Tamarind Series by Nadia Aguiar - Ages 10+

The Lost Island of Tamarind

Book 1

What's the Story?

Maya Nelson isn’t your typical thirteen-year-old. She’s spent her whole life living on the sea with her marine biologist parents, her younger brother, Simon, and baby sister, Penny. Maya used to love living on a sailboat, but lately, everything feels terribly claustrophobic. Maya longs to go to school on land. To make friends. To lead a normal life. But when a violent storm hits and Maya’s parents are washed overboard, life becomes anything but normal. The children manage to steer the boat toward a mysterious island, to a place that doesn’t exist on a map.


Welcome to Tamarind, where fish can fly, pirates patrol the waters, jaguars lurk, the islanders are at war, and an evil, child-stealing enchantress rules the jungle.


Maya never imagined she’d have to face so many dangers. But then, who could have imagined a place like Tamarind. . . .?


In her stunning first novel, Nadia Aguiar presents a heart-pounding adventure tale about a haunting, fantastical island cut off from the outside world.


What's the Buzz?

"In breathtaking succession, Maya and Simon encounter carnivorous vines, flying fish, treacherous pirates, a mad zoologist, giant turtles, warring soldiers, a tribe living in treetops, a mysterious lady riding a jaguar, singing mermaids, giants and a glowing substance called ophalla." - Kirkus Reviews

"The book’s magic lies less in its breathless plot than in Aguiar’s precise, often lyrical descriptions. A native and resident of Bermuda, she writes with authority about daily life in the tropics." - NY Times

"It's astonishing to me that this is Nadia Aguiar's first book: the sweet, lush setting and the sharp, clean characters make one fine tropical cocktail. I want another." - Pink Me

 "Oh, and I should mention… There’s a sequel. Just when you’re satisfied, be prepared for the last bite to be whisked away just when you want it most." - Skiareader

More Reviews @ . . .
Amazon --- Barnes & Noble --- GoodReads --- LibraryThing


Where Can I Learn More?
Read an excerpt of Chapter One @ Barnes & Noble

Secrets of Tamarind

Book 2

What's the Story?

It’s been four years since Maya, Simon, and Penny Nelson left the lost island of Tamarind. For Maya, the island is a nearly forgotten part of her childhood; for Penny, it’s a secret place she can’t remember, but longs to see; and for Simon, it’s an adventure waiting to happen. An evil group called the Red Coral Project is lurking around the Nelson’s home in Bermuda, and the children discover that the project has moved into Tamarind, and are desiccating it to ruin. Only the Nelson’s can save the island.

In Tamarind, there is the mystery of the magical mineral ophalla that Red Coral is greedily mining, their old pirate ship, the Pamela Jane, and the secret of their friend Helix’s parentage. This time, it is up to Simon to put the clues together, and save his sisters from the island and the nefarious Red Coral Project—and defeat Red Coral before the magnificent island is put to ruin.

Nadia Aguiar’s sequel to The Lost Island of Tamarind, crafts a vivid story reminiscent of such classics as Peter Pan, full of adventure, magic, and haunting beauty. 

What's the Buzz?

"Replete with ecological warnings applicable to real as well as fantasy worlds and glossed with lush descriptions of imaginary flora and fauna, the rapid-fire plot bristles with danger." - Kirkus Reviews

"Taken as straight fantasy, there's an awful lot of contrivance and coincidence in the plot ... But on the whole once you are caught in the spell of the quest here you will enjoy the breadth of location, scenery, mystical being set against common-or-garden, and a lot more - and this book will be one to keep on the shelves for some time." - The Bookbag

"I strongly recommend that the reader reads the first book in the series (The Lost Islands of Tamarind) before reading this book because it was hard for me to get into the book/plot without having read the first book." - Lily @ The YA Bookcase on Lake St.

"Giving a kid The Lost Island of Tamarind feels like passing along a treasured secret. Not that it's that obscure, but it's not part of a giant series, it doesn't have a character's name in the title (think about it: HP, Charlie Bone, Barnaby Grimes, Percy Jackson and the..., Alex Rider), and it has that wonderful, epic, jungly cover." - Pink Me

"This novel would make an excellent selection for a middle school read aloud, offering ample opportunities for word study, developing visualization skills and enriching students’ understanding of critical social studies and science concepts through fiction." - Sean Kottke @ ALAN Online

"This book was just what I needed as a fantasy reader who had read one to many paranormal romances recently. This brought me right back to what I had loved about reading fantasy a few years ago. Pure adventure. Pure magic. Pure smarts and courage and devoted friends.
Definitely worth reading!! " - I Read to Relax

More Reviews @. . .

