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Missing in Paradise
Four months after Gramp's mysterious death, Nate helps out at Gram's garage sale. An eerie feeling, as if Gramps were reaching beyond the grave to send Nate a message, leads Nate to a box full of clues. A missing plane. A secret to keep. A map highlighting the route where Gramps died and the message, "Shipment #35-Gold." Nate and his best friend, Simon, are convinced that Gramps was on a treasure hunt when he died. They're just as convinced that Gram's shifty next door neighbour, Fortier, is after the gold too. Nate and Simon sneak away on a Greyhound bus for the small town of Paradise where Nate is sure treasure awaits. Can they find the gold before Fortier gets his thieving hands on a treasure that rightfully belongs to Gramps? Larry Verstraete is an award winning author of 13 non-fiction books for young people. This is his first work of fiction.
142 pages, Paperback
First published November 3, 2014
215 people want to read
About the author
Larry Verstraete
24 books25 followersAt nine years old, there were subtle signs that Larry Verstraete might be a writer some day. While thumbing through a toy catalog just before Christmas, he found, and then later received, the perfect gift - a small toy printing press. The summer after, Larry and a friend started an ambitious publishing project, aiming to become as he puts it, ‘rich and famous’ with the printing press.
Their goal was to publish and sell a newsletter filled with stories gathered around the neighborhood. For a week, the two would-be reporters spied on neighbors, filling notepads with facts and observations. But when they started setting the stories into type on the printing press, the project floundered. The work was too boring, too tedious, and they abandoned dreams of fame and wealth in favor of more enjoyable summer pastimes like swimming and biking.
That was Larry’s earliest foray into writing, and although that venture was a gob-smacking failure, the drive to write simmered below the surface for years. One day, older now with a science degree under his belt and a teaching career already well in hand, fate intervened. While waiting for a haircut in a salon, a magazine ad for a correspondence writing course caught his eye, rekindling his desire to write and be published. He clipped out the ad, enrolled in the course and as the saying goes ‘the rest is history’.
One of his first course assignments was to write a non-fiction article for children. He quickly latched on to a topic that fascinated him – accidental discoveries in science. By the end of the course, he’d written about 25 short stories, each telling about a breakthrough in science that owed much to a mistake, mishap, coincidence or spectacular blunder. That became his first Scholastic book – The Serendipity Effect (later re-issued under the title Accidental Discoveries: From Laughing Gas to Dynamite).
Since then, Larry has published 13 non-fiction books and 1 middle grade novel. The roots of his writing lie deep in his own personal experiences and his interests in science, history and true adventure. For Larry, ideas usually begin with an intriguing story, event or fact, something that triggers his curiosity. He and his wife are devoted travelers, and each trip offers fresh opportunities to discover new writing material. Becoming lost on a mountain hike in Colorado, for example, sparked the idea for Survivors:True Death-Defying Escapes, and visiting the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona – the place where Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto – eventually became C is for Compare in his book S is for Scientists: A Discovery Alphabet.
Some key accomplishments of Larry’s career include:
•Two-time recipient of Ontario’s Silver Birch Award for Non-fiction (Survivors: True Death-Defying Escapes; At the Edge: Daring Acts in Desperate Times)
•Two-time recipient of the McNally Robinson Book of the Year for Young People Award (Lost Treasures: True Stories of Discovery; S is for Scientists: A Discovery Alphabet)
•Awarded B.C.’s Red Cedar Award (Survivors: True Death-Defying Escapes)
•Nominated for the Norma Fleck Award (Accidental Discoveries: From Laughing Gas to Dynamite)
•Nominated for the New York Reading Association Charlotte Award & Alberta’s Rocky Mountain Award (Surviving the Hindenburg)
•Among other distinctions: Honor winner, 2014 Story Telling World Resource Awards (Surviving the Hindenburg); Runner-up, 2012 USA Best Book Awards, Children's Picture Book (Surviving the Hindenburg); Outstanding Science Trade Book of 2011 by the National Science Teachers Association and Children’s Book Council (S is for Scientists: A Discovery Alphabet); Selected, 2001 Canadian Toy Testing Council, 25 Great Books, (Whose Bright Idea Was It?)
Their goal was to publish and sell a newsletter filled with stories gathered around the neighborhood. For a week, the two would-be reporters spied on neighbors, filling notepads with facts and observations. But when they started setting the stories into type on the printing press, the project floundered. The work was too boring, too tedious, and they abandoned dreams of fame and wealth in favor of more enjoyable summer pastimes like swimming and biking.
