SOLVED. Juvenile/YA fiction / Set someplace like the Everglades or the Okefenokee [s]

[M—]

I'm trying to track down a juvenile/YA book about a group of kids who had to hide out in a swamp, very likely the Everglades or the Okefenokee.

I think it was a mystery, but I don't remember much about the plot. Maybe this part of the swamp was due to be destroyed and built over? And the kids and their families were being 'encouraged' to move away from the swamp by unscrupulous people? I think there were at least three children. Two of them were maybe siblings… I recall a distinct older sibling/younger sibling relationship vibe… and the older sibling might have been female but I think the other children were male. I think the oldest child in the group (a teenager?) was someone the siblings met at the swamp, and he had lived in the swamp for a long time. He acted like a tour guide and educator about the swamp to the siblings.

I remember very small bits and pieces:

One of the siblings trailing fingers in the swamp-water, studying it because it was an odd brown color. A comment was made about the water not looking like water at all, but like Coca-Cola.

The oldest child having hopped out of the canoe/rowboat they were traveling in, to wade through the water and help maneuver the boat through a shallow area, leapt hastily back into the boat and pointed out to the others the slim brown water snake that was swimming past.

The children making plans to use bird calls to keep in touch with each other without the bad guys knowing they were there. The children were handicapped by the fact the siblings had a heck of a time trying to make realistic-sounding calls. The youngest sibling was limited to making the call of the Bobwhite (or maybe Whippoorwill?), and the oldest child was amused and pointing out that, if anything, the bad guys would think it mighty strange that there were so many birds of that one species around the swamp all of the sudden.

The word copse was used in the text; I remember it as being the first time I encountered that word.

I read this in the late 80s or early 90s, and I probably found it in a library. I'm afraid I don't remember any details about the copy of the book I read, the coverart, binding, etc. I don't think it was a part of a series, but don't remember enough to be sure of that. Aurgh.

I know this description is so vague, but does it sound familiar to anyone? Thanks much for your help!

[Kate]

Could this be it?
Tree Castle Island by Jean Craighead George
After building his own canoe, fourteen-year-old Jack Hawkins goes to try it out in his beloved Okefenokee Swamp, where an accident tests his survival skills and leads him to a shocking discovery.

There is also a Boxcar Children book called The Mystery of Alligator Swamp that could be it, what with all the siblings and their perchance for making new friends whereever they go that could act as a tour guide.

[M—]

Those are definitely possiblities; I read a lot of Craighead George and Boxcar Children books when I was young. I'll borrow these from my library and see one matches my memories. Thanks!

[Ann aka Iftcan]

hum, except for the bird calls, this would fit Gone-Away Lake. But it doesn't have the bird calls. The bobwhite call sounds almost like a Trixie Belden (The Gatehouse Mystery) Trixie and her friends call themselves the Bobwhites, use it as a secret signal and solve mysteries. Both the Gone-Away and the Trixie's are much older than the 90's, but many libraries still have at least a few of the Trixies--at least the library where I live has them. I didn't go through all the Trixies, but you might consider looking through them.

[M—]

I'm almost sure it isn't Gone-Away Lake, but only because it was recommended to me some time ago and I haven't had chance to read it yet. :) Now seems to be the time to borrow a copy and make myself absolutally sure.

Gatehouse Mystery might be more problamatic to check into; my local library system doesn't have a copy, so I'll need to try my luck with the interlibrary-loan system.

[Ann aka Iftcan]

Remember to check out the Trixie Belden books too M- since it could be one of them. I haven't read all of them--just 5 or 6--but some of the stuff in the ones that I have read sound a bit like the book you are looking for.

[smetchie]

Could it be Hoot?

It's newer than 1990s but otherwise sounds very much like your description. I know there is a part where a swamp savvy youth hops back into a canoe and points out some dangerous wildlife. May have been a snake.

[M—]

Sorry for the delayed response! I've been reading through the books recommended to me (both here and in other title-search places), and I can tell you for sure these below are not it:

Tree Castle Island
The Mystery of Alligator Swamp

Both published in the early 2000s; I would have read the book I'm looking for at around 10 years before that.

The Missing 'Gator of Gumbo Limbo

Another fantastic Craighead George book, but not one I'd read before.

The Gatehouse Mystery

I found this to be very girly, which is an aspect I definitely do not remember.

Scout: The Secret of the Swamp

Neither the dog detail nor the WWII-related plotline match my memories.

Gone-Away Lake

I'm glad I got a chance to read it, but it wasn't the story I'm looking for.

I'll give Hoot a try, but I'm sure I read this in middle school or very early high school, 1995 at latest.

[M—]

This isn't Lostman's River, either. Sigh. Lostman's had birds, siblings, and knowledgeable people in it and was set in the Everglades, but it had none of the details I remember.

[Deborah]

The Swamp Robber
Goosebumps: The Werewolf of Fever Swamp, by R.L. Stine

Does it have a supernatural reason for people being encouraged to leave? The classic Swamp Thing? Or was it just so the land could be developed?

[M—]

The Swamp Robber by Paul Hutchens? Amazon indicates that book has a strong religious theme, which is not a part of the book I'm looking for, and it doesn't look like it was published until the late 90s.

I'm sure it isn't that Goosebumps book. I don't remember any monsters or such strong supernatural themes. My book is much more likely to be natural/nature oriented.

[Wendy]

Could it be The Talking Earth by Jean Craighead George

[M—]

No, I don't think it's The Talking Earth. The protagonist in that one is mostly out in the swamps alone, and I'm sure the book I'm looking for has a small group of (human) characters out in the swamps. But thank you for the suggestion! I don't think I've read that one of George's. *adds to wishlist*

[BookWoman]

Possibly The Secret Raft by Hazel Krantz?

