Mysteries in Our National Parks

October 1, 1999
Gr 3-6-Ashley Landon and her brother, Jack, are out for a day of fishing in the Florida Everglades with Bridger Conley, the latest in a series of foster children taken in by their parents. The three youngsters catch more than fish when Jack decides to take some photos. His camera is stolen by a stranger in a powerboat, but it isn't until later that Jack realizes that the culprit was really after his film. In their quest to find the thief, the three sleuths also solve the mystery of why the manatees are dying. Vivid descriptions and cliff-hanger chapter endings with plenty of action in between hold readers' attention, and the authors skillfully weave in facts about the ecology and wildlife of the Everglades. The endpapers feature a map of Everglades National Park with brief data about it, and students are invited to send research questions or other messages to both authors through their e-mail addresses. Readers will delight in the close-up shots of some of the animals described in the story featured on four pages of National Geographic quality photos tipped in the center of the book. Pair this title, the fourth about this family, with another well-written ecological mystery set in the Everglades, Jean Craighead George's The Missing 'Gator of Gumbo Limbo (HarperCollins, 1992). A commendable and timely title.-Linda L. Plevak, Alamo Area Library System, San Antonio, TX

Copyright 1999 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 1999
Gr. 4^-7. In the fourth National Parks Mystery, the Landon kids head to the Florida Everglades, where their parents are investigating a series of unexplained manatee deaths. Expecting fishing and fun, 12-year-old Jack, his 10-year-old sister, Ashley, and their 14-year-old foster brother, Bridger, inadvertently become involved in the mystery, which leads to danger and the key to the manatees' death. An engaging read, the story features likable protagonists and plenty of action and suspense. Children also get information about the Everglades' ecosytem, the dangers of pollution, and the need for environmental awareness and responsibility. In addition, the book includes five full-color photos. The first is a graphic close-up of an alligator eating a turtle, particularly disturbing given its sudden, unexpected appearance in the book. An afterword by an Everglades wildlife biologist discusses a similar, real-life mystery, and endpapers provide a map and more Florida facts. Recommended for wildlife fans and reluctant readers. ((Reviewed October 15, 1999))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 1999, American Library Association.)