Chanticleer Book Reviews

Tag: Children’s Books

  • THE TREASURE OF OCRACOKE ISLAND by John Gillgren, third book in the Adventure of Cali Family Series

    THE TREASURE OF OCRACOKE ISLAND by John Gillgren, third book in the Adventure of Cali Family Series

    What could be more engaging for children and their families than a featured villain who impersonates the infamous pirate Blackbeard? Gillgren’s third book The Treasure of Ocracoke Island in The Adventures of the Cali Family series brings back old villains, introduces new plot twists, and puts more at stake to find lost treasure.

    It is the early 1700s, and Blackbeard prides himself on wreaking havoc, while also being an intelligent ladies’ man. However, his reign ends when a British ship invades, leading to his beheading at Ocracoke Bay; his treasure’s location is supposedly lost at sea. The year 1942 sails in, depicting the Russian ship Saratov being sunk by two torpedoes, which concealed a footlocker of gold that was going to pay the United States for war supplies.

    The reader is brought back to present day with the Cali family, who are forced to search for the lost treasure of Ocracoke Island. When the women in Carmine’s family are kidnapped by a sinister man resembling Blackbeard, him, Snail, Tommy Osawa, and NCIS Special Agent Moki Loo Tsing must battle against time to save their loved ones.

    Gillgren creates a stunning cast of villains that engage with the Cali family. The Blackbeard offender is both shocking and silly as he uses his faux accent to intimidate the women he kidnaps. Gillgren also brings back the dastardly villain Mr. Chang, who is determined to have his revenge on the Cali family for cheating him of money and opium. It becomes apparent as the novel progresses that Mr. Chang wants more than just wealth.

    This series continues to craft daring heroes and heroines. The women in the Cali family show resistance and strength against Blackbeard’s threat; emulating a sort of Charlie’s Angels attitude against a wannabe pirate with a ridiculous costume. Gillgren also continues to develop characters from his previous books, particularly in regards to Snail. Snail is a youth who shows great maturity when the kidnapping situation becomes intense, and he inspires the older men of the family to follow suit. Such characters are a great inspiration to how families come together in times of adversity.

    The novel contained enough tension and suspense to sink Blackbeard’s ship Adventure. The story contains multiple perspectives of different characters, leaving the reader with many cliff-hangers when the point of view shifted. Each character introduced new waves of anticipation.

    Gillgren’s children’s series The Adventures of the Cali Family offers another treasure travel story that pushes mystery, family, and adventure into new depths of fun.

    This reviewer highly recommends this book for children and their families who are interested in historical stories about adventure and family. Oh, and an ending that twists the tides of a plot.

  • THE TREASURE OF MALAGA COVE by John Gillgren, an adventure children’s novel

    THE TREASURE OF MALAGA COVE by John Gillgren, an adventure children’s novel

    Reading John Gillgren’s The Treasure of Malaga Cove is its own enjoyable treasure hunt. I was immediately immersed in the adventures of history, the ocean, and more suspense than I anticipated from a children’s book. The author takes his readers on a captivating series of diving adventures and page-turning treasure hunts with the Cali Family as they try to solve mysteries of the high seas.

    The story begins in 1577 on Sir Francis Drake’s flagship the Golden Hind. While looking for an easier path to Asia, this ship endure storms, battles with the Spanish and Portuguese, and Drake himself faces the mutiny of his own crew members.

    The plot fast forwards four hundred years into the future. The novel’s protagonist Carmine Cali discovers a skull while learning how to dive in the Malaga Cove in southern California. Waves of mystery wash over the setting as Carmine can’t find the skull on a second dive. He spends several years with his wife, Elaine, and his three children, Snail, Carmen, and Caroline, trying to prove that the skulls exist, and link them to the flagship the Golden Hind and its crew members.

    Gillgren is extraordinary at crafting a realistic and engaging narrative. The planning that Carmine and his family do for each of their dives, in addition to the time constraints, are point on with how a divemaster would construct his or her plans. Readers will anticipate every moment of action as the story pulls them in with the dangers that lurk in the ocean, whether it be the high tides or the sharks casting shadows beneath the water’s surface.

