The Story Pirates Present: Digging Up Danger by Hatem Aly, Jacqueline West, The Story Pirates
Published by Rodale Kids on January 15th 2019
ISBN: 1635650917
Pages: 288
Goodreads

A fun and zany mystery, Digging Up Danger is another novel by The Story Pirates, a collective of authors and actors who encourage kids to share with them their wild and interesting storylines.  The adults then turn the ideas into novels, music, performances and a podcast. In this adventure, twelve year old Eliza and her botanist mother travel to New York for a summer job of identifying many rare and unusual plants.  Eliza is less than thrilled to leave home and now live on the fourth floor of Carrolls’ Gardens. The Carrolls are also hosting their 13 year old nephew Tommy. Eliza is supremely bored by plants and wants nothing more than to creep around this old building investigating for ghosts.  As a paranormal researcher, she definitely can tell that something unusual is going on at the gardens. First there are the voices, then all of the Carrolls suddenly have yellow eyes and finally there is the black shadow. With the help of her mother, Eliza slowly begins to piece together this strange turn of events and much to her chagrin it is not ghosts at work but rather a powerful and rare plant that is turning humans into dogs.  The chapters often end with a cartoon illustration of Rolo Vincent (the captain of the story pirates) and Phoebe (the kid writer of Digging Up Danger).  The two cartoon characters connect the ongoing plot with suggestions at the back of the book, in the Mystery Creation Zone, of how to become a mystery writer, how to introduce clues, how to build suspense, etc.  While the majority of readers will only read the mystery in the front half of the book, those who are interested in becoming an author or a better writer will enjoy the suggestions and encouragement of the back half.  This is a unique series that will interest readers and writers alike.  Grades 4-6.

Reviewed by Suzanne Dix, Westbrook Middle School, Westbrook