SEARCH FOR TREASURE

Twelve-year-old Jake has great expectations for another wonderful summer on Dewees Island, a private island and nature sanctuary in South Carolina, in this follow-up to The Islanders (2021).

Jake wants to reunite with his friends Lovie and Macon and have a new adventure. Most of all he hopes his ex-Army father will be able to heal from his injuries; Dad has become emotionally withdrawn and refuses help. Jake’s friends, grandmother Honey, and Fire Chief Rand, his father’s childhood friend, are all waiting to greet them with hugs. During a quick visit to Honey’s newly modernized nature center, the kids spot a newspaper article that supplies their next adventure: hunting for Blackbeard’s treasure. A metal detector, research help from Honey, and memories from Rand and Dad set them on their way. There are adventures galore, encounters with a mysterious local treasure hunter, and lots of laughter (and some tears) in the changing relationship dynamics between Jake, his dad, and his friends. Two boys, cousins from the city with bad attitudes whose actions cause danger to protected animals, are an ongoing menace. The authors keep the action moving at a rapid pace, filling the pages with vivid sensory descriptions while masterfully interweaving historical facts, wildlife information, and gentle lessons. Jake’s first-person narration allows for self-knowledge and self-doubt while demonstrating capability for insight and compassion. Scattered black-and-white sketches illuminate the activities. Most characters present White; Macon is Black.

Exciting, tender, and absolutely wonderful.