Treasure Island

September 11, 2023
Following his father’s death, Black middle schooler Zane’s mother must take in several boarders—“all of them old, smelling of Vicks VapoRub and mothballs”—to afford their Queens home. But the bills still pile up despite the extra income, and Zane worries that he and his mother will be evicted. One of the boarders, elderly Captain Maddie, who claims she has a hidden treasure, urges Zane to protect her hoard before dying suddenly. In her room, Zane finds an old treasure map of Manhattan containing mysterious clues, and Zane—accompanied by his two best friends and his dog Hip-Hop—subsequently embarks on an epic treasure hunt. While attempting to evade a group of skateboarders intent on stealing the map and claiming the treasure for themselves, Zane and company encounter an enigmatic man named John who offers to help piece together the clues. As the mission grows more treacherous, Zane must determine whom to trust. In this contemporary spin on Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, Rhodes (Paradise on Fire) employs lush descriptive language and engaging dialogue teeming with historical facts, and crafts a sincere protagonist whose compassion for others radiates from the pages of this high-octane romp. Ages 10–up. Agent: Michael Bourret. Dystel, Goderich & Bourret.

January 1, 2024

Gr 5-7-Rhodes's opening epigraph from Robert Louis Stevenson's late-19th-century classic immediately credits her inspiration. Harvey, who laudably ciphered Rhodes's Ghost Boys, enlivens her latest cast featuring three swashbuckling Rockaway, Queens, middle schoolers bound for the island of Manhattan. Zane's father's sudden death forced his exhausted mother to open their house to boarders; eviction, alas, still looms. Just before their elderly resident Captain Maddie dies, she appoints Zane her First Mate and extols him to "[f]ind the treasure." The riches could save Zane's home, his buddy Jack might escape his abusive father, and meanwhile, their friend Kiko just wants to help. Mysterious Captain John appears to spin yarns of high seas adventures-but is he friend or foe? The memorable discoveries highlight long-buried Black history and culture. VERDICT From heroes-in-the-making to a lawless pirate crew with a salty talking parrot, Harvey's energy convincingly ensures a valuable aural adventure.

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2023
Grades 4-6 *Starred Review* "Yeah, I know," young narrator Zane writes. "Pirate treasure in Rockaway? Queens? Ridiculous." But aarrgh, mateys, there do be a trove of long-lost loot in this modern-day version of the Robert Louis Stevenson yarn! Rhodes doesn't so much rewrite the classic as borrow elements from it wholesale--from the fatal "Black Spot" and a treasure map passed to Zane by a salty old sea captain at his mom's boarding house to a gang of (skateboarding) pirates led by a smooth talking hustler named "John," who is kitted out with dreads, a parrot named "Captain Flint," and a ring of (wink, wink) silver. That map, it turns out, leads not only to rousing "island" adventures aplenty but also to eye-opening revelations about the history of enslaved and free African Americans in New York as Zane; his trusty terrier, Hip-Hop; and loyal friend Kiko Kitaji engage in a breathless round of chases, ambushes, captures, and betrayals in their search for the glittering prize. Along with awesome skateboarding exploits, the author punctuates her protagonist's choppy, fast-break narrative with appropriately dramatic, dark-toned illustrations of figures in tense stances against photographic backgrounds. The whirl of conflicting loyalties, quick pacing, acts of courage and cowardice, pirates, and high stakes create the same rich, compelling mix that makes the original such a timeless read.

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August 15, 2023
In this modern-day retelling of a classic centering a majority Black cast, a boy's search for riches leads him to lesser-known parts of American history. After his father's untimely death, Zane's mother takes in boarders to make ends meet. Zane has mixed feelings about one of them, the enigmatic "Captain Maddie of the Turbulent Underground Sea," and her strange ramblings and warnings. But as her predictions materialize, their bond cements. What about her instructions to "sail on that board of yours. Find the treasure"--is there really treasure waiting to be found? Zane's friends Kiko (who is Japanese and Black and from a prosperous home) and Jack (whose trucker father is an abusive alcoholic), plus Zane's feisty pup, Hip-Hop, set off to explore Manhattan, with the kids on their skateboards. Guided by an old, riddle-filled map, they visit several sites of historical events with echoes of the past. But they're not the only ones interested in treasure, and they don't know whom they can trust. Whether or not readers are familiar with Robert Louis Stevenson's original, they'll be drawn into this accessible, action-packed adventure, full of mysteries, pirates, skateboard drama, and a whole new underground world. The artful, verse-like sentence structures intentionally and effectively evoke the "resonance and rhythm of the African American oral tradition." Select scenes are represented with appealing full-page illustrations. Daringly honors old heroes, stunningly integrating past and present with pitch-perfect success. (skateboarding trick glossary, historical note) (Adventure. 9-14)

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