The Race Across Anaconda Swamp: A Challenge Island STEAM Adventure

by Sharon Duke Estroff

Dash across the rainforest swamp with Daniel, Joy, and Kimani in the newest Challenge Island adventure! One of Children Book Council's Hot off the Press picks for May 2022! "For early grade readers who revel in science-based fiction, this is a winning read. Animals, physics, and habitats are among the topics covered, with lots of instances where the reader can predict and hypothesize along with the characters. Kimani, who is Black, has an impressive head for science and builds in many of the facts that help the group solve problems together. Sleek black and white cartoon art complements the text, adding visual clues. Science experiments and craft projects from each character are at the end."
— Youth Services Book Review "In this follow-up to The Bridge to Sharktooth Island, optimistic Joy, cautious Daniel, and studious Kimani find themselves transported once again to a magical island where they have to solve a series of puzzles to escape the middle of the rainforest before darkness falls. . . Supplementary materials at the back include STEAM projects and fun facts introduced by the main characters that a science-loving child will enjoy. The story is engaging, educational, and peppered with cute illustrations… a fun purchase for the easygoing young reader in love with animals and books."
—School Library Journal "The Race Across Anaconda Swamp , the second Challenge Island title, in which three kids use teamwork and STEAM skills to navigate a perilous island adventure, [is forthcoming from West Margin Press.]"
— Publishers Weekly , Spring 2022 Children’s Sneak Previews Daniel, Joy, and Kimani are transported once again to a magical island—this time into a tropical rainforest! As they zip through the canopy, a dangerous snake lurks in the black waters below. They are searching for a way out and a path to a mysterious tower. Does it hold the answers to their questions? Using ropes and other found items, the three friends must figure out how to safely traverse across the island using their knowledge of friction and weights. But the sun is going down and night is approaching fast. Will they reach the tower in time? Also included are cool facts about the rainforest and its animals, plus fun STEAM activities showing you how to build your own pulley system and monkey playground. From the world's #1 STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math) education enrichment program, Challenge Island® presents an exciting new adventure book series for smart, curious kids.

134 pages, Hardcover

Published June 7, 2022

About the author

I am the author of a new parenting advice book called Can I Have a Cell Phone for Hanukkah? The Essential Scoop on Raising Modern Jewish Kids (Broadway Books, 2007).

I also write a syndicated parenting column which appears in 50+ publications across the United States, Canada and Israel and am a feature writer for Parents Magazine and numerous other local, regional and national periodicals.

As a mother of four school-age children and a former elementary school teacher (I taught in Atlanta public and private schools for fifteen years), my material comes straight from the trenches of modern parenthood.

I am so thrilled that my book has been embraced by Jewish and non-Jewish readers alike. I welcome questions and comments from all my Good Reads friends!

Happy Reading!

Reviews

[Diane Sallans · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book for review thru a LibraryThing giveaway. It's the second in a STEAM series - tho I haven't read the first one it was pretty easy to understand the storyline and characters. It's an adventure story for children that explores a rainforest and swamp environment. It presents the three children with obstacles to overcome and a goal to reach. It would be fun for anyone who enjoys an adventure. St the end of the book is a recap of terms used that may be new to the reader and related projects to create.

[Stephanie Tournas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cousins Daniel and Joy enter the elevator in their apartment building, and are magically transported to a steamy tropical island. They are joined by their friend Kimani, and together the third graders must figure out how to traverse a rainforest swamp to reach the tower in the distance. I like that each kid has a particular skill : Joy is adventurous, Daniel is cautious and Kimani knows a lot of science. Together with DaVinci the parrot, they construct a zipline, learning about friction, and rescue a baby monkey from an anaconda by constructing a weighted sling, learning about balance. Along the way, each friend explains various phenomena of the rainforest, especially Kimani, who is the scientist among them.

For early grade readers who revel in science based fiction, this is winning read. Animals, physics, and habitats are among the topics covered, with lots of instances where the reader can predict and hypothesize along with the characters. Kimani, who is Black, has an impressive head for science and builds in many of the facts that help the group solve problems together.

Sleek black and white cartoon art complements the text, adding visual clues. Science experiments and craft projects from each character are at the end.

Although there is a short preface, I think readers will get more out of the story if they read the first book in the series first (The Bridge to Sharktooth Island). It wasn’t clear why the kids were taken to the island or why they had to reach the tower.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This nice chapter book has a lot going for it and will make a good read for the tween reader. It has a good message of working together using STEM problem solving skills, a nicely paced adventure story and some activities at the back for learning more about nature and imagination. And there apparently are more books in this series to encourage reading and developing scientific thinking capabilities.
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway for this honest review.

[David W. Cofer · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book just didn’t do it for me. The characters were uninspiring and the plot was equally boring. The dialogue felt stilted and forced. I had to force myself to finish the book as I was never engaged at all.

The story centers around three teenagers (and a bird) as they travail the rainforest, and the obstacles therein, including a snake and other creatures, as well as transporting themselves from tree to tree as they seek to arrive at a mysterious tower before sunset.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a second grade teacher I loved the way this book incorporated so many academic standards into the story. It truly brought my students science text book to life. I loved the diversity of the characters and the STEAM challenges in the back. I know the Challenge Island program because they run classes in our school making it even more awesome.

[Joy Rosales · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this ebook in a Goodreads giveaway. I rates this 3 stars for personal enjoyment, but I would give it 4 stars for what it is. I would definitely read this to my kids in the future and I thought the activities in the back were really cool.

[Sharon Tacon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an Early Reviewer copy of this title in return for an impartial review. This is a fast-paced and action-packed chapter book ideal for the elementary grades. Three kids must employ teamwork, creativity and science knowledge to solve problems posed by their situation. There’s a touch of magic and a hint of menace but nothing to disturb a second or third grader. Should tie in well with the STEAM curriculum.