Amazon --- GoodReads

Where Can I Learn More?

Read Chapter One @ Barnes & Noble

Series: The 7 Professors of the Far North by John Fardell - Ages 9+

The 7 Professors of the Far North

Book 1 

What's the Story?

Sam, Zara and Ben never expected their vacation to turn into a life-or-death rescue mission. But when Uncle Ampersand is kidnapped by the nefarious Professor Murdo, the three children must race to the Arctic to save him. Numerous twists and turns put them to the test as they decode encrypted messages, navigate secret passages, scale giant buildings and hurtle over—and under—dangerous ice fields, all the while unsure of whom they can trust. And when they finally discover Murdo’s ultimate plan, they come to a startling realization: It’s not just Ampersand’s fate on their shoulders . . . it’s the fate of the whole world.

What's the Buzz?

"Thrilling and full of smart dialogue and lots of action! This book by John Fardell takes you on a rescue mission to a fantastic bad-guys lair in the Arctic, all to rescue six brilliant professors." - Mister K Reads

"Each of the three children brings his or her own skills to the adventure --- Sam's preparedness, Ben's map-reading abilities, Zara's boldness --- and each of them comes up with innovative ideas when they're most needed, usually just in the nick of time." - Kids Reads

"I liked the small detailed b&w drawings that are sprinkled throughout the text. Fardell is also a cartoonist. The book had an old-fashioned feel that got better as the story progressed and the action ramped up." - BookMoot

"Author John Fardell (who also provides the many illustrations, maps, and diagrams that pepper the text) recaptures the excitement that children show when making up their own stories. In fact, the novel feels very much as if a group of youngsters trying to entertain themselves had written the book, and not at all like an adult trying to write for children". - Craig's Book Club

"Though the children's characters are a bit flat - it's not always easy to tell them apart - their wild adventures and unyielding determination to save the professors makes this a book designed to engage even the most reluctant young reader." - Children's Book & Play Review @ BYU

"The adventure is implausible, but it has enough to detail to make it seem possible, and the unique characters are fantastic." - Krystel's Book Blog

"This book is such a rich and rewarding story. The adventure is fast paced, cold (it is the Arctic!) and thrilling. The friendships are strong and loyal and there is heaps of good humour along the way. - Momo Celebrating Time to Read

"None of it is very plausible. But it is suspenseful, fun, fast-paced, and filled with likable characters. Personally, I can't wait to read the sequel, Flight of the Silver Turtle" -Jen Robinson's Book Page

 Flight Of the Silver Turtle

Book 2 

What's the Story?

The take-charge kids from John Fardell’s The 7 Professors of the Far North face a summer packed with danger, excitement and suspense--flying airplanes, scuba diving and cracking codes--as they plunge into this fast-paced, high-flying adventure.

Ben, Zara, Sam and Marcia begin their summer vacation by helping Professor Ampersand build the Silver Turtle, a high-tech airplane. This is thrilling enough, but things take an even wilder turn when a strange woman steals the airplane with the kids inside. She’s trying to evade members of Noctarma, an international criminal organization that thinks the airplane is carrying a secret antigravity device that could be the key to world domination. 

They’ve got the wrong Silver Turtle, but they’ve also captured Professor Ampersand—and the kids will have to pull out all the stops to find the real Silver Turtle device before Noctarma does.

Secret of the Black Moon Moth

 Book 3 

What's the Story?

A painfully shy old man has approached Professors Gadling, Gauntraker and Ampersand with an extraordinary archeological find: early human remains that don't fit in with anything known to science. Soon, Sam, Zara, Ben, Marcia and Adam are joining the professors on an expedition to a remote island in South-East Asia to investigate further. But the island contains a secret more astonishing than anything they could have imagined, and a dangerous, deadly enemy is on the trail...

Series: Ulysses Moore - Author: Pierdomenico Baccalario - Ages 9+

About the Series
Okay, I've got some good news and some bad news about this series.  If you like the books, the good news is there are 12 books in the series so far and there might be more coming.  The bad news is that you need to

Series: The Tails of Frederick and Ishbu - Author: Judy Cox - Ages 9+

Series - I, Q. - Roland Smith - Ages 10+

Independence Hall
Book 1

What's the Story?


