Reviewed by Grandma Bev for TeensReadToo.com

Sam and Max Stone just can't wait for spring break. Mr. Stone has a job to do in the Cayman Islands, and they will be going there, too. What a great way to spend spring break! Odd things start happening to Max and Sam after they find out they are going to the Cayman Islands. Two mysterious boxes arrive on their doorstep. One contains an ancient leather bound journal, and the other an old, frail map. A notation on the map indicated that it was made over 40 years ago, but across the top was printed "Max and Sam's Incredible Journey Map." Mom doesn't know where the boxes came from, either.

Unusual, funny events seem to plague the two boys, but their plane finally arrives at their Caribbean destination. Then they overhear a telephone conversation and discover that a guy on the beach may be one that was shown on national television on the America's Most Wanted program. After they spot a tell-tale parrot tattoo on his stomach as he relaxes in a beach chair the kids are certain that it is the wanted man.

The adventurous boys plot to help catch this frightening character, and the action escalates and the kids find themselves in great danger. Then they discover a shocking secret about their father and his reason for coming to the Caymans.

Max and Sam are engaging characters that manage to get themselves tangled in peril and excitement in this fast-paced adventure that takes place in an exotic setting. Connie Lee Berry has crafted a hard-to-put-down, lively, funny story, filled with mysteries and secrets. The illustrations add visual interest, and the back pages of the book have interesting facts about the Cayman Islands, tell you how you can join the Incredible Journey Club, and submit your own science projects and fun poems to be included in future INCREDIBLE JOURNEY books. What fun! ( )

THE CRIMINALS IN THE CAYMANS by Connie Lee Berry is the first book of the Incredible Journey series. In this book for ages 7 to 9, we meet the Stone family, Sam, a second grader, Max, a third grader, Sydney their 2 year old sister and their parents. Mr. Stone is a lawyer for a large banking corporation, and their mother is a stay-at-home Mom.

Connie Berry got the idea for writing the Incredible Journey series from her eight year old who was complaining about writing a paragraph. She told him writing can be fun and to prove it, she was going to write a book for him and his brother to read. She believes reading and learning should be fun.

The book starts out right before spring break when the boys find out they are going to the Caymans. Mr. Stone has a business trip there and decides to take the family. Before they leave, two mysterious packages arrive on the doorstep addressed to Maxwell and Samuel. One had an old, frail map of the world with a title of Max and Sam’s Incredible Journey Map. In the lower right hand corner it was dated Oct. 11, 1964, over 40 years ago, and at the bottom was written, “May good fortune be with you.”

The other package contained a newspaper from 1955 and an old leather journal. Inside were several old, crackly, yellowed papers. The first one had ‘Notes taken wisely can be of great use to you’ written on it. This was used by Sam in the adventure.

An overheard conversation by Sam on the beach leads him to discover an outlaw fugitive on America’s Most Wanted staying in the same hotel. On the way to helping capture the fugitive, Max and Sam discovers their father is a FBI agent.

Berry has done a good job included facts about the Cayman Islands and a neat science page. This one was about dissecting owl pellets. Really great for grade school boys!

This is a good read for the grade school group. There is plenty of fun and adventure with a bit of mystery and pictures and illustrations highlighting the eleven chapters. The facts are suitable for grade schoolers like, turtle farming is big, and it’s part of the U.K. so it is ruled by Queen Elizabeth II. I recommend this book.

Review by Steve (hubby) ( )