Status
Available
Series
Collection
Publication
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (2006), 352 pages
Description
Twins, Grace and Marty, along with a mysterious uncle, are dropped into the middle of the Congolese jungle in search of their missing photojournalist parents.
Local notes
School Library Journal, 04/30/2005
Gr 5-8-When their parents disappear, twins Marty and Grace, 13, are taken in by their Uncle Travis, who searches the world for supposedly mythical creatures. After a parachute fall from an airplane, the kids find themselves in the middle of the Congo, where a surviving dinosaur may still exist. While their conservationist uncle tries to rescue the children, an evil cryptid hunter who kills species rather than saving them pursues the creature. Marty and Grace each have distinct, if not terribly complex personalities, and their adventures are quite absorbing. The first part of the story moves fairly slowly as the characters and the concept of cryptozoology are introduced. Once the twins hit the jungle, though, things get exciting. Along with the atmospheric setting, narrow escapes, and ruthless villains, a couple of neat personal revelations are woven into the tale, affecting nearly everybody involved. Both kids show courage and ingenuity as they try to survive the wild and avoid being captured. Marty's photographic memory provides a vehicle for presenting many facts about the environment without detracting from the tale. Grace is more introverted as she conquers her fears and discovers a life-changing revelation about her past. With the intriguing plot and plenty of well-paced action, this novel has fine booktalk potential and makes a good choice for adventure fans.-Steven Engelfried, Beaverton City Library, OR Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
Gr 5-8-When their parents disappear, twins Marty and Grace, 13, are taken in by their Uncle Travis, who searches the world for supposedly mythical creatures. After a parachute fall from an airplane, the kids find themselves in the middle of the Congo, where a surviving dinosaur may still exist. While their conservationist uncle tries to rescue the children, an evil cryptid hunter who kills species rather than saving them pursues the creature. Marty and Grace each have distinct, if not terribly complex personalities, and their adventures are quite absorbing. The first part of the story moves fairly slowly as the characters and the concept of cryptozoology are introduced. Once the twins hit the jungle, though, things get exciting. Along with the atmospheric setting, narrow escapes, and ruthless villains, a couple of neat personal revelations are woven into the tale, affecting nearly everybody involved. Both kids show courage and ingenuity as they try to survive the wild and avoid being captured. Marty's photographic memory provides a vehicle for presenting many facts about the environment without detracting from the tale. Grace is more introverted as she conquers her fears and discovers a life-changing revelation about her past. With the intriguing plot and plenty of well-paced action, this novel has fine booktalk potential and makes a good choice for adventure fans.-Steven Engelfried, Beaverton City Library, OR Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
Subjects
Awards
Young Hoosier Book Award (Nominee — Middle Grade — 2010)
Mark Twain Readers Award (Nominee — 2008)
Sunshine State Young Reader's Award (Winner — Grades 3-5 — 2007)
Nēnē Award (Nominee — 2008)
Nevada Young Readers' Award (Nominee — Intermediate — 2007)
Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (Nominee — Grades 6-9 — 2007)
Colorado Children's Book Award (Nominee — 2007)
Sakura Medal (Chapter Books — 2007)
South Carolina Book Awards (Nominee — Junior Book Award — 2008)
Texas Lone Star Reading List (2007)