Stingers

May 1, 2021
A visit to a small Bahamian island pitches young shark taggers into a whirl of encounters with natural hazards, pirates past and present, and more than one kind of hidden treasure. Following on their adventures with shark poachers in the series opener, Fins (2020), 13-year-old Maribel; her younger sister, Sabina (both Cuban refugees); and White ex-farm boy Luke teamed up as Sharks Incorporated. They have barely arrived on idyllic, cave-riddled Katt Island to help their secretive biologist employer investigate the invasive lionfish that are devastating the local reef ecology before one is sucked into a tidal whirlpool, another falls into a pit and finds a golden doubloon, and all three save an elderly author from sharks. Folding in real-life issues such as the pressures poverty puts on the racially diverse local residents as well as info-dumps on natural and island history as he goes, White puts his trio, who are joined by the writer and a young islander, on the trail of a century-old mystery featuring descendants of Anne Bonny and other pirates and also up against a bumbling but scary pair of treasure hunters on the way to climactic revelations, a glittering hoard, and the pursuit of poachers who are hunting hatchling sea turtles. Anything else? Well, there may or may not be a ghost or two in the mix, too. Something for everyone but especially fans of fast-paced eco-fiction. (Adventure. 9-12)

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July 9, 2021

Gr 4-6-The second volume in the "Sharks Incorporated" series, adapted from a popular series for adults, finds Luke, who is white, along with Maribel and Sabina, sisters and Cuban refugees, in the Bahamas assisting marine biologist Doc Ford with studies of lionfish, an invasive species whose venomous stingers are injuring local residents. The three befriend Tamarin, whose mother owns the inn where they are staying, and with her uncover other invaders: turtle poachers, as well as real estate and tourism developers. This leads them to solve a spooky mystery involving a ghost, an abandoned mansion and a tragic, years-old love story, which ends up revealing the truth about Tamarin's family legacy. Fans of adventure will appreciate the many close calls with sharks, as well as a dramatic "sting" operation. The text is full of facts about wildlife and preservation and survival tips, all infused with an appreciation and respect for local habitats. Luke and Sabina both have supernatural powers, but these aren't as fully explained in this volume as in the first, so both the details and drama may be lost on readers new to the series. The trio's relationship feels undeveloped and rote, and the writing is stilted: characters are often referred to as "the girl" or "the boy," and Tamarin is repeatedly and clumsily referred to as "the local girl." Readers interested in wildlife, ghosts, and shark attacks may still find this to be a page-turner. Recommended for purchase if the first volume was popular. VERDICT This eco-adventure lacks character development and solid writing, but its mix of action and mystery has wide appeal for readers.-Lisa Goldstein, Brooklyn P.L.

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