Addison Cooke and the Treasure of the Incas

Addison Cooke #1

by Jonathan W. Stokes

The Goonies meets Indiana Jones and James Patterson's Treasure Hunters in this funny, action-filled adventure series!

Twelve-year-old Addison Cooke just wishes something exciting would happen to him. His aunt and uncle, both world-famous researchers, travel to the ends of the earth searching for hidden treasure, dodging dangerous robbers along the way, while Addison is stuck in school all day.

Luckily for Addison, adventure has a way of finding the Cookes. After his uncle unearths the first ancient Incan clue needed to find a vast trove of lost treasure, he is kidnapped by members of a shadowy organization intent on stealing the riches. Addison's uncle is the bandits' key to deciphering the ancient clues and looting the treasure . . . unless Addison and his friends can outsmart the kidnappers and crack the code first. So it's off to South America, where the excitement, danger, gold, booby traps, and car chases are never-ending!

Full of laugh-out-loud moments and nonstop action, and perfect for fans of Indiana Jones or James Patterson's Treasure Hunters series, Addison Cooke and the Treasure of the Incas is sure to strike gold with kid readers.

Praise for Addison Cooke and the Treasure of the Incas

"Combines the derring-do of Indiana Jones with a genuine archaeological mystery. Stokes brings a cinematic scope to the story. This lively debut promises more seat-of-the-pants thrills for readers who love adventure."--Booklist

"Cinematic pacing and action drive the story, but it's Addison and his friends who will keep readers engaged. Humor is never in short supply . . . and Addison's endless optimism and irrepressible confidence in his own abilities are endearing. A solid start to a new series, with a conclusion that will leave readers hoping Addison and company return soon for another adventure."--School Library Journal

"Addison is often one step ahead of the adults, but his lead is constantly threatened, building steady tension throughout the novel, screenwriter Stokes's debut."--Publishers Weekly

"What to give the kid who's read all the Harry Potter and Percy Jackson books? Try Addison Cooke...this fast-paced adventure will enthrall middle-grade readers and leave them wanting more."-- Parents

Genres: Middle Grade, Adventure, Childrens, Mystery, Fiction, Action, Contemporary

Audio CD

First published October 11, 2016

About the author

Jonathan Stokes is a screenwriter living in Los Angeles. He has written on assignment for Fox, Paramount, Universal, Warner Brothers, New Line, and Sony. He is the author of several upcoming kids' books being published by Penguin Random House. Jonathan is a street taco aficionado, an urban explorer, and koala enthusiast.

Reviews

[Jill Berry · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was looking forward to this book about the Incas but was dismayed by the many geographical inaccuracies. I'm surprised it passed editorial scrutiny by the publisher and that it got positive reviews from several reviewers. They must not have consulted atlases or checked facts about the Incas.

Among the reviewers, only Kirkus identified the mistakes. "First stop: Colombia. How unfortunate that significant research was evidently not done before writing the book. The Inca Empire only barely reached that far north. A bit more research might have also revealed that Quechua is not commonly spoken in Colombia. A brief consultation with an atlas would have also been helpful. Swimming across the Amazon from Colombia can only lead to Brazil or Peru, never to Ecuador. These are but a few of myriad glaring problems with the book. Engaging in creative history and geography guts the story, exoticizes its setting, and belittles readers."

The kids land in Bogotá, which is described as "air as warm and wet as a dog's tongue" with "stifling heat." Bogotá has an elevation of 8,660 ft. and an average temperature of 58˚. Why would Addison fly into Bogotá to pursue the Incas? Only a tiny portion of the Incan empire was in Colombia.

The Incas did not have a written language, so why were the clues written by Atahualpa in Spanish? (I can accept that an Chinese American boy with a Guatemalan nanny could read Spanish from the 1500s, but not that Atahualpa wrote in Spanish.)

While the kids were in the rainforest of Colombia, they walked 50 miles to the ocean. As the Kirkus reviewer noted, a quick look at an atlas shows this is not possible. Plus, the Incas lived in the Andes, not the rain forest!

I hope the author researches adequately for future books. It's fine to create fictional towns, but not to have so many glaring geographical and historical mistakes. Such a disappointment!

