National Park Mystery Series
Mystery in Rocky Mountain National Park (Book 1)
Mystery in Rocky Mountain National Park by Aaron Johnson is book one in his National Park Mystery Series. The main character, Jake, is still struggling with the loss of his beloved grandfather. As the story opens, Jake is decoding a cipher left by his grandfather that leads to a special scrapbook for his two month long trip visiting various National Parks in the U.S. Jake quickly figures out that there are more clues to be solved within the scrapbook left by his grandfather that directly relates to the different parks he will visit. His grandfather, before his death, planned the entire two-month trip and left various clues - a scavenger hunt of sorts - for Jake to uncover.
Jake’s family is not entirely alone on this endeavor. Wes, Jake’s cousin, and his family also attend this adventure; along with Amber and her family who are family friends to Jake’s parents. At first desiring to keep the scrapbook and clues a secret, Jake eventually relents and shares everything with Wes and Amber who are excited to help Jake uncover and discover all the clues, which makes up the entirety of this first book in the series as they go on various trips and adventures to discover all the clues left within the Rocky Mountain National Park. At the end of this book, they are ready - armed with their clues - for the next National Park.
However, there is more going on then Jake knows and the reader is given privilege to a mysterious back story as there are chapters that go back in time to 1880 and a young man named Abe who has gotten himself in a bit of trouble, but also uncovers a mystery himself with silver arrow heads. As readers will learn by the end of book one - Abe is Jake’s great great grandfather and the journal uncovered belongs to him.
Additionally, whatever secrets have been hidden by Jake’s ancestor and the knowledge now entrusted to him has made him vulnerable as there are people who are not after him for the knowledge he has. He manages to get away from them in book one, but it is clear that these nefarious others will soon be back.
Noteworthy Quotes/Mentions:
“Jake held the scrapbook on his lap, stunned by what he’d just heard and feeling it soak in. His grandfather had planned this trip, taking them to places like the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, and Yellowstone” (19). What makes this stand out is to consider the love of the grandfather to plan in advance something for his grandson to enjoy and remember him by. I think it is a noteworthy point to remind readers of the kind acts we can plan in advance for those we love - something we know they would enjoy.
When Jake uncovers the first clue in the park, he is told, “‘We don’t know the Keeper by his real name–just his radio handle: Mather.’ The old man’s eyes darted around the room. ‘Kid, I wish I could tell you more, but it’s just not safe to talk about it out in the open’” (44). From here, the added mystery is set in motion.
On page 109 when Jake finally reveals everything to Amber and Wes, their responses are ones of kindness. Wes is excited for the adventure, but Amber takes a moment to acknowledge the grief and loss Jake has been experiencing since the loss of his grandfather.
In a chapter focused on events in 1880, Abe must confront one of the nefarious men of the time along with a ranch owner - Abner. In reflecting on the events and Abner’s confidence in the situation the text says, “In front of him, Abner rode with the ease of a man who knew exactly who he was and where he was going. And Abe wondered if he stayed long enough, if he too might become such a man” (122). Readers also learn early on that Abe was an orphan without a last name.
“Abe took in a deep breath and stared up at the mountain again. It all felt impossible. Impossible. The force of that word stung. It was a word full of nevers and nots, of ifs and don’ts. It made him think of the city. They said I’d never leave. That I couldn’t save the money for the ticket. ‘Don’t risk it.’ ‘It’s not worth trying.’ Well, I’m here. They were wrong. And I guess this is what being free looks like. Like risk. Like trust” (194).
“That would take some patience,” Abe remarked.
“Anything worthwhile does,” Abner replied (196).
Parents will be delighted that this book is truly perfect for readers 8+ as there is adventure and mystery without anything inappropriate or any scary scenes that might be unsuitable to some children. This book would also make a great family read aloud if you are looking for a night time reading series. If you have young readers who love the outdoors or are part of a scouting group like American Heritage Girls or Trail Life, there is much in the story that would capture their imagination and might be relatable to some of their experiences in being adventure bound. Overall, I really enjoyed the book, and I look forward to providing additional information on other books within the series.
