of deconstructed Indiana Jones--add some levity at critical points. Ajhar's dynamic illustrations introduce each chapter and appropriately set the tone for what follows: a journey spiked with absurdity. A racially diverse, seemingly mostly non-Brazilian cast is implied but not confirmed.Fans of swashbuckling adventures will find much to enjoy. Just watch out for that inevitable sequel. (Adventure. 8-12)

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