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reminded me of The Gooonies, in the best possible way. Since Stokes is apparently a screenwriter, it fits to me that his debut book is so well-plotted. Unlike other books, this one doesn't waste any time and gets the reader off to the adventure. It's sharply written and funny to boot. It has memorable characters that remind me of 80s classic films like The Goonies and Stand By Me. And while it is obviously a work of fiction - I don't expect a bunch of 13-year-olds to gallivant around the globe looking for lost treasure - I think this book is coming at a very interesting time. It *is* possible for children to be involved, as never before, in archaeology. I saw something in the news that a kid found what might be a Mayan ruin with satellite imagery on Google Earth! If you're looking for a good old-fashioned adventure yarn, then I'd say pick this one up. I'm looking forward to the next books in the series and what adventures Addison goes on next!

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Molly, a sixth grader, had more than a decade of solid experience with Addison’s odd behavior. She was more or less used to it. “I ran to your classroom to find you, but Ms. Johnson said you weren’t in class all afternoon.”

“I got a nurse’s pass.”

“But you’re not sick.”

“Naturally. I got the nurse’s pass from Eddie Chang,” Addison explained. “He was sick last week. I traded him his nurse’s pass for an owl pellet.”

If you ever wondered what a middle school Ferris Bueller x Indiana Jones mash-up would look like? Wonder no more. Meet Addison Cooke: wise-cracking, adventure-seeking, Arnold Palmer loving, Man (boy?......TEENAGER!!!) of Intrigue!

After Addison’s archaeologist aunt & uncle discover the first clue needed to uncover the long-lost treasure of the Incas, they’re KIDNAPPED by a Moriarty-like Professor Ragar intent on stealing the riches for himself. Because Addison’s aunt & uncle are the world’s resident Incan experts, they’re the keys to deciphering the remaining leads. UNLESS Addison & his friends can outsmart Ragar & crack the code first. GOONIES NEVER SAY DIE!!!! (Err...wrong book, sorry movie).

So a middle schooler from NYC and his posse of similarly aged friends will need to figure out a way to fly to South America and navigate through the Amazon Jungle where the excitement, booby traps, fights, and DANGER are never-ending. Basically like traveling from Manhattan to the Bronx. I kid, I kid.

For the action-adventure crowd, this is tailor-made for you. There’s some “creative” history & geography happening, but really, who’s reading this story as a social studies lesson? It’s fun, light, and fast-paced. Addison’s gang is dual-gendered and a range of races and ethnicities are represented throughout the book. A sequel is due to be released later this year.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was incredible - I couldn't put it down! I was torn between wanting to read as quickly as possible to find out what happened next and enjoying the adventure and process of reading so much that I wanted to read slowly to savor it for as long as possible. Addison Cooke is the kind of book you want to read over and over again. It's a fast paced adventure, but the writing and humor are exquisite with hilarious and well thought out details that help you discover something new every time you read it.

Addison Cooke reminds me of my childhood favorites, including Sherlock Holmes, the Alanna Quartet, Boxcar Children, Nancy Drew, and Indiana Jones. These books are so much more than just stories, they're a chance to solve exciting puzzles, get into some trouble, make new friends, and delve headfirst into entirely new worlds. The characters are now my friends - Addison's ideas kept me excited and ready to hop onboard throughout the book while his little sister Molly's sharpness had me air high-fiving her (it's still so rare to see strong female characters like Molly). Raj's fearless spirit had me pumped while Eddie's peanut gallery comments had me rolling on the floor.

Addison Cooke is a must read whether you're young or old and a very effective way to get reluctant readers excited about reading. My only complaint is that the second book isn't out yet - I'm DYING to know what happens to Addison in China and what the big family secret is!

[Allison Tebo · Rating 2 out of 5]

This started promisingly and the writing style was fun but as things progressed the writing style and story kept getting more and more contrived - though there were still some genuinely funny and adventurous moments through out.

But it was hard for me to turn off the 'these are children doing these dangerous things' part of my mind and all their adventures (perils) kept stressing me instead of engaging me. Plus, it got a little silly and even kind of disturbing when the children are physically taking out bad guys and literally risking their lives.

Could have been awesome but as it was, so-so.

[Geordie Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic read, ripe with compulsive adventure, humor and history. We follow Addison, a witty bookworm with an unconventional perspective on life, and his merry gang of school friends on a journey through a Columbian-Cathedral death trap, the infested waters of the Amazon jungle and onwards to Mach Picchu in search of ancient Incan treasure.
Not only is the writing hilarious and each character uniquely fleshed-out, the overall message of the power of self-belief and positive thinking resonates strongly, especially in the hero, Addison. His unwavering optimism in moments of carnage and imminent demise (be it a hungry Cayman or a booby-trapped cave) bring an amusing interpretation and point of difference to most other young-adult adventure fiction that this reviewer has read.
The narrative moves swiftly and the writing is comprehensive and never supercilious; perfect for school kids, history-buffs or those wanting an undemanding escapade.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Addison Cooke to my 7-year old son. This was the first non-picture book he listened to cover to cover. It's a page-turner that kept us up late many times! He picked up a lot of new vocabulary from the book too. We would stop and talk about the scenes as we read it. We can't wait for the next adventure with the Cookes!