Thirteen-year-old Quest (Q) isn't sure he’s ready for a new family. For a long time it’s just been him and his mom, Blaze. But everything changes when Blaze falls in love with Roger and they start a new rock band called Match. Now they’re married, have a hit record, and Match is going out on a year-long driving tour across the country.

Q, along with new stepsister Angela, will take a year off from school and travel with the band. For now, home will be a luxury motor coach and homework will be a Web site diary of their travels. Perfect-Q can practice his magic tricks and Angela can read her spy novels. What can go wrong?

As Q and Angela settle into their new life and new relationship as siblings, they start to notice that certain coincidences don’t seem coincidental. For example, how does a band roadie named Boone find them in the middle of a desert where their coach just happens to break down? Why does a man from their parents’ wedding keep showing up in the same cities they stop at? When they reach Philadelphia, Q and Angela realize this tour is definitely not the trip their parents had planned and that the “City of Brotherly Love” is full of mysteries and secrets that could threaten their new life together.

What's the Buzz?

"Action, secret identities, shifting alliances, interesting locations ... and, most of all, quick-witted cool kids who can think for themselves put this book right up there with the Alex Rider series..." - Pink Me

"This book is really good! It is a mystery/chase where two teens, Quest and Angela, are trying to catch the weird men following them! There is some shocking scenes in this book! You don't want to put it down!" - Monroe Library

"In this thrilling first title in the I,Q series Roland Smith ... tells an exciting story that is packed with surprises and colorful characters. Readers who think that it would be easy to be a spy will discover how wrong they were." - Looking Glass Review

"This exciting read will appeal to older tweens or younger teens who enjoy a good spy caper...Younger readers will have trouble keeping up with the plot details and background information about the agencies and groups involved." - Story Snoops

The White House
Book 2

What's the Buzz?

"This fast-paced second installment in the I, Q series won't disappoint fans of the spy genre." - Story Snoops

"...This book is for anyone who likes adventure, good humor, and Roland Smith; not to mention the seducing element of spies and counter spies, agents and double agents in the underground world of espionage that, believe it or not, is right under your very nose." - RSGM Weekly

What Else Ya Got?
Official Book Site

I,Q The Series

Official Author Site

Roland Smith

Series: Accidental Adventures by C. Alexander London - Ages 9+

We Are Not Eaten by Yaks

Accidental Adventures Book 1

What's the Story?

Eleven-year-old twins Oliver and Celia Navel live on the 4-1/2th floor of the Explorers Club with their father, Dr. Navel. Their mother, Dr. Navel, has been missing for years. So when an explorer shows up with a clue as to where his wife could be, Dr. Navel drags Oliver and Celia to Tibet to find her. Once there, the twins fall out of airplanes, encounter Yetis, travel through waterfalls, and end up in the Demon Fortress of the Warrior King where they - just possibly - might find their mother and save their father from the Poison Witches. Thing is, they would much rather be watching television. And if their trip doesn't work out as planned, the twins could end up as slaves to Sir Edmund Thitheltorpe III, an evil explorer with breath that smells like boiled carrots, who has it in for the whole Navel family.

What's the Buzz?

Portsmouth Teen Book Review

Book Dads

Miss Print

 We Dine With Cannibals

Accidental Adventures Book 2 

What's the Story?

When we last saw Oliver and Celia Navel, they had fallen into the clutches of Sir Edmund S. Titheltorpe-Schmidt III and were doomed to spend their entire summer vacation doing his deadly bidding.


In their second unwanted adventure, We Dine with Cannibals, Oliver and Celia will travel from the ruins of ancient temples to the shadowy forests of the Amazon. They'll need all their reality TV survival skills when they ride a llama, race the rapids, and even fly an airplane! If that's not enough excitement for you (it is decidedly too much excitement for Oliver and Celia Navel), they'll be forced to learn the proper etiquette for a cannibal feast and confront the strangest and most brutal rite of passage ever devised by human imagination: dodgeball.

The second installment of the Accidental Adventures series is just as funny, just as exciting, and just as kid-friendly as the first.

What's the Buzz?
BookDads
Kirkus Review
Boys & Literacy


What Else Ya Got?


Official Author Site

C. Alexander London

Interview with the author & a video as he reads from Book 2