Blog Tour: Tracks in the Mist (Adamson Adventures #4) by Sandra Bennett

Title: Tracks in the Mist (Adamson Adventures #4)

Author: Sandra Bennett

Genre: Mystery/Adventure

Publisher: Rosella Ridge Books

Published: 1^st June 2024

Format: Paperback

Pages: 200

Price: $18.00

Synopsis: Deep in the wilderness there’s much more to discover than ever anticipated. When there are strange bird sightings in Southern Tasmania, it’s no coincidence that Luke, Clare, and Zac learn from Uncle Tom that their mysterious beloved farm pet, Zoe, has gone missing. Eager to rescue the missing bird, the kids have a struggle on their hands to convince their mother to allow them to follow their hearts and travel to Tasmania to begin their quest.

The Adamson siblings finally embark on a new marvellous and thrilling adventure to rescue the unusual bird. Self-confessed wildlife warrior, Clare, is desperate to find Zoe before any harm can come to her. Devastated that she is missing, Luke will rush ahead as usual, forgetting to consider any consequences while Zac is determined to keep his promise to their mother that this time he will keep them both safe from harm at all costs.

Along their journey, the kids encounter many fascinating animals and birds, native to the Australian bush. However, when Dad is injured and unable to continue, their undertaking suddenly takes on a far more frantic resolve. The Adamson family are not the only ones both eager and curious to join in the hunt. Not only is a university team out to capture this strangely unique creature, but who is the cave dwelling hermit and why is there a team of angry men chasing them all through the bush? All will be revealed in Zac, Clare, and Luke’s final adventure.

Tracks in the Mist is the fourth book in the award-winning Adamson Adventure series. It is a middle grade chapter book suitable for ages 7 -12 years.

THEMES

• Adventure
• Sibling rivalry
• Cooperation
• Resilience
• Nature
• Endangered species
• Taking care of the environment

PERFECT FOR

• Students aged 7-12

~*~

Zac, Clare, and Luke are back for their fourth and final adventure, trekking through the Tasmanian bush in search of Zoe, the Demon Duck of Doom who came back from the time of the dinosaurs with them last time. Zoe has managed to get from Uncle Tom’s farm in Queensland to a national park in Tasmania, and now, there are poachers, researchers, and journalists after her, keen to bag a prize or take her back to do experiments. So, the kids and dad set off for Tasmania, where they will also encounter endangered species, running away from poachers, and trying to stay out of trouble – but when have these siblings ever stayed out of trouble?

The National Park in Tasmania is lush and vibrant, and a place of adventure and danger, and it is precisely this setting that allows Zac, Clare, and Luke to become resilient wand resourceful when things go wrong, because they’re soon alone again and need to find a way to save Zoe and get back to Dad. As they trek through the park, Clare teaches her brothers about conservation and endangered species, and how they should be taking care of the environment, which are themes that run throughout the novel. So readers will get a chance to learn something as they read and in a fun and invigorating way that younger readers will find entertaining, especially if they have been following the series since the first book.

Throughout the series, they have had adventures with archaeologists, ghosts, dinosaurs and megafauna and now, they’re on a quest to save Zoe – and they get to save other wildlife at the same time. It centres the kids as the heroes and the ones who drive the narrative, as they explore the bush they’re in. The pacing keeps readers on their toes – ensuring that they don’t put the book down and keep reading to find out what happens – especially when the kids find a strange man living in a cave with a strange-looking dog – what could it be? This added layer of mystery examines the possibility that there is more to the bush and nature than what we think. This person hovers around the edges at first, an uncertainty as Zac and his sibling look for Zoe. This adventure is fraught with danger and ingenuity, taking place over a day or two as the search for Zoe keeps the characters and readers on their toes. And this makes for a very exciting book.

Each clue is carefully placed, so nothing is too easy, but also, the kids are able to follow them and find out the truth, find out what is going on and use their ingenuity throughout the book, and this is what makes things work so well, and that makes this series one that readers can engage with on a range of levels and through a variety of interests, but will particularly speak to kids who love adventure, and in the case of the final book, animal conservation and welfare, and taking care of the environment.

This book explores what it means when an animal is out of its ecosystem, and the impact that humans have on the environment in accessible and interesting ways for younger readers aged seven and over. This final book is the culmination of all the adventures, the one that is closer to home than the others, but at the same time, no less dangerous. It highlights the vast array of knowledge we have about the world but also the gaps we have in our knowledge – for a whole range of reasons, depending on the area you’re looking at. I have thoroughly enjoyed this series, and think this is the perfect way for it to end, and for Zoe and the Adamson siblings to go off into the sunset.

This is another great book for middle grade readers, and a wonderful ending to a fabulous series.