Discovery in Great Sand Dunes National Park (Book 2)
Discovery in Great Sand Dunes National Park is book two in the National Park Mystery Series by Aaron Johnson. Picking up where book one ends, the children and their families arrive at the Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado. Desiring to continue their adventures and exploration, Jake, Amber, and Wes plan to go sandboarding on the Dunes. During their excursion they identify a pond in the dunes, something they learn later is a very rare occurrence. However, while there they quickly hide after hearing voices and the discovering of ancient artifacts. The children are shocked to discover three people looting the site.
After arriving back to camp, the children inform their parents and a ranger of what they discovered. Before they know it, their short three day visit to Great Sand Dunes National Park becomes jam packed with mysteries to solve and looters to catch. With the help of Jake, Amber, and Wes the looters are eventually caught, the artifacts restored, and more clues to further adventure left for them to solve.
In the midst of uncovering the mystery surrounding the stolen artifacts, Jake, Amber, and Wes do still manage to solve the mysterious clues left by Jake’s grandfather which leads them to a special meeting with Elmyra Holcomb. As Jake learns from Elmyra, she knew his distant relatives - Abe and Emma Evans. Abe, readers will remember from book one, marries Emma Evans who is introduced in this novel with the interweaving story of Jake and his friends. Emma discovers a dog in the forest who is being chased by hounds and men on horses. Once returning back to a homestead she is working on, Ulysses, the owner of the homestead, helps Emma care for the dog and the two of them leave the next day to follow the dog who leads them to his owner - Abe Evans - trapped in a cavern. A mysterious man is after Abe and the information he has concerning a silver spear head and a wooden box. Both end up in the hands of Jake, Amber, and Wes, and they are only just beginning to understand what they have as they are on their way to their next destination - the Grand Canyon.
Noteworthy quotes/mentions:
When Jake and Amber agree to follow Wes’s suggestion of where the hidden loot might be in the park, Wes feels worried about looming judgment if his suggestion is wrong. He worries that Jake and Amber will be mad if he is wrong. Both reassure him that they will not be angry. “I mean, back at school, no one listens to me. Nobody takes me seriously. But you guys are different. You believed in my idea right away, and you followed me out here into the middle of nowhere.”
“You’re right, Wes,” Amber said. “We did. Because we think you’re smart. And we trust you” (97).
“But you know, life, it turns out that way, but only when you really live it –when you go on adventures, take risks, and do courageous things like Miss Emma” (154).
“[F]olks looking for treasure often forget themselves, and they forget what they’re really after” (160).
Jake receives a knife from the lead ranger who assists the children throughout the story. The knife has the word trust engraved on it. The ranger explains that it was given to him to one day pass on when the right person came along. He then entrusts Jake with the same commission. In thinking back on his grandpa at this moment, Jake is reminded of something his grandpa used to tell him, “Sometimes, when you’re doing the right thing, it’s a magnet for good stuff to happen” (218).
If you have a reader who enjoyed book one or you are just being introduced to this series for the first time, then I would highly recommend this book and series thus far. I am awaiting the arrival of book three and book six is on preorder. Readers who love mystery and adventure will love this series and Johnson does a great job of keeping the story engaging and moving at a pace that will keep even your reluctant reader hooked. Again, the story has great support from parents who are involved in providing guidance and protection, but also encouraging independence and courage from the young protagonists. Parents will appreciate the great themes and the way the characters emulate the proper way to work through disagreements and disappointments.
Adventure in Grand Canyon National Park (Book 3)
Adventure in the Grand Canyon National Park by Aaron Johnson is book three in the National Park Mystery Series. Continuing on from where book two ended, Jake, Wes, and Amber are trying to unlock the meaning of the mysterious cube they uncovered and Jake’s grandfather’s next set of clues and instructions. After utilizing the scrapbook, they quickly learn that they are to find the missing wood tiles that will complete the map the cube ultimately contains.
