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

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Puddlejumpers by Mark Jean & Christopher Carlson - Ages 10+

Puddlejumpers

What's the Story?

Ernie Banks, named for the legendary Chicago Cub shortstop, is a troubled, 13-year-old juvenile delinquent.  Abandoned on the doorstep of the Lakeside Home for Boys when he was three years old, he’s now considered a “lifer,” a permanent ward of the state.  His only proof that he once belonged to somebody is a vintage Ernie Banks baseball card, a crystal acorn he wears on a string around his neck, and a strange spiral birthmark on the bottom of his right foot.          

As a last reprieve before being sent to a juvenile detention facility, Ernie is allowed to spend three weeks on a working farm.  When Ernie arrives at the home of Russ Frazier, he learns that the widower’s baby was kidnapped years before.  The single piece of evidence was a red quilt found in a puddle in the nearby woods.  Fascinated by the town’s famous “Quilt Baby” kidnapping, Ernie is determined to solve the case.  He teams up with Joey, a local tomboy, to investigate clues that lead them on a dangerous journey into a forbidden world of dark secrets, magic puddles, and the cavernous underground kingdom of the Puddlejumpers— eleven-inch tall water creatures with whom Ernie has a mysterious connection.

When destiny summons, Ernie must find the courage to save the Puddlejumpers from the Most Dark and lead them in battle against their mortal enemies.  Only then can he find his way home.

What's the Buzz?

"Puddlejumpers is a magical story woven together by Mark Jean and Christopher C. Carlson. They have ignited their imaginations full force, creating a fast-paced tale with an intriguing plot, incredible creatures and memorable characters. Their colorful descriptions bring the story to life, spiced up even more with their bizarre sense of humor"- Kids Reads

"Puddlejmpers  will make a good movie someday. It makes a pretty good book now, especially for readers who love action with a dash of mystery and characters that don’t save the day by making twelve stupid decisions before bumbling into the correct one." - Fantasy Magazine

"At first the book seems like a mystery, but then it switches gears into an adventure novel. At the end I was in awe. I won't tell you why because you just have to read it. All the characters are very interesting and all the people fit into the story perfectly." - Elizabeth @ Washington Township Public Library

"Although this is a fast-paced fantasy adventure, I was surprised to discover that the novel also has great heart. A modern story with a tip o' the hat to the best family classics, this is a book you'll want to keep for the family library and pass down to future generations." - YA Books Central

"The characters are well-developed and the heartfelt story is wall to wall with pulse-pounding excitement. Fans of Spiderwick Chronicles will love this book -- as did I." - Cool Kids Read Books

Where Can I Learn More?

If you'd like to hear co-author Christopher Carlson read the first three chapters of Puddlejumpers, go here & click on the Puddlejumpers cover.

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