That was Larry’s earliest foray into writing, and although that venture was a gob-smacking failure, the drive to write simmered below the surface for years. One day, older now with a science degree under his belt and a teaching career already well in hand, fate intervened. While waiting for a haircut in a salon, a magazine ad for a correspondence writing course caught his eye, rekindling his desire to write and be published. He clipped out the ad, enrolled in the course and as the saying goes ‘the rest is history’.
One of his first course assignments was to write a non-fiction article for children. He quickly latched on to a topic that fascinated him – accidental discoveries in science. By the end of the course, he’d written about 25 short stories, each telling about a breakthrough in science that owed much to a mistake, mishap, coincidence or spectacular blunder. That became his first Scholastic book – The Serendipity Effect (later re-issued under the title Accidental Discoveries: From Laughing Gas to Dynamite).
Since then, Larry has published 13 non-fiction books and 1 middle grade novel. The roots of his writing lie deep in his own personal experiences and his interests in science, history and true adventure. For Larry, ideas usually begin with an intriguing story, event or fact, something that triggers his curiosity. He and his wife are devoted travelers, and each trip offers fresh opportunities to discover new writing material. Becoming lost on a mountain hike in Colorado, for example, sparked the idea for Survivors:True Death-Defying Escapes, and visiting the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona – the place where Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto – eventually became C is for Compare in his book S is for Scientists: A Discovery Alphabet.
Some key accomplishments of Larry’s career include:
•Two-time recipient of Ontario’s Silver Birch Award for Non-fiction (Survivors: True Death-Defying Escapes; At the Edge: Daring Acts in Desperate Times)
•Two-time recipient of the McNally Robinson Book of the Year for Young People Award (Lost Treasures: True Stories of Discovery; S is for Scientists: A Discovery Alphabet)
•Awarded B.C.’s Red Cedar Award (Survivors: True Death-Defying Escapes)
•Nominated for the Norma Fleck Award (Accidental Discoveries: From Laughing Gas to Dynamite)
•Nominated for the New York Reading Association Charlotte Award & Alberta’s Rocky Mountain Award (Surviving the Hindenburg)
•Among other distinctions: Honor winner, 2014 Story Telling World Resource Awards (Surviving the Hindenburg); Runner-up, 2012 USA Best Book Awards, Children's Picture Book (Surviving the Hindenburg); Outstanding Science Trade Book of 2011 by the National Science Teachers Association and Children’s Book Council (S is for Scientists: A Discovery Alphabet); Selected, 2001 Canadian Toy Testing Council, 25 Great Books, (Whose Bright Idea Was It?)
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 15, 2015
Before I start taling about the book, I want to talk a bit about the cover art.
I’m assuming you read the book description. Now look at the cover. It tells the story. You’ll see after you read it.
Bravo to the author for his fun, whimsical, telling cover!
Now to the story.
Nate thinks his Gramp’s death was mysterious. And that is confirmed when he’s drawn to a cardboard box. It contains clues and a map to a hidden treasure, the long missing “Shipment #35 – Gold.”
Nate quickly grabs the box, rescuing it from the garage sale and the creepy clutches of his neighbor, old man Fortier.
Sure that his Gramps was onto something, Nate enlists the help of his friend, Simon, to seek out the treasure.
They make their plans, jump on a bus, and set off on the adventure of all adventures.
But someone else knows about the treasure, and the race is on.
This book is like a blast to the past. I remember some wild adventures I went on when I was young. I never found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, never found cans of money buried in my back yard(got in trouble for those holes, LOL) and never found a treasure, but I had a grand time looking.
I felt that same excitement while reading this book. I was a part of the adventure. I also felt the fear, the doubt, and the hope.
While this is recommended for middle grade readers, some of the characters are kids and some are older adults, so I’d recommend this to anyone with a sense of adventure. It’s good, clean fun.
Here’s looking at you, kid.
I received this book for my honest review.
I’m assuming you read the book description. Now look at the cover. It tells the story. You’ll see after you read it.
Bravo to the author for his fun, whimsical, telling cover!
Now to the story.
Nate thinks his Gramp’s death was mysterious. And that is confirmed when he’s drawn to a cardboard box. It contains clues and a map to a hidden treasure, the long missing “Shipment #35 – Gold.”
Nate quickly grabs the box, rescuing it from the garage sale and the creepy clutches of his neighbor, old man Fortier.
Sure that his Gramps was onto something, Nate enlists the help of his friend, Simon, to seek out the treasure.
They make their plans, jump on a bus, and set off on the adventure of all adventures.
But someone else knows about the treasure, and the race is on.
