Island of Thieves, by Josh Lacey (fiction) - treasure, travel, trouble in Peru!

Historic voyage journal to find!
Hidden treasure to uncover!
Trigger-happy bad guys to avoid!

Somehow, Tom doubts that his parents expected Uncle Harvey to take him to Peru, but curiosity is a Trelawney family trait... how could he pass up the chance to find John Drake's lost journal detailing the Golden Hind's voyage?

The nephew of Sir Francis Drake noted the flora and fauna of the South American coastline - and the treasure that they captured from the Spaniards in 1578-79 and hid safely on an island.

Look for this fast-moving adventure tale at your local library or independent bookstore today, one of this summer's fun reads.
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Book info: Island of Thieves / Josh Lacey. Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2011. [author's website] [publisher site] 

My Recommendation:

Visiting his uncle might have been boring for Tom, except for the mysterious journal and the sudden flight to Lima and the hidden treasure they’re seeking and the vicious killers after them. They just have to locate the island where the gold is buried and get it back to New York City in 5 days, before Tom’s parents get back from vacation – easy, right?

Uncle and nephew share the Trelawaney nose and family talent for unearthing interesting things, so away they fly to Peru, where Harvey had recently acquired a very old journal page that mentions gold buried on an island. As they search for more pages, they are chased by villains who think that Harvey already has the treasure in hand.

Dizzying mountain roads, scattered journal pages to sort and puzzle through. They know that the first journal page found is 500 years old – could this truly be a voyage log from Sir Francis Drake’s expedition?

Allies and enemies, double-crosses and unexpected assistance. Tom’s mom and dad will be at Harvey’s apartment to pick him up in a few days – can the adventurers really find the correct island in time?

Car chases and car crashes, boat trips through towering waves. The treasure has remained hidden for so many centuries – what other traps and tricks will nephew and uncle encounter along the way?

For adventure and intrigue, with a side order of Peru’s national dish, head for the Island of Thieves with the too-curious-for-their-own-good Trelawney guys, as the clock ticks toward their departing flight and perhaps to their own departure from the land of the living!  (One of 5,000 books recommended on www.abookandahug.com) Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.