[Y · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. Kinda cute, kinda humorous. The biggest problem is that the entire book, the situations, the dialogue, is very much written in the format of a children's adventure *movie*, one of those that will very much *only* appeal to young children (their parents that accompany them to the theater will likely be inwardly groaning most of the time.) If I want movie situations and movie dialog, then I'll watch a movie. From a novel, even an unrealistic one, I expect more novel-oriented writing. The fact that the author's main occupation is a screenwriter is a good indicator of why the book was written the way it was. Our plucky, intelligent young adventurers constantly spout zingers that, while admittedly witty (sometimes), still scream "MOVIE ONE-LINER!" and are 90% of the time things that no twelve-thirteen year old would ever actually say. Hell, most adults would never even say them, but I feel that keeping the dialog somewhat more realistic to who these kids are wouldn't hurt.

[Amanda Kruger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Addison Cooke, if James Bond and Indiana Jones had a baby surely it would be this charming smooth talking character. His adventures are exciting while factually based, it is the PERFECT book for any middle grade reader. I found myself swept into Addison's fervent search for his kidnapped relatives and the most famous treasure of all time, the lost treasure of the Incas. Addison and his crew are reminiscent of The Goonies and once you turn the last page you find you miss them already.. but don't fret rumor has it this book is just the first in a series so there will be plenty of adventures to come. I truly think this is the perfect book especially for the child who is not yet in love with reading, Addison will surely charm even the most reluctant readers!

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a lot of fun. It just felt like books I used to read that I can't find anymore. It's like The Hardy Boys if The Hardy Boys was actually good. I enjoyed the South American setting and felt like I was watching a movie as I read it. Definite recommend.

[Niharika✩ · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Molly, a sixth-grader, had more than a decade of solid experience with Addison’s odd behaviour. She was more or less used to it. “I ran to your classroom to find you, but Ms. Johnson said you weren’t in class all afternoon.”

“I got a nurse’s pass.”

“But you’re not sick.”

“Naturally. I got the nurse’s pass from Eddie Chang,” Addison explained. “He was sick last week. I traded him his nurse’s pass for an owl pellet.”

5 stars

Addison Cooke and the Treasure of the Incas was a book I had high expectations for. According to the people who read it, it was a 'funny, adventure story which would keep you on the edge of your seat'. Was that accurate? Yes!

Plot
"Twelve-year-old Addison Cooke just wishes something exciting would happen to him. His aunt and uncle, both world-famous researchers, travel to the ends of the earth searching for hidden treasure, dodging dangerous robbers along the way, while Addison is stuck in school all day. Luckily for Addison, adventure has a way of finding the Cookes. After his uncle unearths the first ancient Incan clue needed to find a vast trove of lost treasure, he is kidnapped by members of a shadowy organization intent on stealing the riches. Addison's uncle is the bandits' key to deciphering the ancient clues and looting the treasure . . . unless Addison and his friends can outsmart the kidnappers and crack the code first!"

It was packed with adventure right from the start and was an incredibly fun read. I found the plot very fast-paced and were filled with minor and major plot twist. That, of course, hindered my thought process but it was fairly easy to adapt to the new storyline.

Writing
The writing left me giggling uncontrollably a lot of times and it was hard to peel away my eyes from the pages. It was very engaging and absorbed me more and more with every word. In short: I loved the writing!

Characters

Addison was my favourite character. He has a quick mind and a flair for archeology. I felt connected to him the most and the suspence grew every time he got into trouble.

Raj was the most adventurous of them all.

The guy swinging from the vine? That's him.

Eddie was the most cautious and unadventurous of the four. He was very scared a LOT and a huge doubter. But he also helped the book become much more interesting.

Molly was the most serious (and the youngest) and was an effective time-keeper. She and Addison couldn't be more different (their siblings)

Guadalupe (I think that's how her name is spelt?) was a sneaky, kind (deep inside) and also an adventurous girl. She was part of the reason I needed to read ahead.