    Readers will appreciate that Gillgren has created such a dynamic protagonist. Carmine’s protective watch over his family highlights his strong character as a father and protector. His reluctance to leave the water when they’ve found new information is realistic and captures the reader in the moment of discovery. He’s a character all readers will love and root for to find the truth in the end.

    Suspense is the buried treasure in and of itself in this tale, and readers will never experience a dull moment. The plot twisted and turned in every direction, revealing by the end which character is deemed untrustworthy. The things I learned about Carmine’s family are presented in such a way that readers look forward to learning more about their individual character arcs in subsequent novels.

    While many events unravel quickly, this is still an appropriate book for a younger audience and for a family to read together. It’s a fun story with straightforward dialogue and plot. And while the author judiciously presents responsible diving techniques and know-how, readers without diving knowledge will be able to follow along with it.

    If anything, I think more detail of the reefs around Malaga Cove would have been a great addition to the story. The ocean adds a rich context to the tale, as well as an element of unexpected danger. However, the lack of some description made me revel in the details that were present.

    Gillgren has delivered a mystery story ala Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew, but with more contemporary individuals playing those roles. The Treasure of Malaga Cove is a fantastic novel for children and their families wanting to dive into the depths of mystery and adventure. I will certainly read the next books in the series:  The Treasure of Ching Shih and The Treasure of Ocracoke Island.

    This is the first book in an adventure series that will invite readers of all ages to set sail into the high seas of their imagination with the adventures of the Cali Family as they hunt for mysterious treasure.

     

  • LITTLE GUY by Heather Gardam, Book 2 in a delightful children’s series about farm life

    LITTLE GUY by Heather Gardam, Book 2 in a delightful children’s series about farm life

    Patti is the engaging young girl we met in Life on the Farm, but now she is a year older. She is a curious, horse-loving kid who is aware of everything that surrounds her. Patti’s wit, determination, and sunny personality, combined with new adventures, make Little Guy a captivating  read along with its delightfully surprising ending.

    Patti never expected to be so busy every day of her summer vacation. She’s up early every day to do her stable chores in exchange for riding lessons, but it’s worth it. Her girlfriend, Sylvia, is letting Patti ride her pony, Bets, for her riding lessons.

    Also,  Patti finally has a horse of her own–sort of.  Little Guy belongs to the Andersons, but they think Patti is just the girl they need to care for Little Guy and his lame foot. Spending her summer working with Little Guy and taking riding lessons at the local stable is a dream come true for Patti–at first.

    Gardam does a wonderful job keeping readers engaged with Patti’s emotions as she deals with the demanding stable chores and the teasing of the more experienced students, along with those who are snobbish toward her for having to do stable chores in exchange for riding lessons. The author earnestly portrays Patti’s life lesson  that not everyone is accepting, but not to let other kids remarks stop her from going after her goals without sounding too PollyAnnish.

    Patti’s spunkiness is endearing and her enthusiasm is contagious. The author charmingly portrays, through Patti’s encounters and hindrances, how a positive attitude can open doors and create opportunities especially when combined with hard work and diligence. These traits along with  Patti’s bravery to overcome obstacles so that she may pursue her passion for horses and learning to ride them is inspiring. As each day brings new challenges and new understandings, Patti discovers a little bit more about herself and the important things in life.    

    Nevertheless,  a cloud of worry hovers over Patti. Will Little Guy’s lame leg ever heal? She works hard to take care of Little Guy and pays close attention to her charge. But, she longs to ride him and show off what she’s learned all summer at the Fall Fair. However, Patti knows how much Little Guy and the Andersons are depending on her to do what is best for Little Guy.

    One of the beautiful aspects of this book comes to fruition as Little Guy and Patti learn to trust each other. It’s the magical connection that a child and a horse can make with patience, perseverance, and openness to learning on both their parts that Gardam captures with brilliant subtlety. Each day brings a new challenge and by learning to work together, Patti discovers a little bit more about herself and the important things in life. Little Guy is a captivating story that demonstrates true friendship and learning to believe in one’s self against the odds.