The Heath Cousins and the Moonstone Cave

Four children find enchantment while exploring a seaside cave in this debut middle-grade novel.Twelve-year-old Addie Heath lives outside of London, and isn't looking forward to seeing her three rambunctious cousins again: Bodie, 6; Beanie, 9; and Jack, 13. They'll all be staying at their grandparents' beach house on the American East Coast. Spending time with her relatives would be bad enough. What makes it worse is that Grandma Winnie has died, and where Addie would prefer to be alone with her memories, she knows that her cousins will intrude on her sadness. The boys, for their part, are wary of Addie. To them, she seems aloof and her accent makes her sound stuck-up. But Bodie's excitement brings them together. When Addie dreams of a moonstone and Bodie finds one just like it, the cousins go exploring and uncover a secret realm linked somehow to their grandma's past. Grandma Winnie was a Native American. Only Jack has inherited her looks, but all four children share an appreciation of her spirituality. When they find themselves in the Garden of Choice, with dangers ahead and only their family bond and a spirit wolf to protect them, Addie and her cousins must make peace with one another and with their grandma's passing. Hobbs' writing harks back to the days of Enid Blyton, with her multiage characters embarking on safe escapades while learning simple but important life lessons. The four Heath cousins are distinct in personality and speech, and are vividly depicted across 10 black-and-white images by debut illustrator Parame. Addie's love for her grandma is evident, as is her sense of loss, while her social conflict--she and the boys being forced together despite hardly knowing one another--is one that many children will relate to. The quest narrative itself is perhaps a little undemanding (the children have few genuine choices to make), but the Native American aspect lends it substance and its value in any case lies in the forging of family ties. The gently adventurous story nips along at a good pace for middle-grade readers.A quick and enjoyable sortie into the world of preteen family friendships and escapades.

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May 15, 2018
Grades 2-3 This book is recommended by BlueInk Review, a fee-based review service devoted exclusively to self-published books. Booklist is happy to partner with BlueInk to bring you the best self-published titles for adults and youth. Stars reflect the decisions of BlueInk reviewers and editors.In the first of the Heath Cousins series, 12-year-old Addie B. travels to spend the summer at her grandparents' Maine seaside home. When her three boy cousins discover a strange stone inside a nearby sea cave, she reluctantly follows. Soon, the four cousins are on a magical adventure leading through a series of doors and worlds, where they meet a mysterious woman who resembles a younger version of their grandmother. Throughout, they face trials that test their reliance on one another and their own strengths, in order to find their way home again. This is a colorful, well-paced adventure that touches on themes of grief, heritage, and identity, while introducing a hint of Native American mythology. (The cousins' grandmother is Native American.) There are a few awkward moments when the point of view switches unexpectedly from Addie to cousin Jack, but these instances aren't terribly distracting. The black-and-white illustrations have an appealing graphic-novel quality. Overall, this short chapter book is an entertaining read with a take-charge female protagonist whom young fantasy readers will enjoy.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)