This book was an adventure on its own and it's been a long time I've read something like this.

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5

[Zora · Rating 3 out of 5]

I used to do a good job of finding books for boys, reluctant readers in particular, though I've been remiss the past couple of years. This works for that list, with a few caveats.

This is an Indiana Jones type adventure starring a independent-minded kid. In this book, he careens around South America to find three keys that will get him to a hidden treasure. It's very pace-y. Rip-roaring, if you will.

One problem for the reluctant reader is that the intellectual content is a bit advanced. MC is twelve, so it has to be aimed at MG, but it'd take a pretty smart MGer to like this one, and it's longer than I'd usually choose for reluctant readers.

A problem I had with it is that the kids are so upper class and privileged, I started to hate them a little bit. They steal the uncle's wallet and fly first-class to South America. They ooze privilege at every turn. The worst moment of this in the book for me is when they steal a limousine and have a movie chase scene where they drive through an Ecuadoran town and mow down vegetable sellers and drive through a grocery store. So here are these people living hand to mouth, in an economy that suffers from the depredations of rich Americans in the first place, and these spoiled kids don't give a damn if they're causing some poor families to not be able to afford food or medicine for the month. Wow. Just kind of jerks that way. So... yeah. If you were willing to discuss those things with your kids, and take that as an opportunity to talk about the repercussions of our thoughtless behavior, maybe it'd work. But for you to let that pass without comment or me to let that pass in this review seems just wrong.

[Georgiana-Laura Gheorghe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review for „Addison Cooke and the Treasure of the Incas” by Jonathan W. Stokes:

Addison Cooke is a twelve-year-old boy who wishes for something interesting to happen in his life just like any boy of his age. His aunt and uncle are always busy, and he only goes to school and gets back home. It’s kinda boring, isn’t it?
Everything change when his uncle discovers the first clue to what appears to be an ancient treasure. Addison finds out that the expedition isn’t easy since there are others who are seeking the lost Inca treasure too. Adventure, mystery, suspense, friendship and humor are the words that perfectly describe the world of Jonathan W. Strokes.
Reading this novel will make the readers forget the passing of time and will travel to South America, go on an adventure through the Amazon Jungle and discover the mysteries behind the Incas along with Addison and his friends.
I recommend this book to readers of all ages, especially to those who love adventure.

[Adrian Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

So Spencer and I have an informal agreement, which is that he plays the kids' video games so they can talk about them with him, and I read the kids' books so they can talk about them with me. This book was much better than the last one I read with my 8yo. The writing was better and it also had the advantage that it stuffs actual facts into the story, so my 8yo and I learned a bit about Incan history and religion along with adventure. The plot holes are less egregious and I didn't mind the idea of reading the next one in the series. Recommended for kids but not for adults.

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute kids' book set in South America that I read in preparation for my upcoming trip to Peru. It was really more fun than truly learning, but I still picked it up anyway. It was fun to see the kids end up at Machu Picchu to find the treasure and save their aunt and uncle. While in Peru, we will go into the rainforest so hearing about anacondas and spiders freaked me out.

[Lupe Dominguez · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I didn’t finish this with my son like I had hoped-he took it upon himself to finish it tonight - and he loved it! He is looking forward to the next adventure with Addison and his sister Molly and their friends. I’m so glad he finally liked a book mom picked out! Ha!

[Sophia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one. I thought the adventure sense was very interesting.
I would like to read the next books in the series!

[Nathan Gabriel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Its an excellent kids book. An adventure for 9-11 year old which borrows heavily from Indiana Jones. My son and I really enjoyed listening to it together!

[Maren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leo read this in one day - said it was excellent. Finally got him to read something not Captain Underpants, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, or Minecraft.

[Vito Gutilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was a kid, I loved the Indiana Jones, the Hardy Boys, and the Goonies. This book is a perfect combination of Jones-esque adventure with Hardy-esque mystery with Goonies-esque hijynx. The plot moves constantly forward with a pleasingly predictable overall arc while also offering unexpected twists and turns along the way from scene to scene.

The real charm of this book is in the characters. Addison Cooke is by far the best, as he should be. He's a wise-cracking sixth-grade mix of James Bond (with Arnold Palmers instead of martinis) and Indiana Jones, with a little Encyclopedia Brown thrown in for those of you who get that reference. His sister is delightfully prissy and the contrast between Raj and Eddie (Bear Grylls wannabe vs cowardly nerd) is hilarious.

