Mystery on Pine Lake: Cooper and Packrat (Cooper and Packrat, 1) - Hardcover

Wight, Tamra

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1934031860 ISBN 13: 9781934031865

Publisher: Islandport Press, 2013

Synopsis

Cooper thought living at a campground would be cool. But ever since his parents bought the lakeside campground, he's had more chores and less time to explore. And as if babysitting his little sister and cleaning the bathrooms weren't bad enough, his ex-friend Roy has chosen him as this summer's bullying target. Cooper's only bright spot this summer is his new friend, Packrat, a guy who carries the world in his coat pockets and leaves his troubles behind. But trouble has come to the Wilder Family Campground and Pine Lake, where a family of loons is building a nest. First, someone dams up the lake and floods the nest. Then, when Cooper and Packrat build a raft where the loons can make a new nest, it gets destroyed by someone with big footprints. It's up to the boys to figure out who, why, and how to stop the culprit”before it's too late.

About this title

About the Author:

Tamra Wight lives in Poland, Maine, where she runs the Poland Spring Campground with her husband and two children. Every summer she meets interesting families from all over the world. During the school year, she works as a teaching assistant at Whittier Middle School. Between the two, she has more writing inspiration than she knows what to do with. She is the author of The Three Grumpies (illustrated by Ross Collins). When Tamra isn't writing, she enjoys wildlife watching, hiking, geo-caching, kayaking, power-walking, snowshoeing; most of these she does with her faithful lab Cookie.

Review:

"Mystery and adventure make this a suspenseful, can't-put-it down book, but it's Cooper and Packrat's blind determination to save the loons against all odds that will steal your heart. I closed the book longing to hear that beautiful call only a loon can make." --Jo Knowles, author of "See You At Harry's"

"Packed with intrigue and sweet humor, this mystery with a conservation twist will grab young readers. Twelve-year-old Cooper and his little sister, Molly, live at their family s business, a campground on Pine Lake in Maine. Cooper loves canoeing, camping and, perhaps most of all, the lake s loons and he is determined to protect this year's hatchlings. Living at the campground has a downside, though: It seems that his chores never stop, and his parents are so preoccupied with the business, there's no family time. He s also supposed to be nice to all the campers and that includes the camp bully, Roy. But enter ally Packrat, an upbeat kid and new fast friend. Disaster strikes when Cooper and Packrat discover someone has dammed up the lake, causing the water to rise and destroying the loons eggs. Who is the culprit? Roy? Or Mr. Bakeman, a perpetually grumpy neighbor who openly professes his hatred of the loons? Hope is restored when Cooper and Packrat learn the loons may lay a second set of eggs, and they quickly hatch a plan to prevent another disaster. Wight has penned a winning cast of characters, dialogue that sparkles and a plot that flies. DiRocco s detailed and humorous black-and-white illustrations elevate the book s charm even higher. A story that should turn even the most finicky readers into happy campers." --Kirkus Reviews

"With an engaging voice, reluctant camper Cooper Wilder tells a story of environmental intrigue for outdoorsy middle-grade readers. As a summer camp owner herself, author Tamra Wight has young readers tasting the oozing s mores, smelling the stench of maggot-riddled trash, and feeling the squishy mud between their toes with her descriptive language. Quirky characters and realistic dialogue will make this suspenseful eco-mystery a favorite summer read of any wildlife-lover." --ForeWord Reviews

About this edition

• Publisher: Islandport Press
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 1934031860
• ISBN 13: 9781934031865
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 150