Customer Reviews

Expedition to Blue Cave (Outriders)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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

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!

"Outriders" is just the kind of series both parents and kids need. Extremely well written, it's destined to be this generation's Tom Swift/Hardy Boys type of adventure series, but way hipper, smarter, and funnier. Thoroughly entertaining for any age...Hmm, I wonder if the Outriders would have any room in their gang for a 40 year old parent?....probably not. I'll just have to content myself with reading about their adventures with my own "Outrider" child, something I'd recommend to every parent out there. Buy this book(and the others in the series, too!), you'll be glad you did.

I titled the review as such because the realistic writing style actually took me on an adventure with the Outriders to Blue Cave. The unique writing style of Mr. Decter was easy to read but interesting too. There was never a slow moment in the book, I was never bored. I was constantly exhilarated, I could not put the book down. I literally read the entire book in one sitting. I can truly relate to all the characters, especially Shelby. The main characters were loveable and believable. The characters seemed like real thirteen or twelve year old kids just like me. I can not wait for the next book and another adventure with the Outriders!

I am an elementary school teacher, and I just stumbled across the book Expedition to Blue Cave at a children's bookstore . I totally enjoyed reading the book and will be recommending it to my students. It was so refreshing to read an adventure book that still showed the innocence of young children. I also loved that the characters were able to admit that they don't know everything, when so often at this age children believe they know everything there is to know in life. A great read, full of adventure and fun.

This Book is AMAZING!!!! It's a great adventure book for kids. It's the start of a whole adventure! I love this book! I don't know how to discribe it Cool, Awesome, Amazing, etc.

My nine year old son Ethan and I often go online together to choose the latest and greatest selections for young readers. We stumbled upon Ed Decter's The Outriders: Expedition to Blue Cave. We decided to purchase the book because the cover showed a young man on a WaveRunner, and Ethan recently had the opportunity to ride one. Little did we know that we would be entertained with a page-turner filled with the exploits of Cam Walker and his crew of well-developed characters interested in everything from kayaking to big dogs to bows and arrows. Though the story was age-appropriate, I couldn't put down the book either. Decter's story is well-researched, educational, and fun. Without giving anything away, trust me when I say that girls will love it too. Ethan and I were so enamored with the book that I decided to buy a copy for every child in his fourth-grade class. We can't wait to read the rest of the books in this series!

I read this book about 5 years ago...It is now one of my favoite books. In fact Ed Decter sighned a copy and gave it to me. I kept forgetting to sen him a thank you@card so here it is: Thank you so much for the book and i really enjoyed it. This is a really great book and I think you should put the sequels on the kindle. Thamks again for the books......................The Shickler family.