There are legitimate laugh-out-loud moments, even for me as a twenty-five-year-old reader, and Stokes does a great job of keeping the tone light and funny throughout, with jokes for readers my age as well as for the target age group. There's one particular pun involving corn about two thirds of the way through that literally made me put the book down and chuckle for a good thirty seconds. That said, there are also some good, heartfelt moments, and a very cool relationship between Addison and his sister of the kind that is so important for children to understand and emulate.

In the end, this book does everything it sets out to do remarkably well. The jokes are funny, the adventure is gripping, the characters are relatable, and the tone is exactly on point. I would highly recommend Addison Cooke, whether for school libraries or personal collections.

[Scott Carr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Addison Cooke and the Treasure of the Incas has done something truly exception: it's both a throwback to the great adventure stories of my childhood in books and movies (The Hardy Boys; Tom Sawyer; The Goonies) while also being fresh, fun, and topical. It's a thrill to read, with a poppy voice and lots of laugh-out-loud humor. The pace of the book is fantastic - I can see the whole story in my head because it's told with easy-to-visualize images and wonderful characterizations with dialogue that crackles off the page. It's clearly well-researched and written with a great deal of passion and understanding for the genre and the world-building. Addison himself is an iconic new hero for literature: savvy, precocious, adventurous - his character is playful wish-fulfillment. And the book even manages to be educational with all the neat history and facts, cleverly woven into an exciting adventure story!

This first book is a perfect kick-off to this exciting new series. The adventure was a blast and I can't wait to see where Addison and his friends go to next (the end of the book suggests China, which I think would be a lot of fun, given its rich culture and exotic settings). Jonathan Stokes has crafted a tone, characters and world that has so much potential, and his primary iteration has got me spinning with enthusiasm for what's next!

[Heather Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an awesome story. What to do when your aunt and uncle, who are your legal guardians, are abducted. If you're Addison Cooke, you call in your sister and your best friends and you plan a rescue.

As museum curators, his aunt and uncle don't lead the boring life you might expect, instead, they are often travelling to far off, exotic sounding places hunting for lost treasures. Unfortunately for all of them, this time they have found a clue that has put them in peril. With the help of his sister Molly, and with his best friends Eddie and Raj, the four are set to venture forth across the globe to follow the remaining clues and find the treasure and their family.

I loved this book. It was fun and exciting; I could hardly put it down. Not only was it full of adventure, I was also introduced to the the history of the Incas. Along the way, the group faces physical as well as moral challenges. Young readers should find the resolution to each encouraging.

Author Jonathan W. Stokes has signed a multi-book deal with his publisher, leading me to expect that Addison and his fellow explorers have at least a few missions ahead of them.

*I received an advanced reader copy of this book from Indigo Books & Music Inc. in exchange for an honest review*

#IndigoEmployee

[Jen]

I read this for our book blog. We're having a guest reviewer (a middle grader) read and review this book for us so I wanted to read it too.

I'm clearly not the target audience and so it's hard for me to review it fairly and thus I'm not going to give it a star rating. I did like the incorporation of some historical information about the incas but the plot was way over the top for me (children traipsing through the Amazon forest with great ease, then outswimming caimans and surviving falls over waterfalls). Again, I don't read much middle grade fiction so these things may not bother middle graders but I found them ludicrous. It is adventure packed and will probably be very engaging to middle graders.

[Alanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read and fun adventure! Addison Cooke somehow manages to make being a nerd sound cool. I'm all for a book that influences children to like history and formal attire. This story points out the value of family and friendships. I highly recommend this read to any parent hoping to find a gift for their child. The humor and adventure along with some decent vocabulary words will spark the interest of any reader while secretly giving them some life lessons too. While a children's book, I like that the author does not speak down to his audience, but instead encourages smart thinking. Whether for you or a family member, enjoy!

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good paced adventure that will suck in any middle grade readers. The adventure starts right away and doesn't stop. Along with all the action there is the chance for readers to learn more about central and South American geography and some culture. The idea of the Russian mobsters is also interesting.

[Maybelyn Plecic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read for any age who is interested in adventure, mystery and a great life lessons of survival and prioritizing what is important.

