Shipwreckers: The Curse of the Cursed Temple of Curses or We Nearly Died. A Lot

Gr 3–7-They say "don't judge a book by its cover," but in this case, it is appropriate to judge this middle grade adventure by its absurd and diverting title. When Mike "Momo" Gonzalez and his little sister Dani become separated from their parents on vacation in the Amazon, cautious Momo does everything he can to reunite them while free-spirited Dani enthusiastically accepts every chance to dance with danger. The siblings soon realize that the captain of the boat on which they accidentally drifted away has no intention of helping them. The single goal of Captain Kevin Adventureson is to track the treasure he believes lies in a temple in the rain forest, and if two pesky kids are along for the ride, so be it. Both siblings grow throughout the journey. Momo realizes that he can rise to the challenge when faced with a crisis, and Dani discovers that her actions have consequences and that she must weigh risks. Each learns to value and respect the unique strengths of the other. The story moves at a frantic pace; at various points the trio are attacked by caimans, vengeful villains, shipwrecks, mummies, and the temple itself. Dani and Momo are forced to step up to save their own lives when Captain Kevin panics, fumbles, or gets cold feet during his quest.