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Mysteries in Our National Parks #2
Rage of Fire
Vacationing in Hawaii, 12-year-old Jack and his almost 11-year-old sister Ashley snorkel and discover the island's wildlife. Then they are swept up in a mystery with Danny, a young boy from Vietnam, who offers to take them exploring. While climbing Devastation Trail on the Kilauea Iki crater, they are chased by a mysterious woman in red with long black hair who shouts at them in Hawaiian. Is she Pele, come to exact her revenge because the kids ate ohelo berries without offering one to her first? Ashley is convinced that the woman is Pele, but Jack isn't so sure, and Danny isn't talking. If she's not Pele, however, why did she chase them and how did she disappear into the lava cave?
This fast-paced novel combines science, suspense, youthful camaraderie, Hawaiian history and culture, and breathtaking descriptions of the island' s natural landscapes and lava flows - a unique combination certain to capture youthful imaginations. A map that will help young readers picture the volcanoes at Hawaiian National Park is included.
This fast-paced novel combines science, suspense, youthful camaraderie, Hawaiian history and culture, and breathtaking descriptions of the island' s natural landscapes and lava flows - a unique combination certain to capture youthful imaginations. A map that will help young readers picture the volcanoes at Hawaiian National Park is included.
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
5 people are currently reading
130 people want to read
About the author
Gloria Skurzynski
90 books30 followers"May you live in interesting times."
That ambiguous wish was not meant to be kind, because interesting times can be difficult. You and I certainly live in interesting times - dangerous, challenging, and fascinating.
My parents were born just before the start of the twentieth century; my youngest grandchild arrived in this century's final decade. The years in between have been the most dynamic in the history of the human race. Technical knowledge has exploded; so has the Earth's human population. We can create almost anything, yet each day we lose parts of our planet that can never be replaced.
I'm greedy: I want to write about all of it - the history, the grief, joy, and excitement of being human in times past; the cutting-edge inventions of times almost here.
--from the author's website
Gloria Skurzynski has also co-written books with her daughter Alane Ferguson.
That ambiguous wish was not meant to be kind, because interesting times can be difficult. You and I certainly live in interesting times - dangerous, challenging, and fascinating.
My parents were born just before the start of the twentieth century; my youngest grandchild arrived in this century's final decade. The years in between have been the most dynamic in the history of the human race. Technical knowledge has exploded; so has the Earth's human population. We can create almost anything, yet each day we lose parts of our planet that can never be replaced.
I'm greedy: I want to write about all of it - the history, the grief, joy, and excitement of being human in times past; the cutting-edge inventions of times almost here.
--from the author's website
Gloria Skurzynski has also co-written books with her daughter Alane Ferguson.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 20, 2017
Overlooking the superstitions and bad attitudes of the young characters, I enjoy learning facts about the U.S. national parks.
July 28, 2015
Again I'm amazed at this mother/daughter mystery writing team, who have been 2-for-2 so far with the strange premise of writing a children's mystery series based on National Parks. RAGE OF FIRE is #2 in the series, and is set in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which I just happened to have the chance to visit last November.
What I enjoyed from this book was that the primary locations of the plot was on the Kilauea Iki trail and Thurston Lava Tube, both of which I spent hiking through during our one day at the park, and this book did a really good job describing the setting and how it feels to be hiking in a rather damp rainforest and eerie crater. Also included were the once-in-a-lifetime things that only lucky tourists (or characters in a book) experience like volcanic earthquakes and eruptions/lava flows that can be seen at night. The kids in the book do end up in a lot of trouble since they run off trail and get lost in the rainforest of the park, which sounds extremely bad, but not to worry, everything ends happily ever after. Cool educational things you end up learning about in this book: nene birds, Pele the goddess of fire, and Vietnamese boat people. Random, but a fun afternoon read.
What I enjoyed from this book was that the primary locations of the plot was on the Kilauea Iki trail and Thurston Lava Tube, both of which I spent hiking through during our one day at the park, and this book did a really good job describing the setting and how it feels to be hiking in a rather damp rainforest and eerie crater. Also included were the once-in-a-lifetime things that only lucky tourists (or characters in a book) experience like volcanic earthquakes and eruptions/lava flows that can be seen at night. The kids in the book do end up in a lot of trouble since they run off trail and get lost in the rainforest of the park, which sounds extremely bad, but not to worry, everything ends happily ever after. Cool educational things you end up learning about in this book: nene birds, Pele the goddess of fire, and Vietnamese boat people. Random, but a fun afternoon read.
August 6, 2014
A fun adventure in Hawaii! I am enjoying the National Parks Mysteries, as they truly give kids an excellent view of America's wonderful heritage and land.
Note to Parents: The only thing I disapprove of in this book is the fact that the kids somewhat believe that they are being chased by Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of volcanoes. I do not generally enjoy taking the time to read fiction that makes mythical figures seem all to real -- but it was written all in fun.
Still looking forward to read about the next National Park.
Note to Parents: The only thing I disapprove of in this book is the fact that the kids somewhat believe that they are being chased by Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of volcanoes. I do not generally enjoy taking the time to read fiction that makes mythical figures seem all to real -- but it was written all in fun.
Still looking forward to read about the next National Park.
August 18, 2011
Still good...I've got four more to finish the entire series, but this one only gets 3 rather than 4 stars because it was just a big chase scene...I don't know, something was different about this one, setting it apart from all the others. I DID learn something about the nene. And I HAVE been to this park!
March 27, 2009
Another National Park
Read
May 8, 2010that pele is the goodes of fire
August 31, 2011
Read to my 11 yo
September 12, 2012
Young Adult
June 20, 2012
It was a very good book.I was very hooked onto it the whole time!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews