The Swallowtail Legacy 1: Wreck at Ada's Reef
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5.0 • 1 Rating
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
A vibrant contemporary mystery with a classic feel about grappling with grief, righting past wrongs, redefining family, and finding yourself.
An Edgar Award Nominee!
Twelve-year-old Lark Heron-Finch is steeling herself to spend the summer on Swallowtail Island off the shores of Lake Erie. It's the first time she and her sister will have seen the old house since their mom passed away. The island's always been full of happy memories—and with a step father and his boys and no mom, now everything is different.
When Nadine, a close family friend, tells Lark about a tragic boat accident that happened off the coast many years before, Lark's enthralled with the story. Nadine's working on a book about Dinah Purdy, Swallowtail's oldest resident who had a connection to the crash, and she's sure that the accident was not as it appeared. Impressed by Lark's keen eye, she hires her as her research assistant for the summer.
And then Lark discovers something amazing. Something that could change Dinah's life. Something linked to the crash and to her own family's history with Swallowtail. But there are others on the island who would do anything to keep the truth buried in the watery depths of the past.
A compelling and complex mystery with a classic feel, Wreck at Ada's Reef is a perfect coming-of-age middle grade novel for fans of The Parker Inheritance, Holes, The Westing Game, and anyone looking for a satisfying puzzle that stretches across decades.
Named to the Vermont Golden Dome Book Award List
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
When 12-year-old Lark's mother dies, she leaves behind an uncertain-feeling blended family, including her 10-year-old sister, Pip; their stepfather, Thomas; and their three stepbrothers. A disarmingly no-nonsense, self-aware narrator, Lark relates what happens when they return together to her mother's family vacation home on Swallowtail Island off Lake Erie. There, Lark is hired by Nadine, once her mother's best friend, to help investigate the mysterious boat crash that killed Nadine's grandfather nearly 75 years ago. One thread leads to town bigwig Captain Cheever, who died days before the wreck and left his land and home in a trust to his first mate; the first mate's now 93-year-old daughter Dinah Purdy, an African American retired civil rights lawyer, now lives there—but maybe not for long, given the Cheever family's shady plans. And after a game of soccer, Lark also becomes entangled with 12-year-old Owen Cheever in a relationship that's pure animosity—or is it? Beil's (A New Recruit) tightly plotted story of family intrigue and blackmail has considerable emotional ballast among its largely presumed-white cast, as Lark realizes the depth of her stepfather's grief and the realities of prejudice. Occasional pencil illustrations by Davern highlight notable objects. Ages 8–12.
Customer Reviews
Nostalgic Feels + Contemporary Mystery and Excitement
I really enjoyed this book so much. As an avid adult reader of Middle-Grade books, this story brought me back to the same wonderful, warm feelings I so often got watching some of my favorite movies as a tween: Herbie the Love Bug, The Parent Trap, Escape to Witch Mountain, and Flubber. It's not that this family-friendly adventure story is exactly like those--but it invokes the same kind of feeling I got when I watched them and it made me adore the book.
Additionally, I LOVED some of the adults in this story. All good books have their villains but it was a heart-warming change of pace to see more than one adult the kids could depend on, even if they didn't realize it right away. I know not all kids have consistent adults they can turn to, but considering some of the other challenges our main characters faced, I was so happy to see it in this tale.
But please, don't mistake the warmth and nostalgia of this story for lack of excitement and adventure. I made the "mistake" of reading this page-turner in bed and ended up awake at 1:00 am with a rush of adrenaline to go along with my deep sense of satisfaction.
I highly recommend WRECK AT ADA'S REEF. Beil got it right and so did Pixle+Ink. I'm already looking forward to the next book in THE SWALLOWTAIL LEGACY!