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 Cryptid Hunters(Hyperion) by Roland Smith Reading level: Ages 9-12 The bad news is set-up for this new children's fantasy series is a bit awkward, stilted and formulaic. Marty and Grace O'Hara are twins living at a Swiss boarding school. Marty is not so hot with the books, but is a great cook, artist, and daredevil. Grace is introverted, studious, and phobic beyond belief. When they get word their parents are missing, they are told they will have to leave school to go live with an uncle they never knew existed. The author seems to write down to what he thinks is a kid's level. (Insert yawn here.) "But wait," you say. "SPECTRUM recommends this book." Indeed, we do. Starting with the last section of Chapter Three, where the villain of the piece is introduced, Smith hits his stride as an action/adventure writer. From their arrival on the island of Cryptos off the coast of Washington state, to the jungles of the Congo, Marty and Grace are caught up in a rapid progression of events and discoveries. They are plunged into their Uncle Wolfe's secretive, high-tech world of cryptid hunting. Cryptids are "hidden creatures," which may or may not exist in the real world. Gorillas were cryptids until they were actually observed in the wild. Big Foot is an example of a cryptid that is still hidden. If you want character development or deep insight into the human condition, Cryptid Hunters is not the book for you. But if you are looking for adventure in the tradition of Conan Doyle"s Professor Challenger, or even Indiana Jones, you can't find a better example of the genre for the pre-teen set. This is a book that can be enjoyed by younger children and adults when read aloud as a family activity.— KB SHAW, Publisher, Spectrum - Member SCBWI
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