This book is like a blast to the past. I remember some wild adventures I went on when I was young. I never found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, never found cans of money buried in my back yard(got in trouble for those holes, LOL) and never found a treasure, but I had a grand time looking.
I felt that same excitement while reading this book. I was a part of the adventure. I also felt the fear, the doubt, and the hope.
While this is recommended for middle grade readers, some of the characters are kids and some are older adults, so I’d recommend this to anyone with a sense of adventure. It’s good, clean fun.
Here’s looking at you, kid.
I received this book for my honest review.
December 6, 2014
Great mystery for boys and girls alike. Keeps you wondering until the end. Well written.
December 14, 2014
Couldn't put it down. Great tension and humour. This writer knows boys.Recommended for middle-grade readers. And the Manitoba setting just adds to its charm! Verstraete's proven he can do non-fiction and now he's showing off his fiction talents, as well.
December 5, 2014
Missing in Paradise is a fast paced, treasure hunt adventure that kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved the characters. They brought so much depth and humour to the story. This is an awesome book, especially for middle grade boys. They'll love the photocopier scene--laugh out loud funny.
January 18, 2025
This was a charming little read from the view point of a pre-teen boy. I don't usually read many stories from this point of view and I found it delightful. I liked the characters and how the author handled them. The voice and personality for the boys that age was fairy well behaved but tinged with a little mischievous. It was particularly fun when they were doing pranks that kids their age do and I found myself chuckling along.
The pacing is decent, I found myself reading through the pages easily and the suspense held me till the end. The flow of the story scenes were good. I feel like there could have been more escalation in the scenes (more ups and downs) but it kept a good consistent pace.
For the plot, I expected the boys to go more on a treasure hunt (like Indiana Jones or something) based off of clues but it ended up being more like an adventure which I still found enjoyable. I feel that this story would be considered more of a mystery adventure with the lure of a treasure hunt.
The ending summed up the story well but it ended more abruptly than I would have preferred. It wasn't mind blowing but it tied up all the story threads which I appreciated. I was left with few questions about the story at the end which is good and it was open for the reader to interpret.
Overall, it was a simple and fun read. While the story was good, I'm not sure it would be memorable for me. The characters are good, innocent boys who want to do the right thing and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book to any reader. Young or old, who would enjoy a quick "mystery" or "adventure" read.
3.4 out of 5 rating for me!
(A copy was provided for the Chapter by Chapter Book Tour for an honest review. I was not compensated in any other way.)
October 2, 2015
I was somewhat disappointed with "Missing in Paradise". This YA novel is a 2016 MYRCA Nominee and as such, I had higher expectations. The novel is simply okay -- I did remind myself of the intended reader audience, but having read some other YA novels recently, I felt that "Missing in Paradise" fell short.
14 year-old Nate and his best friend, Simon, embark on an adventure to solve the mystery of what Nate's Gramps was tying to solve prior to his recent death. They are convinced that Gramps was on a treasure hunt at the time and they are equally convinced that the elderly neighbour, Fortier, is trying to solve the riddle as well. Verstraete does weave an interesting story infusing some actual fact with fiction and he does create two young boys with more enthusiasm than caution. I, personally, don't feel that Nate and Simon represent good role models for young readers. That said, perhaps that is what would appeal to the intended audience -- the protagonists are definitely not saintly!
14 year-old Nate and his best friend, Simon, embark on an adventure to solve the mystery of what Nate's Gramps was tying to solve prior to his recent death. They are convinced that Gramps was on a treasure hunt at the time and they are equally convinced that the elderly neighbour, Fortier, is trying to solve the riddle as well. Verstraete does weave an interesting story infusing some actual fact with fiction and he does create two young boys with more enthusiasm than caution. I, personally, don't feel that Nate and Simon represent good role models for young readers. That said, perhaps that is what would appeal to the intended audience -- the protagonists are definitely not saintly!
July 5, 2015
Nate and his friend Simon work to solve the mystery that Nate's grandfather had been trying to solve at the time of his death to bring closure to a few unanswered questions. One review that I read commented that this novel reads like a high/low novel and I'd agree; the novel lacks depth to make it particularly noteworthy, but the story will be an easy read for MG children.
Short-listed for the 2016 MYRCA.
Short-listed for the 2016 MYRCA.
January 30, 2015
This is an okay novel, but I find it falls flat. It reminds me of a hi/lo novel in that it has a decent story with no real depth to it. The plot feels forced, the characters don't feel authentic, and the writing is jumpy. I do love the photocopier scene though.
February 1, 2015
A cute, quick read.
December 24, 2016
Enjoyable and straightforward.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews