Escape From Fear

Mysteries in Our National Parks #9

by Gloria Skurzynski, Alane Ferguson

Something in the Virgin Islands National Park is destroying the coral reefs and causing the hawksbill sea turtle to disappear--and the Landons are trying to figure out what. Jack and Ashley soon become involved with the son of a U.S. diplomat who is anxious to save an island woman. What secret do they share? Includes a park map.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Middle Grade, Mystery Thriller, Animals, Childrens

160 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2002

About the author

"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.

Reviews

[Junessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good book in the series. Grab your snorkel! Beautiful settings and lots of history make me want to hop on a plane and visit this national park. Appealing story line - the foster boy in this one tries to find his birth mother. Overall a nice mystery.

[Amy :) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute mystery for kids. Includes history of the National Park and the island.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is another in the National Park series about the Landon family. This time they are off to St. John Island in the Virgin Islands where Jack and Ashley's mother is going to study the dying coral reefs. On the way they meet a young man named Forrest and discover he has run away.

This book is a halfway decent mystery with a little danger thrown in, but it mainly teaches about the island, about the dying coral reefs, and about the endangered turtles. It also has a little history of the slaves on St. John and a little about the conditions in Haiti.

I would recommend it to maybe 3rd or 4th graders. The one thing I didn't like about it was that it made it seem okay for Jack and Ashley to lie to their parents.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book #9 in the Mysteries in Our National Parks series and the first one that I've read. It takes place on the Caribbean island of St. John. This book is informative about not only the National Park but also about the natural flora and fauna plus some history of the people. It was a good read.

[Jody Kyburz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one takes place in Virgin Islands National Park. How I would love to snorkle their underwater trail! Only two books left and I'll be able to say I've read the entire series of thirteen. I started back in April. It's time for me to finish.

[The Third Place A Teen Library]

F SKU mionp bk.9

[Scoozer · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a decent children's mystery set in the US Virgin Islands.