Mystery of the Bear Cub

Cooper and Packrat, #4

by Tamra Wight, Carl DiRocco (Illustrator)

The boys are down in the dumps--literally! Someone is dumping trash on the Wilder Family Campground's property. It's bad for the campground, and bad for the wildlife there, too. When Cooper Wilder and his friends, Packrat and Roy, find a fox in the woods with its head stuck in a jar, they know it's time to investigate. But when the boys start digging, they stumble headlong into the path of a garbage truck, toxic waste, and a black bear looking for its cub. Tamra Wight keeps the adventures coming in Book 4 of the award-winning Cooper & Packrat series.

Genres: Mystery, Middle Grade

205 pages, Hardcover

First published October 10, 2017

About the author

My first middle-grade eco-adventure Cooper and Packrat: Mystery on Pine Lake was launched by Islandport Press in Aug 2013. Now there are five books in the series! Mystery of the Missing Lynx is being released June of 2022. Carl DiRocco is the genius behind the illustrations.

I'm also the author of The Three Grumpies, illustrated by Ross Collins.

For twenty-eight years, I ran Poland Spring Campground in Maine with my husband and two children. Wildlife watching from the camp's trails, kayaking Lower Range Pond, and my family's day-to-day camp chores inspired the Cooper and Packrat adventures. I now work as a teaching assistant, and my students inspire me daily.

Some of my favorite activities are wildlife photography, geo-caching, campfires with s'mores, snowshoeing, hiking and sailing Casco Bay, Portland, Maine. I also like to hide in the Maine woods under my "cloak of invisibility", a huge poncho-shaped camouflage covering, with my camera pointed at passing porcupines, coyotes, deer or fox. You can read more about me, my books and see my wildlife photography at www.tamrawight.com.

Happy Reading!

Reviews

[Karen Arendt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my favorite book in the series so far! I love the recycling theme and the archeological dig of the old privy. Kida will live the bathroom humor, too. And Roy’s family concerns are very relatable.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you haven’t come across the Cooper and Packrat mystery series, you are in for a huge treat! Author Tamra Wight was the owner of Poland Springs Campground in Maine and was inspired by life at the campground to create this incredible series. Each book involves a mystery around an indigenous Maine animal. Each chapter begins with fascinating facts about that animal as we follow three friends (Cooper, Packrat, and Roy) who always seem to encounter some mysterious events at the campground. This series is perfect for middle grade readers and I was so excited for this most recent edition. Kids can try to solve the mystery, but they are also learning about the environment, endangered species, interesting facts about animals, as well as the challenges kids face in their daily lives with family and friends. It really has it all and is written in such an engaging style. I cannot recommend this series enough. You may want to start at the beginning, but each makes a great stand alone book!

[Joanne Roach-Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finally got to read the fourth in this series and enjoyed it immensely! Another fun and exciting book in the Cooper & Packrat series. I love how the author weaves multiple story lines and plots into a fast paced adventure. She presents various viewpoints on topics like recycling and how something that seems simple enough presents problems for many people. Things are not always as they seem and there are lots of life lessons to be found within the context of the greater story. I also enjoy the environmental/educational aspect of her stories. An imaginative and rather hilarious ending brings this adventure to a satisfying close. I wish there were going to be more adventures for Cooper & Packrat!

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute 4-5th grade novel. This is book four in a series. The books can stand alone- I found book 4 and didn't feel like I was missing any of the story without reading 1-2-3. It can be preachy at times about the environment and recycling, but all and all an entertaining story about 3 boys trying to do the right thing.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Friendship, nature, history and greed rolled into another great adventure in this series. I think I'll read this aloud to my class next.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

What happened to Summer?

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

My grandson read this & had me borrow it so I could read it too. I liked it as much as he did!