Review: Hide and Seek

Title:  Hide and Seek
Author: Kate Messner
Released: April 1, 2013

Summary:  A fast-paced mystery from the author of CAPTURE THE FLAG!

José, Anna, and Henry are junior members of the secret Silver Jaguar Society, sworn to protect the world's most important artifacts. When they discover that the society's treasured Jaguar Cup has been replaced with a counterfeit, the trio and their families rush to the rain forests of Costa Rica in search of the real chalice. But when the trail runs dry, new mysteries emerge: Who can they trust? Is there a traitor in their midst? With danger at every turn, it will take more than they realize for José and his friends to recover the cup before it falls into the wrong hands.

My Review:

What I liked: The second installment in this series by Kate Messner delivered all that I hoped for. The main cast of characters are back along with some new friends to help them solve their latest mystery. The setting of Costa Rica was absolutely perfect, the plants and animals were described so perfectly, I felt like I was there. 

There was a lot of action in this book, which is sure to delight readers. There are also some funny moments as well, that I can picture kids giggling as they read.

Final verdict: Messner has a flair for writing awesome middle grade novels. This is a book that will delight her fans and hopefully engage new readers.

Thanks, YABC for this one!

Review: Capture the Flag

Thank you to YABC for sending this book for me to review!

I am a huge history buff. I love reading and learning about the history of our country, so any book that is set in Washington D.C. I am drawn to. This book is fantastic for many reasons but the main one is that I think it has an appeal to both boys and girls. There are characters and stories that will appeal to all readers.

I included a 5 rating on illustrations even though there are just a handful of them because they are well drawn and funny. Capture the Flag is a fun mystery with great historical information in it as well. The book ends with an indication that Anna, Jose, and Henry will be back to solve more mysteries and help protect our nation's historical artifacts. I can't wait to find out what happens next!

Overall, Capture the Flag is exciting and flows so well. This is perfect for a summer read and as a teacher and a parent, I highly recommend it.