Customer Reviews

Treasure in Tahiti (Incredible Journey Books)

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

 

 

Journey to the other side of the world? Max and Sam are going on an incredible journey to Tahiti. What waits for them there is a fantastic mystery, in Connie Lee Berry's book, "Treasure in Tahiti." This action packed adventure book for young readers promises excited page turning!

Their island paradise is not exactly what their mother had in mind. The family is left on their own at a simple hut with no electricity or inside running water. However the majestic scenery and ocean waves make up for it. When one of the boys finds an old treasure map beneath a loose floorboard, the adventure really begins. Convincing their dad to explore a nearby deserted island doesn't take long and soon the boys are daring the darkness of a cave. Someone else is on the island though; someone else is searching for the hundred year old treasure. Will the boys be able to follow the clues and beat their opponent to the prize? Is it even still there after so long?

Written in a fun and upbeat tone, Connie Lee Berry's books are perfect for reluctant readers. The intrigue of the plot makes "Treasure in Tahiti" a page turner. Max and Sam are likeable characters that kids can relate to who just happen to be going on incredible journeys. Giving a bit of history, geography and even science, this book is a well rounded offering that packs in the surprises. The variety of it creates a buffet of island tastes. The Incredible Journey Book series is a fun collection to treasure.

It's quite funny the way the recommended age for these books, as suggested in Amazon's product details, keeps changing. I think ages 7-11 is about right.

This is the second in a series that currently has four entries, with a fifth, Mystery in Mexico, due out later this year. Because the first book introduces the magic map, and each subsequent book adds another letter to the map, they are best read in order, starting with the first, The Criminal in the Caymans. So try your kids with that one, and if they want to proceed to this one, they'll let you know.

Max and Sam learn that Mr. Stone is being sent to the exotic island of Tahiti for work, and they accompany him in this new INCREDIBLE JOURNEY adventure. It's a last-minute dash to get ready and to the airport in time for their flight. Everything seems to delay them, but they finally board the plane.

They are ushered to a small, rickety hut; no fancy hotel like they had in the Caymans. However, the hut does have a beach and the ocean in the backyard. Though Mom is less than excited about the prospect, camping in paradise might be fun...

When the boys find a jar buried beneath the floor of the hut containing what appears to be an old treasure map, dated 1904, the adventure begins. Mr. Stone agrees to take the boys to a nearby island by canoe, where they come across signs that warn them off the island. The signs seem to be very old. Then Max and Sam remember rumors that the bounty from a bank robbery many years ago was hidden on an island.

Could the treasure map lead them to this cache of stolen money? Their interest piqued, the boys decide to explore the island and they find more trouble than they bargained for. They aren't the only ones looking for the loot, and the guy that confronts them on the island is out to make sure that they don't tell anyone about him.

Connie Lee Berry continues the exciting series with compelling characters, fast action, and lots of laughs. The illustrations add visual impact to the story, and Berry includes historical items and interesting facts about the location, cool science projects, and a poem in the back of the book.

Watch for upcoming INCREDIBLE JOURNEY books, Adventure in Africa (Incredible Journey Books series) and Pirates in Paradise (Incredible Journey Books series), available in October 2007.

Reviewed by: Grandma Bev

This is a book that any kid would love! It is very interesting and well written. It is educational as well! I highly recommend this book for your child.

This is the second book in the Incredible Journey series by Connie Lee Berry. This time Sam and Max find themselves in Tahiti on summer vacation. But this vacation isn't like any other. Their dad has rented a shack on top of a hill in the middle of NOWHERE. The boys aren't sure this is going to be as exciting as they thought. Sure there's a great view out the back of the shack where a wall should be, but they have to sleep on hard cots, cook canned soup on an open fire, and take a shower using a hose.

It's not until Max finds a treasure map hidden under the floor boards beneath his cot that this vacation takes a sharp left turn. Excited at the possibility of finding treasure on a nearby island, Max and Sam find more then they bargained for. While their dad relaxes on the beach the brothers find an eerie message on a tree and later outside the cave they were exploring. How could this be? There doesn't seem to be anyone living on the island or is there?

It's not until the second trip back to the island with both their parents that Max and Sam discover someone does live on the island. And he's looking for the treasure, too! Max and Sam have stumbled on to more adventure then any kid would want. Plus the treasure has a surprise of its own.

Berry has done a wonderful job sharing facts about Tahiti in the fact sheet at the beginning of the book and throughout the story. There's even a poem about Sam and Max's adventure at the end, along with their science pick (a fun science experiment you can do at home).

I read Treasure in Tahiti by Connie Lee Berry(2007). I think this book is definitely appropriate for ages 7-10.

This book begins with two brothers, Max and Sam, who learn that they get to travel with their mother and father to Tahiti. Their father is having to go there for his job.

Upon arriving there, the family realizes that their accommodations will be less than exquisite---they will be staying in a one room hut, but they will have a breath-taking view of the ocean! Upon exploring their beach, Max and Sam realize that there is a boat that they could use to do some fishing and exploring. One morning, the boys and their father travel to a small island where the boys find written messages that give them clues that there might be a buried treasure somewhere on that tiny island. With their father's permission, the boys are able to go off exploring on their own and are able to find and follow clues to certain spots on the island. With some return trips to this small island, and some digging, they are able to uncover some interesting items. However, one return trip to the island has them meeting a dangerous man who tries to stop them from find the treasure! Is there really treasure on this small island in Tahiti?

Come to find out, there is! The boys are able to lose the man in a long chase through the woods and are able to dig up all of the clues that they found on the island. They actually had to dig in several places to uncover several glass jars. Upon returning to their hut, the boys and their parents realize that they are full of gold coins and Tahitian bonds! Their dad turns the treaure into the authorities and the boys are awarded with the hut and the beach!

This book is an easy read that I think most kids would enjoy. The text is simple and there is some suspense to the story. However, I gave it three stars because there is not a lot of character development, and there are details that are left out of the story (such as the details of some of the other travels the boys have taken and why) that I think would have enriched the story a bit. Also, it was too predictable. I think it wouldn't challenge kids enough to predict what would happen next. I think it could have used more story development to make the story richer. It would have also been could to have been given a deeper look into this family and their relationship with one another, and the feelings that they have. The story lacked the relationship development. All in all, this is a simple, predictable, book that wouldn't challenge most kids in their thinking, but would probably give a simple, enjoyable, quick read anyway.

My third-grader loved the ending of this book. The author has a way with teasing the reader to keep the interest going. It's a great book.

This books keeps the kids guessing just like the first book in the series did. It was a hit with my class. This book was super fun for the children to read.

This book was really fun and exciting. My kids had a good time reading it. It made we want to travel to Tahiti and search for treasure myself.

I really loved this book. It is more exciting than most I have read. I am going to take it to school to share with my class.