In order to find the missing tiles, Jake, Wes, and Amber must figure out the additional clues provided by Jake’s grandfather and before too long discover that there are actually six missing tiles, not four. In the process of locating the whereabouts of the tiles, Wes realizes that they are once again being followed. In addition to that, there is a missing girl who the “FBI” are searching for. Soon, the children realize that they must find the missing girl and in doing so, they realize that their scavenger hunt is bigger than they ever thought.
As a bit of a spoiler - the FBI agents are not really agents, but are agents in disguise who work for the Director. The children have no idea who this person is or why they want the cube and the map. The agents are also after Agate, the daughter of a man who was supposed to meet the children - but he is in hiding due to the Director being after him. As the children learn from Agate - their grandfather had organized a meeting between them in order to get one of the clues that is beyond their reach without help. Additionally, they learn that Jake’s grandfather helped find various treasures that have since also been hidden and no one but his grandfather knew the location. In the end, Agate manages to escape the agents working for the Director.
The book is full of adventure and intrigue that your reader will fly through as they follow our adventurers unlocking clues and seeking the tiles, while also trying to evade the agents working for the Director. At one point, they lose the cube and a tile they had uncovered and must work to get it back and stay within the time frame they have for being at the Grand Canyon.
Furthermore, in this installment in the series, the themes center around Jake and his internal struggles. Jake becomes jealous of Amber and her intelligence and physical capabilities. This jealousy builds and broods through much of the story before it all comes out in a critical point of the novel when the children must truly work together and Jake has to let his pride go. Jake finally confesses his frustration with Amber. She patiently listens, is supportive of Jake, but also lets him know that she isn’t going to change who she is to make him feel better. Jake continues to struggle with his jealousy as the novel begins to wrap up, but it is much better than it was at the beginning as he is working through his feelings.
Noteworthy quotes/ mentions:
Jake gets heat exhaustion on a hike, but he is unwilling to address his physical struggles. Wes makes a comment about an explorer who survived a harsh environment because they didn’t go faster than the slowest person on their team. “That’s pretty smart,” Amber commented. “Patience like that can save your life” (61).
“This whole thing goes deep–deeper than you or I can imagine. My dad and your grandpa believed that the Director already infiltrated intelligence agencies and bribed real agents. All I know for sure is that those guys in the blue jackets are bad” (135).
“Jake smiled at his cousin. A whirlwind of emotions spun around inside him. Excitement and nervousness, grief and courage all swirled about. But the biggest thing he felt was relief, relief from the jealousy that had weighed him down like a backpack full of rocks. He drew in a deep breath, let it out, and felt his shoulders lift” (173).
“But at that moment, he recalled his grandpa’s words: ‘It’s not about being the best, Jax. It’s about giving it your best.’ “And that’s when it hit him. My grandpa didn’t finish his quest. He didn’t figure it all out. He had to pass it on to me. Never once had Jake thought his grandpa had failed” (193).
Parents will greatly appreciate another clean novel in the series, and one that their adventurous readers will devour and learn a few things along the way. Johnson not only develops great themes and messages about friendship, endurance, and jealousy, but he also offers a robust Author’s Note that goes into further detail about some of the areas, history, and native peoples of the Grand Canyon. He also offers a link to a vocabulary list and extended chapter on fire building. I absolutely enjoyed book three. I did not want to stop reading it once I started, and I am looking forward to book four.
Danger in Zion National Park (Book 4)
Danger in Zion National Park by Aaron Johnson is book four in the National Park Mystery Series. This installment picks up with the same historical story line of Abe and Nahmida seeking information about the mysterious map on the cube. They eventually make it to man in what is today Zion National Park to receive the information needed, but that information simply puts Abe on another adventurous path further north. Before continuing on, he returns to a family to retrieve his horse Gideon; however, when he arrives, the barn is on fire and the family is desperately trying to keep the fire from jumping to their home. After much effort, the fire is out and Abe learns that the horses were stolen before the barn was set on fire by two outlaws who have been chasing him. Abe, Nahmida, Mr. Kane, and his son devise a plan that allows them to capture the two outlaws and retrieve the horses. The efforts are successful and Abe and Nahmida part ways as Abe travels to his next destination in which he does eventually retrieve the mysterious box that the children now currently have in their possession.
