One look at the cover and you might be expecting a fantasy story full of mysterious creatures. Far from it as the short book description verifies:

12-year-old Cally and her new step-cousin, Giles, must take on Big Oil and Gas as they search for the cause of a poisoned water supply in this environmental mystery set in a small Maine community.

Page Count: 175

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Cally’s Dad works in Singapore while she and her Mom stay back. The story begins with them taking a break in a beach town on the coast of Maine. There’s more to the visit than just time off.

Cally meets her step-cousin Giles for the first time. He’s 14 and dealing with the tragic loss of his mom, who passed away due to cancer. Giles is not getting along with his new stepmom (Cally’s Aunt).

Cally is also faced with a huge decision: live with her Dad in Singapore, or stay back and go to Giles’s school where she can be challenged more in her favorite subject—math. While she decides what to do, Cally gets to know Giles better. This sends them on an adventure that leads to the discovery mentioned above about the town water being poisoned.

It’s a fast pace story with the environmental theme taking a front seat. Cally does make a decision on here future and it’s a surprising one at that. I’d welcome another book to see what happens next.

Caution: Because I am always asked by parents if there is any inappropriate language in a book, this story has enough to raise a flag here. Giles favorite word seems to be sh** and you’ll need to have more than ten fingers to count how many times in occurs. Other minor, red flag words are in the text so I wouldn’t buy this one for your 4th grader. Save it for 7th grade and up.

MENACE IN THE MIST is available now.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Janet Wylie is a retired professor of developmental biology, who had the joy of studying embryonic development for a living at the same time as helping her children grow up. Now she is a novice writer of fiction for middle school readers, buoyed by the help and enthusiasm of other writers, family and friends.

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