The Curse of the Crystal Cavern

Gr 3-6–Picking up where the previous volume left off, this title follows tweens Kyle, Beth, Harry, Victoria (Vic), and Nate as they continue on their quest to find a hidden treasure. What started out as a fun way to get oriented to their surroundings at Camp Pathfinder has become more serious as they’ve learned the history of the camp’s founder, Henry Merriweather. Discovering that Camp Pathfinder is being threatened by a developer who has purchased the property, they are even more motivated to find the rumored treasure and save the camp from destruction. Following clues left in Henry’s journal, the campers travel through a series of underground caves, experience time travel, and encounter a dizzying array of obstacles and puzzles that they are able to solve using each individual’s talents and skills. Readers will happily suspend their disbelief as they become immersed in the story and will find themselves almost breathless from the nonstop action. Detailed, colorful, and expressive art works well with the text to depict a tale full of thrills and danger, as well as bravery and humor. Kyle and Beth are white, Victoria is Black, and Harry and Nate are brown-skinned.