Cayman Gold: Lost Treasure of Devils Grotto (Harbor Lights Series)

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic book for Junior High
Review: As a teacher of seventh and eighth grade students, I found this book to be a fantastic choice for them. It will hold their attention and make them want to read more about the MacGregor family. The action starts out immediately and does not let up. It lends itself well to venturing into other areas like science and geography for an interdisciplinary unit. Since the main characters are both a boy and a girl, both boys and girls will be able to relate easily to this book. I can't wait until my students have a chance to read this book and others by Richard Trout.

Rating:
Summary: This is a must read book!
Review: It's not often that I read books that are primarily for young adults but I'm so glad I received a copy of Cayman Gold: Lost Treasure of Devils Grotto by Richard Trout. This is the first book of a series that Richard is doing for LangMarc Publishing in San Antonio, Texas.

He started the book with historical information about lost treasure ships from 1622. Then delves into this family visiting the Cayman Islands. I had heard about these islands before but had no idea where they were. Now I know.

I'm not a skin-diver but this book really caught my interest. Richard took three young people and put them right in the middle of a mystery underwater. As he wrote and as I read I could feel myself swimming with scuba gear right along with the kids. He described their adventure to a tee and kept me on the edge of my seat.

From his description of the reef, diving equipment, mini-subs, and hurricanes-it's obvious that Richard knows what he's talking about. AND he even threw in a little romance.

This is a must read book! Its not only a good story but also has a glossary of new words for young adults as well as a suggested activities list. I highly recommend Cayman Gold and look forward to reading Richard's second book Elephant Tears: Mask of the Elephant.

Rating:
Summary: A Thrilling, Exciting Adventure!
Review: This was a wonderful book! As I first started reading this book, I thought it was going to be mainly a historical book, and not real fiction. (No, I did not read the back of the book. I was in a hurry, so I grabbed it.) But then I realized that except for the introduction the whole book is fiction (Thank goodness!) One thing that I liked about this book though is that it could happen, it could very well happen. The series is about three kids who are traveling around the world with their father who is taking a year off from his job as a college professor to construct a book about endangered animals. In Cayman Gold they encounter criminals who have discovered gold in the Caymans and are destroying the beautiful reef in order to get it. But then Chris, the oldest, and a girl he meets, get in the way, and are kidnapped. What happens next? Will his family save him? Find out, when you read the book! You won't regret it! Main Characters:

Jack MacGregor: A college professor who is traveling the world to write a book on animals; The father.

Mavis MacGregor: The mother.

Chris MacGregor: The oldest of the three children. Is left in charge of his two younger siblings.

Heather MacGregor: The second oldest of the three.

Ryan MacGregor: The youngest of the three children.

Natalie: The girl that Chris meets in a photo shop. She likes him a lot, and he likes her.

Leo: The dockman who the children like a lot. Knows a lot about the island.

Turner: A bank owner and the criminal in charge of finding the treasure.

Mr. X: Turner's "partner" in crime.

Rating:
Summary: A well crafted adventure.
Review: World renowned zoologist Dr. MacGregor arrives in the Cayman Islands to study endangered species and investigate their internationally acclaimed sea turtle conservation project. His children (ages 12, 14, and 17) fall in love with the Caymans' underwater world and are drawn into a series of adventures that include native islanders, mini-subs, beautiful reefs, intrigue, and a centuries-old pirate treasure. They combat sinister international forces plotting to destroy a natural barrier reef in order to steal treasures hidden for nearly four hundred years. The strong family structure of the MacGregors, their respect for life and the environment, and their thirst for adventure drive the teens through challenging and suspenseful events. Cayman Gold is a well crafted adventure with meticulous attention to accuracy in detail and highly recommended reading for teens and young adults.