Last year I introduced you to Sharks Inc. with the middle grade novel Fins. This summer the Sharks Inc. threesome is back and are still tagging sharks and solving mysteries. Dr. Ford has brought the team to the Bahamas where Captain Hannah will oversee their work. While there they explore Katt Island with a local girl whose mother owns the hotel they are staying in and find all sorts of mysteries and trouble. The second book is Stingers by Randy Wayne White.
From the Publisher:The trio of brave friends who make up Shark, Inc—Luke, Maribel and Sabina—dive back into adventure in Stingers, the follow-up to bestselling author Randy Wayne White’s Fins.
Marine biologist Doc Ford invites Maribel, Luke, and Sabina to a remote island in the Bahamas where lionfish, a beautiful and venomous inhabitant of the South Pacific that has invaded Florida and the Caribbean, are not just upsetting the balance of nature by damaging the coral reefs—their sting has put several people in the hospital.
What Doc and Captain Hannah Smith don’t mention is that the island is riddled with limestone caves, once home to a band of pirates, and stories of Spanish gold have lured outlaw treasure hunters to the area.
When the trio finds precious artifacts, they agree to guard the secret until they’ve thoroughly explored the spot. Soon, outlaws search for the trio, hoping they will lead them to riches.
From Me:
First to love this book you do not need to have read Fins. The characters are introduced and any references to the first book are explained in this book. The book is recommended for ages 8 to 12. I love that this series has a diverse group of kids who are brave and rather intelligent. They have adults overseeing them but the adults are not always that active with the kids. The kids seem to find trouble where they go and their main goal is always to protect the wildlife--sharks in particular. In this book they want to help Tamarin and her mother save their hotel. Her mother's loan is due in a matter of weeks and they do not have the money to pay it off. They also are helping save the baby sea turtles. People pay top dollar on the black market for them so there are poachers all around.
This series brings life, diverse characters, ecological issues and mystery to middle grade readers all in one story. Although there is some fantasy or at least references to magic and ghosts, the book is pretty realistic and fun. The mysteries are interesting and the exploration of Katt Island is fun. I love how the local culture is brought into the novel. I also love that the kids are brave and intelligent. The book is a wonderful summer read and it brings a bit of science as well as culture to the reader. I hope you will check it out!
