WIMPS OF THE WILD

Young Izzy, Sam, and Joey are back with another ecological adventure in Florida’s Everglades.

In Book 1 of the author’s series, siblings Izzy and Sam and their friend Joey save some alligator hatchlings in Everglade Glenn, a neighborhood abutting Florida’s Wilde Animal Sanctuary in the Everglades. The latest visitors to the sanctuary are several cassowary chicks hatched from eggs taken from an illegal pet dealer. The three youngsters (all 10 or 11) are trying to raise money to return the cassowaries to their natural habitat in New Guinea, with Izzy cat sitting for a neighbor, Sam attempting to win a video game competition, and Joey trying to win a dirt-bike race. At the same time, real estate agent Ashley Homes is trying her best to rezone the neighborhood so she can raze the sanctuary and build condos. She’s also threatening the sanctuary with legal action on behalf of the illegal pet owners’ attorneys, who don’t know the eggs have hatched and want them returned. In the end, the young trio may very well complete their mission and more. Though the Ashley Homes storyline isn’t ever resolved, the rest of the book is as charming and inviting as the first in the series. Siblings Izzy and Sam are thoughtful eco-champions and nuanced characters, as is Joey, though he has very little to do in this volume. The book abounds with environmental and animal info; the author slides a lot of that knowledge about rainforests, tigers, and, of course, cassowaries (large, flightless birds) into an entertaining adventure. Ramsey’s drawings of flora and fauna add interest and detail (though some images are repeated). Young readers will be captivated by this book, and probably won’t mind the lack of resolution of the Ashley Homes storyline. Maybe she’ll return in Book 3?

A fun, instructive eco-adventure for young readers.