Cayuga Island Kids – Book 1
The Mystery of the Barking Branches and the Sunken Ship
The Cayuga Island Kids chapter book series highlights the adventures of five contemporary kids who live on a residential island near Niagara Falls. Loosely based on a true story, the first book in the series, The Mystery of the Barking Branches and the Sunken Ship, features a historical thread centering on one of the most intriguing unsolved mysteries of the Great Lakes. Published by City of Light Publishing. Intended for Grades 1-3, ages 7-10.
From the back cover:
What happens when a group of friends set off on a hunt for a certain kind of tree and uncover a buried cannonball instead? Who knew that the island they live on is also home to a whole lot of history? And, it turns out, a whole lot of mystery, too…
Meet the Cayuga Island Kids! It’s summer vacation, and that means there’s plenty of time for a hunt, a mystery, and exciting adventure. Are you ready? Open the book and join the fun. Find out what the Cayuga Island Kids are up to in this mystery story based on true events!
View the book trailer!
Order from the publisher (ships free to domestic addresses) and I’ll personalize the book to your specifcations!
Maya noticed Pesky pawing at something. She leaned over and looked closer.
On the edge of the patch of wildflowers was a round, hard bump.
What was that?
It was covered in dirt, but it didn’t look like a plant.
Was it a rock?
Was it a nest?
Or was something buried there?
Praise for The Mystery of the Barking Branches and the Sunken Ship
“The Mystery of the Barking Branches and the Sunken Ship is a delight! There is SO MUCH packed into this amazing chapter book! Rich information is woven throughout the story. The characters learn about nature, history, science, math, geography, explorers, rhyming words, vocabulary (i.e. archives, primary sources), and more… a tome that encourages curiosity, learning, and fun! As a teacher, I love this realistic fiction story because it would be a great guided reading or shared reading text. Children in primary grades (1-3) would love this book as an independent reading selection. It would be a great book for cross-curricular learning since there is science, social studies, and math woven throughout! I can see many extension activities for teachers or parents to use with readers.”
“I used The Mystery of the Barking Branches and the Sunken Ship during my second grade social studies classes (exploring local history, primary sources). It was a huge hit! I gave away several copies; one student started looking for artifacts in his backyard (so I bought him a large magnifying glass as an end of the year gift). Several families asked for information about the book… Thought you should know you have had an impact!”