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Addison and his sister Molly are meeting their uncle at the archaeology museum for dinner when their evening is interrupted. Uncle Nigel just returned from finding a very important artifact in South America that may be the key to finding an Incan treasure that has been hidden for centuries. And it becomes abundantly clear that others are very keen to get their hands on that treasure when they storm the archaeology museum and kidnap Uncle Nigel. Addison and Molly would have been kidnapped too, but they manage to evade the kidnappers thanks to years of playing around in their guardians' work place. They assume the bad guys have snatched their aunt too when they return to their apartment to find it ransacked. Addison and Molly quickly pack some bags and call a Code Blue with their best friends and neighbors, Eddie and Raj. Soon, all four kids are off to South America to see if they can follow the key to the treasure and keep it out of the hands of the bad guys and safe for the Incan's heirs. But this treasure has been hidden for centuries. The bad guys are deadly serious. And South America is a big continent with lots of things eager to eat tasty middle schoolers.

This was just what I was in the mood for. It's a globetrotting adventure with a group of four quirky kids. Addison believes he can talk his way into and out of anything; he knows way more than average about archaeology for a child his age, and he believes in adventuring in wingtip shoes and a blazer. Molly is much more practical than her brother and the sporty one in the family who helps talk sense into Addison when he'll listen. Eddie is the Chinese American musical prodigy who lives nearby; he's gifted in a number of languages, notably for this adventure, Spanish, and constantly wonders how he got dragged along on this adventure. Raj is their Indian American friend (Asian Indian) who dreams of being a survival specialist and is game for anything wild and crazy, but he is still building his skills and has a penchant for leaving a trail of accidental destruction instead of intentional destruction. You get the feeling from the writing that Stokes is a lover of puns and word play, and he writes in such a way that the book is mostly plausible but feels ever so close to being a cartoon. Its a serious adventure that doesn't take itself too seriously (movies like The Mummy and Sahara with lots of adventure and crazy escapades and high action and laughs woven in all along the way have similar feels to me). I finished this one and picked up book 2 right away.

Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. There are lots of perilous circumstances from weapons and booby traps and natural elements, and some deaths of bad guys are implied (not really shown, but you understand what happens). Addison and Molly's parents' past death is related.

[Mark Buxton · Rating 3 out of 5]

My name is Addison Cooke, and I must find the second key to seven hundred and fifty TONS of Incan treasure. My Uncle N, the second greatest archaeologist in the world, found the first key but was beaten and kidnapped by a former colleague. My Aunt D, the greatest archaeologist in the world, was taken too, so urgent circumstances dictate I must rescue them. I've called a Code Blue for my sister Molly, Raj, and Eddie, and they've agreed to join me on my mission to the Andes Mountains. My knowledge of Incan culture, Raj's survival skills, and Eddie's ability to speak Spanish make us a good team. Unfortunately, our adversary will probably kill us, and many explorers lose their lives in the Andes every year. This situation is quite a sticky wicket.

The adventure is more "realistic" than some others, as the characters are normal, middle grade kids. There's a lot of luck involved, but everything they do is technically possible. It's nice to see protagonists who aren't infallible, as the characters make their share of fortunate mistakes. They escape caimans (like crocodiles), a tumble off a waterfall, and a tribe of cannibals in their search for the treasure. Raj is always able to point out the worst possible hazards found in the jungle. The plot's climax is similar to a scene in "Raiders of the Lost Ark". Booby traps and cave disasters await. The kidnapping and treasure bring up some conflicting issues for Addison. Is it more important for him to find the gold and silver, or is it more important to save his aunt and uncle? The choice may seem obvious, but Addison's behavior makes it unclear. In addition, the treasure is full of ancient Incan artifacts, so wouldn't it be wrong for the characters to profit from it? Overall, the plot was amusing and entertaining. It's not the best book I've read, but adventure lovers should enjoy it.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Addison Cooke and his sister Molly live with their aunt and uncle who are archeologists searching for a lost treasure of the Incas. When their aunt and uncle are kidnapped, Addison enlists the help of his two friends, Raj and Eddie to help them get to Columbia to track down the treasure and rescue his aunt and uncle. They encounter many problems along the way including a street thief named Guadalupe who eventually becomes the guide that leads them into danger and adventure as they search for the rest of their family.

Addison Cooke and the Treasure of the Incas is an Indiana Jones type of caper with codes, secret messages, booby traps, and car chases. Addison, his sister, and each of their friends have skills that aid them on their journey. The characters are well developed, especially Addison and Molly who obviously miss their parents and desperately wish to hang on to the family that they have left. We don't get much about the villain, Professor Ragar, but that doesn't detract much from this action filled book. Overall, Addison Cooke and the Treasure of the Incas is an exciting escapade filled with thrills and peril.