Changes in Latitudes

by Will Hobbs

Trouble In Paradise
Sixteen-year-old Travis is looking for a good time. A vacation in Mexico with his mother, sister, and little brother might cramp his style, but he's willing to take that risk for a chance to cruise the beaches.
Travis soon discovers that even with his headphones and shades, he can't completely cut himself off from his family's problems. He begins to understand why his father didn't come with His mother is contemplating a divorce. Meanwhile his younger brother, Teddy, becomes increasingly obsessed with protecting some endangered sea turtles near the resort.
In spite of himself, Travis is drawn into Teddy's efforts to save the turtles. But it takes a devastating tragedy beyond his imagining to shake Travis out of his cynicism -- a tragedy that will change his family forever.

Genres: Fiction, Young Adult, Teen, Audiobook

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

WILL HOBBS is the author of seventeen novels for upper elementary, middle school and young adult readers, as well as two picture book stories. Seven of his novels, Bearstone, Downriver, The Big Wander, Beardance, Far North, The Maze, and Jason's Gold, were named Best Books for Young Adults by the American Library Association. ALA also named Far North and Downriver to their list of the 100 Best Young Adult Books of the Twentieth Centrury. Ghost Canoe received the Edgar Allan Poe Award in 1998 for Best Young Adult Mystery.

In outdoor stories that appeal to both boys and girls, Hobbs has readers discovering wild places, sharing adventures with people from varied backgrounds, and exploring how to make important choices in their own lives. A graduate of Stanford University and former reading and language arts teacher, Will has been a full-time writer since 1990. He lives with his wife, Jean, in Durango, Colorado.

Will's books have won many other awards, including the California Young Reader Medal, the Western Writers of America Spur Award, the Mountains and Plains Booksellers Award, the Colorado Book Award, and nominations to state award lists in over thirty states.

Reviews

[Ryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is about a boy named Travis and his family, they go to Mexico on vacation and when they get there they get in to a cab and the cab driver drives really fast and crazy. Then they reach their hotel. But it's on Travis, Teddy, Jennifer, and the mom that are on the trip their dad didn't go because they are having marriage issues. So they stay there a few days not really doing anything and the Travis's little brother Teddy loves turtles. So they go to the beach and they see some turtles there and then they see one in the water so they decide to swim with it. Then a few days later they are strolling the beach with Casey, Casey is the marine biologist they meet there. And out of no where they see thousands of dead turtles that cover the beach. Then they find out that there is a company that is poaching turtles for there shells. Later in the book they try and shut down they company, but that doesn't work. So Travis just forgets everything and he leaves to go meet this girl he met there but before he leaves he gets in a huge fight with his sister. He then comes back to see his sister crying on the bed and he finds out that Teddy is missing. After awhile Casey calls Travis to tell him that he "found Teddy on the beach.... and he's dead."

[Karsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Will Hobbs' Changes in Latitudes is a good progression story and shows how a character can change throughout a story. Travis, the main character, begins the story as a regular teenager. He is not as excited for his family trip to Mexico as his little brother, Teddy, is. For this reason, Travis does not really care much of what Teddy believes or wants to do in Mexico. His little brother's goal is to see the endangered sea turtles that live along the shore. Over the course of the book, Travis's feelings change as he starts to feel more sympathetic for his brothers cause. Near the end of the book, Travis fully supports what his brother was there to do. We see both Travis's emotions, actions, and feelings change drastically as the story goes on. Travis at the beginning sees the vacation as a mere opportunity for himself to find a female counterpart who is also on vacation. This shows that Travis is a little selfish and really only cares for this vacation because it gives him some opportunities. In the middle of the book, Travis starts to bond with his brother and sees that his brother really does want to help these animals. That being said, Travis gives in a little to his little brother's cause and starts to look more into the idea of helping these endangered animals. Finally, at the end of the book we see that Travis is fully caring for others rather than only himself like the beginning of the book. We see him leave a girl's house when a family problem arises showing how over the course of the book, Travis has went from selfish to selfless. Fans of adventure stories will really enjoy this book. It puts things from other Will Hobbs books and adds them into a story that may have you crying in the end.

[Sarca · Rating 3 out of 5]

A YA read.
Talk about a tear-jerker! Travis, his siblings and Mom (on the brink of divorce from Dad) go to Mexico on a vacation. Experiencing a rocky time in her marriage, his mother decides to have a fling with a man and basically abandon her children, leaving the kids to fend for themselves. Travis and his younger brother Teddy find a beach where Ridley turtles nest. They also discover poaching is taking place there...
A heartbreaking tale that touches on environmentalism and human selfishness.

[Ranette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very hard book to read about selfishness, especially the mother's. She takes her three children to Mexico on vacation and leaves her husband home. She meets a lover, and things really fall apart. This is told by the 16 year old boy who has his own desires. I think this book needs to be discussed after reading to make sense out of it.

[KB · Rating 5 out of 5]

i cried liek 2 times but not cuz of the Book. Anywyas I like travis because it made me realize that not much has changed since the 80s in terms of random thoughts, customs, beliefs, conversations, opinions. The book is relevant even today so I’m really glad I enjoyed reading this book. It was worth my time.

[SFrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

From the totally hysterical cab rid near the beginning to the tear jerking end, I found the book to be a worthwhile read.

[Jill Tharp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not my favorite Will Hobbs, but still a good story.

[Vegankylie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This books is nostalgic for me. You immediately latch on to Travis and walk in his shoes and emotions throughout the book.

[Kimberlynn Uhl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Initially I was looking for some kind of book relating to the sciences and then in looking at a variety of books I decided I wanted to find a good animal book. This is when I came across it online and thought that it looked like a fairly good book. It was a very easy read and would be great for a middle school science class. The gist of the book is that a family goes on vacation to Mexico, a mom, 16 year-old Travis, 14 year-old Jennifer and 9 year-old Teddy. Teddy is a big animal lover and curious science minded child. He learns about the sea turtle beach near where they are staying and discovers that baby sea turtles are soon to be hatching while they are there. Ultimately, he falls even more in love with the turtles and ends up swaying his brothers feelings in a similar direction. As a team, Teddy and Travis become even more involved with the turtles and learn some pretty dreadful things about what has happened to so many turtles on the beach during the course of their stay. There is a great sense of family connection along with major struggles that families often endure within this book including the devastating event that occurs with Teddy attempting to rescue full grown adult sea turtles all by himself in the middle of the night. Altogether, this was a very interesting book that would be beneficial in a science classroom possibly during a discussion of ecosystems and endangered species because it makes you look at the real world and how certain decisions affect you. This would be a great book because it would keep students interested and allow them to learn using a different method. I enjoyed reading this book because it was an easy but interesting read with a very unexpected ending with a sad twist to it. I would recommend this book to anyone especially a science classroom discussing animals in particular.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Teenaged Travis, his older sister Jennifer and younger brother Teddy travel to Mexico with their mom. Travis is there for the "babes", Jennifer for the guys and Teddy, an environmentally-minded kid, is there for the sea turtles. Travis and Jennifer are supposed to be watching and entertaining Teddy--and they do--mostly. Teddy discovers an illegal factory that is trapping, killing and processing the endangered sea turtles for their oils, and wants to do something to save the turtles. But what can a little kid do to stop this level of illegal activity? Where are Travis and Jennifer? Where's mom? Have your tissues ready....

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed listening to this audiobook. Johnny Heller was the reader who made the characters easy to follow. Characters are believable. Will HObbs manages to get the reader to like the good characters and to really dislike the bad characters. Endangered turtles and families facing divorce are the social issues Hobbs winds through the story. One of the best parts is something I can't include here because it would give away too much of the story. If you like vacations to the beach, you will like this book.

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book started off kinda boring and slow. It didn't really grab me, but I persisted in reading; I don't give up easily. Somehow this book drew me in. It was really sad how the family members had drifted apart from one another (even before the story begins) and it's really really sad what ends up happening near the end (I cried).

[Anastasia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book Changes in Latitudes by Will Hobbs I thought was really good and interesting to read. I thought this book had a lot of things that could relate to other peoples life's and that's what I really liked about it. I also thought the book was a very easy read and I think this book would be good for young adults.

[Tito Quiling, Jr. · Rating 3 out of 5]

At one point, I forgot that it was a book targeted to a younger demographic, hence the simpler conflict which treads on the "man vs. society" street. With a seemingly detached teenager as the protagonist, he soon finds out that their quiet family road trip has turned into a series of rescues and romantic discoveries which leads to a rather grisly ending for one of them.

[Audrey Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely LOVED this book! It was really good. It has a sad ending to it though. I love the main characters. I was sad when it finally ended, but part glad because I could start a new book. I really like this book and I recommend it to anyone who can read.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

A favorite of mine... introduced me to the plight of endangered sea turtles and opened my mind to the various cultural perspectives of this problem.

Read this book aloud to granddaughter Haleigh 7/24 She agrees... it is a good book, but very sad. We both cried

[Kelly Marvel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book just before my 12 Yr old did, and it was a fantastic story! it was able to spark so much discussion .. family dynamics! passion, love of turtles.. we read it again with he younger siblings

[Cowgirl4christ16 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is another one that I read in high school. I remember it being good,but not a favorite, becuase it had a sad ending, I think.

[Mary Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tie in to endangered species.

[D · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is for more mature readers than most of his other books.

[Vanessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book, touching