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Book Scavenger cover illustrated by Sarah Watts
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Book Scavenger: The Alcatraz Escape, the third book in the Book Scavenger series by New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Chambliss Bertman is a page turning fictional mystery like the first two books in the series. Illustrations by Sarah Watts accompany the text. Twelve year olds Emily and James solve puzzles and explore Alcatraz Island and its historic, closed prison which are part of the National Parks. Illustrated by Sarah Watts, the novel was published in 2018 by Henry Holt and Company; today’s middle grade students would have been newborns and toddlers at the time and this will be new to them.
Ms. Bertman accurately evokes the cold, isolated, harsh conditions of Alcatraz. The main characters and many other characters have all solved puzzles in order to take a trip to Alcatraz Island where they will compete to solve another puzzle as part of a game series sponsored by publisher Garrison Griswold. While some characters own cell phones, Emily does not. Those characters who do own phones find them of limited use between low batteries, concrete and tunnels. Part of the fun is following Emily as she figures out how to communicate with James without using a cell phone. The novel has a satisfying ending and Emily and James learn who their friends are and are not.
The novel can be read as a stand alone book but it is more fun to read it with the series.
Source: Purchased. Will be reread and then given to the grandchild. At 262 pages long including an author’s note with historical explanations Book Scavenger, Escape from Alcatraz is recommended for eleven years and older.
Links:
Visit Greg Pattridge host of: Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
Visit author: Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
Visit illustrator here: Sarah Watts
Visit book designer: April Ward
Learn more about: Alcatraz Island
Previous book review: Book Scavenger: The Unbreakable Code
Previous Interview with Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
Visit your local book store: Boulder Bookstore
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