Fast forwarding now to present time, Jake, Wes, and Amber are excited but also confused on what the next leg of their journey entails. After some sleuthing through the journals, a note, and the scrapbook, the three realize there are adventures awaiting that Jake’s grandfather planned a year in advance that includes a new delivered package and special hiking and climbing permits for some precarious trails within Zion National Park. However, from the outset the children are struck by an odd sense of being watched. It isn’t long before they discover drones that are keeping track of their every move.
Undeterred, the children set out on their big hike with permits in hand and their parents not too far behind them in the trail. Unfortunately, a young man named Cody, who they encountered at the Visitor’s Center has made Wes his target for bullying. This added personal conflict in the story affects Wes primarily, but Jake is also having his eyes opened to the racism and evil behavior his cousin and aunt have experienced. Jake is quick to come to Wes’s defense, but he also learns that a physical response is not always the right one. Despite Cody’s nasty behavior, the children work together to save Cody from near death when he suffers from heat exhaustion and dehydration.
Prior to the climactic episode with Cody, Jake receives a package with a cassette tape. On the cassette tape is a recording from his grandfather giving him historical information of what has led him to this point and additional information he needs moving forward. Seeking a treasure using the map from the cube, the children, along with their parents, are able to traverse the Narrows. In an offshoot canyon from this location, they ultimately work together to uncover a hidden red beryl worth millions of dollars. However, they also must survive a flash flood before making it back to their parents and campsite.
Once back, the children decide to tell their parents the extent of their scavenger hunt left by Jake’s grandpa and at first, the parents believe the children have been making up a campfire story. However, after their insistence of the truth and sharing some additional details, they finally accept their story. The story ends with more questions for readers as Jake finds out there is a back to his cassette tape.
Noteworthy quotes/mentions:
Aunt Judy explains to Jake and her son Wes after the physical encounter with Cody, “There’s this little space between when something happens to us and when we respond. That space is where we get to choose. And we choose…” [...] Wes completed the sentence. “We choose dignity” (56).
Abe tries to offer Mr. Kane silver coins for the cost of rebuilding his barn. Mr. Kane refuses the money. He responds to Abe, “Young man, I’ve lived forty-seven years on this earth. And I’ve seen that the Maker will bring something good out’a all this” (67).
Continuing on, Mr. Kane also tells Abe, “Son, we’d all like to believe we’ve got the power to make life turn out a certain way. But that kinda power is an illusion. We do what we can, and we get to trust the rest to God” (68).
In a conversation with his Aunt Judy, Jake learns more of her experience as a young girl and her experience with racism. “I have been really angry. And when I was around your age, it was all getting worse. But I remember one day telling my grandma about it, and she said something I’ll never forget. She said, ‘Child, feel angry all you want. But don’t let their words turn you into an angry person. They can’t make you be anything you don’t want to be’” (166).
This is once again another great installment in the National Park Mystery Series. Aside from positive themes about perseverance, endurance, and teamwork, I really appreciate how Johnson adds complexity between the social relationships with the children - as Jake works through feeling selfish and then jealous, and here as the bullying of Wes is exposed. Johnson offers readers a glimpse at real situations they have experienced or real emotions they have felt and a positive way of working through those situations and emotions.
Furthermore, readers who have enjoyed the first three will fly through this one, and I highly suggest book five is ready for them to devour. Lastly, parents will appreciate the way sensitive topics are handled and the positive themes and parental guidance offered to the children throughout the story as they seek adventure, independence, trust, and assurance.
