Expedition to Blue Cave (Outriders) [Paperback]

Ed Decter (Author), Sammy Yuen Jr. (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 9, 2007 | Series: Outriders (Book 1)

FROM THE BLOG OF CAM WALKER

My friends and I call ourselves the Outriders. It's not like a club of anything, we just all hate the idea of ever being BORED, and when we set our minds on something, we don't ask anyone's permission, we just DO IT.

There's this place called Blue Cave, which glows blue ONCE EVERY SEVEN YEARS (phosphorescent plankton!). So obviously, we had to get there. But first we had to do three HUGE things:

1 ENACT THE "FREE SHELBY" PLAN

2 "SCAVENGE" (NOT STEAL, THERE'S A DIFFERENCE) THE GEAR WE NEED TO CROSS TWELVE MILES OF OPEN OCEAN

3 BE HOME BY 7:00 P.M.

My plan wasn't great, since it relied on a lot of luck. But everything worked perfectly -- except that Shelby's sister got kidnapped.

But that's a longer story.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5–7—Cam, Shelby, and their friends, all 12, call themselves the Outriders because they like excitement. Cam explains that their "expeditions" around Surf Island often require "scavenging" things—borrowing without permission and hopefully returning them undamaged. In Blue Cave, the gang wants to observe a display of rare bioluminescent plankton. After a convoluted plot to spring Shelby from summer school, they scavenge a flotilla of boats and set off for the cave. They find a pair of crooks who are hiding an antique golden sextant stolen from rich, eccentric Mr. Thorpe. The kids recover the swag, but before they can return it to the rightful owner, the thieves kidnap Shelby's little sister and demand the return of the stolen merchandise in exchange. In Willow Key, Mr. Thorpe bankrolls a science-class field trip into the swamp, on the condition that the Outriders also explore L'Esperanza, a pirate ship sunk 300 years ago. While exploring the wreck, the friends learn that the key is being polluted by chemical dumping. Swept off-course by an underwater current, they run afoul of a gang of backwoods alligator poachers. Like characters in adventure series going back to the Stratemeyer syndicate days, the Outriders operate essentially without adult supervision, even in the most dangerous situations. They encounter—and defeat—grown-up villains through clever inventions and teamwork. The emphasis is on fast action rather than character development and the dialogue blends surfer lingo with middle school banter. While the "scavenging" aspect is, at best, ethically questionable, these titles are worth considering where there is a strong demand for series fiction.—Elaine E. Knight, Lincoln Elementary Schools, IL
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Ed Decter is a producer, director, and writer. Along with his writing partner John J. Strauss, Ed wrote There's Something about Mary, The Lizzie McGuire Movie, The Santa Clause 2 and The Santa Clause 3 as well as many other screenplays. During his years in show business Ed has auditioned, hired, and fired thousands of actors and actresses just like Chloe Gamble. Ed lives in Los Angeles with his family.

Sammy Yuen is the illustrator and designer of the action-packed, fun-filled Outriders series. His award-winning artwork can also be found on many other teen and tween covers or on the Web at www.sammyyuen.com. He lives in New York City, where every day is an adventure.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Aladdin (January 9, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 141691305X
• ISBN-13: 978-1416913054
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 4.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,455,380 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun, Fast-Paced Adventure, October 12, 2007

By 

S. Kendall (Monterey, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Expedition to Blue Cave (Outriders) (Paperback)

As a middle school librarian, I am always on the lookout for new series to introduce to the students at my school. The Expedition to Blue Cave was action packed and full of intriguing characters and plot twists. Having read this book, I immediately ordered the other two in the series, and look forward to the release of the fourth. Kids who would enjoy this series would include readers who like outdoor adventures, mysteries, and contemporary fiction. These are great books to recommend to reluctant readers.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too, May 19, 2007

By 

TeensReadToo "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Expedition to Blue Cave (Outriders) (Paperback)

Blue Cave got its name from the rare bioluminescent plankton that makes the whole cave light up with a wonderful blue glow...but it only happens once every seven years. If the Outriders are going to be able to see it, they must do it now. Cam Walker and the kids he hangs out with call themselves the Outriders, and they hate to be bored.

Expeditions require money and equipment, but that's no big problem. Cam manages to raise most of the Outrider's funds by "farming" golf balls...that is, searching the perimeters of the local golf course for lost balls, and selling them for twenty-five cents each to a guy who sells them back to the golfers. As the story opens, Cam is in the process of outrunning and outsmarting the guys at the golf course after he snatches a golf ball that is still in play. It's a close call, but he's good!

The equipment is usually "salvaged," or borrowed without permission of the owner, and then returned in the same condition. The big problem for the expedition to Blue Cave is to free Shelby from summer school and Schooltastic!, so that she can go, too. Shelby's parents are super-diligent at keeping track of Shelby, and this scheme requires careful planning and precise execution. Cam's schemes are outrageous, but what fun! They manage to spring Shelby from Schooltastic! and scavenge a variety of boats, canoes, and kayaks to go to the cave, which is twelve miles across open sea.

When they arrive at the cave, they discover that two people are already there, and they are burying a mahogany box that Cam recognizes as an antique golden sextant that belongs to the town's richest man, the eccentric Mr. Thorpe. He owns the most elaborate estate on Surf Island -- The Falcon's Lair. The kids know that it has been stolen. Now they just need to get it back and return it to Mr. Thorpe. But when the crooks kidnap Shelby's little sister, and the ransom is the golden sextant, the excitement kicks up a notch.

The Outriders conduct their excursions and put their dangerous plans into action without adult supervision. As Cam states in the story, "When we set our minds on something, we don't ask anyone's permission, we just DO IT." They do things that are definitely not parent approved and in some cases are illegal...stealing equipment, riding in the back of a pickup, overhauling a cell phone to obtain free service from the provider, and taking kayaks and canoes over twelve miles of open water. If kept in the right frame of mind as fiction, this is exciting reading that will especially appeal to boys.

Reviewed by: Grandma Bev

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Expedition to Blue Cave (Outriders), March 7, 2007

By 

Book-Lovers' Dad (Sherman Oaks, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Expedition to Blue Cave (Outriders) (Paperback)

My two kids -- a girl (10) and a boy (12) read this book and the other "Outriders" novel, "Expedition to Willow Key" and loved them both. My daughter devoured both books in one day! It's nice to find a book series that's not simply a novelization of a TV show -- these are both fun and entertaining reads for both boys and girls. They can't wait for the next one!