[M—]

Possibly! I'm not seeing a lot of summary information for it available online, so I've requested a copy through Inter-Library Loan. I hopefully should have the chance to give it a read in a matter of weeks.

Thanks for the suggestion!

[Lisa]

Can't wait to hear if it's the book, M.

[M—]

Sadly, no; The Secret Raft is not the book I'm looking for. Back to the drawing board!

[Sirvantes]

Probably not, but since it's one of my favorite juvenile/YA books, and takes place in the swamps and islands of Florida, I'll suggest "The Lion's Paw", by Robb White. I know there is something in there about bird calls or whistles, but my copy is stored away, so I can't check it for now. It does have the right age and gender characters you remember: teen Ben (hiding in the swamp so that his uncle can't sell his missing father's boat), and runaway orphan siblings Penny and Nick (the youngest).

[M—]

Oh, the lion's paw is a seashell, right? I've heard of that one before and it's on my list of books to find and read, but you're right: it's not my tricky book that I'm hunting for.

Grrrrr.

[Cheryl]

bump - we've got a determined hunter and an interesting book; let's keep trying...

[M—]

Thanks much! I'd love to find this book again.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Nine Man Tree?

In Depression-era Florida, young Yoolee assumes the responsibility of protecting his family from an unspeakable horror stalking the swamplands.

...twelve-year-old Yoolee's main concern in life is protecting his little sister, Havilah, and his long-suffering mother, Ruth Ann, from the violent rages of his alcoholic father. Then another horror enters their lives when the tiny swampland settlement is stalked by an enormous--and voracious--wild boar. When Yoolee's father disappears on a drunken binge, it's up to Yoolee to protect his family once again.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Probably not To Walk the Sky Path...

Ten-year-old Billie, a Seminole Indian, is caught between the cultures when his family moves away from the Florida Everglades and nearer the white man's civilization.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Weakfoot?

A young boy living near the Okefenokee Swamp in the early twentieth century befriends a fugitive, slays a panther, and becomes involved in his first romance.

[M—]

I apologize for the delay, Lobstergirl! None of those suggestions quite match my remembered plot, sad to say.

[Michele]

Possibly The Paleface Redskins? "The Richards kids play serious Indian on a Wisconsin lake, and declare war on a Boy Scout camp that has usurped their land."

[M—]

The Wisconsin setting doesn't seem like a good match to my memories, but my memories have been drastically wrong before. Let me see if I can scare up a title through interlibrary loan. Thanks, Michele!

[M—]

Sadly, it is not The Paleface Redskins. Back to the drawing board!

[M—]

bump

[SparksofEmber]

So these kids live in the swamp for some reason?

[Tab]

Not located in Florida, but Mystery At Loon Lake by Gilbert B. Cross?

I skimmed through the book on OpenLibrary. There is a part about a snake, but not sure about the bird-calls and Coca Cola scene.

[M—]

Sparks of Ember:

The parents brought them to the swamp for some reason, yes, but I don't remember what the reason was. I remember the siblings as being new the swamp and the older/more experienced boy having lived there his whole life. There was a strong environmental vibe to the book, and the older boy acted as teacher to the younger ones, telling how to avoid danger and such.

Tab:

Well, discovering OpenLibrary is just incredibly awesome, but that's not the right book for my memory.

I searched for keywords that match my memories, but the search function seems to not be working. (I couldn't even find the snake bit you mentioned.) I skimmed the beginning, but nothings ringing any bells and I feel surely I would have remembered the adopted Vietnamese sibling.

Thanks anyway!

[SparksofEmber]

This can't be it but I thought you might be interested anyway:


Ok, I found a vague possibility, it's not on Goodreads at all that I can see.
Danger in the Everglades by Frederick W. Keith. It's very old - 1957 - someone online gave a highly detailed review below: It's about a boy who sets off to find his parents on the back of a robotic elephant named Packy and meet "Graham and his sister Kitty, ages about fourteen and twelve. They are runaways from an orphanage in Redding run by cruel Mr. and Mrs. Edwards, and Steve twice helps the duo escape their abusive guardians before taking Packy away from civilization....And then the story veers from science fiction to a rather pedestrian adventure about three young people and their journey through the Everglades, with a few lectures about the natural and political histories of the area (all delivered by characters in the book) thrown in for good measure....The kids sit out a thunderstorm, explore an abandoned Seminole lodge, feed raccoon babies, and Steve shoots a rattler that's in Kitty's path. Then they head into town to buy groceries, and give money to a middle-aged Seminole, Tigertail Billy, who needs to pay for his shopping, but has lost his cash. The man invites the kids to come home with him, but they're headed in another direction, so they part company...until Packy gets stuck in the mud after fleeing a wildfire and the trio wind up near the reservation....Anyway, Jumper, Steve and Dave go frogging, Steve tumbles from the airboat and is rescued, and the three scare off an alligator poacher. The trio depart from the reservation on Packy and the boys manage to lose Kitty (who falls while washing Packy's tail light!) and find her again. They see a lot of wildlife and Steve gets stuck in quicksand and has to be rescued. They wander through a mangrove swamp, Packy nearly short-circuits in deep water, and they find Mr. and Mrs. Hubbard and rescue them. The Hubbards decide to adopt David and Kitty, and it's the end of the story!"

[M—]

That book sounds incredible, but you're right: definitely no robotic elephants in my memory!

[SparksofEmber]

I was mentioning 2 books, just fyi, though neither is it.

Here's another suggestion: The Secret Island

some details and pictures.

[M—]

Swamplania? In the tiny GIF? Yes, it's kind of you to be so thorough. I'm definitely not looking for a 2011 book.

The plot of The Secret Island does not match my memories, sorry.

[Cheryl]

And here's another bump for an active questor. :)

[SparksofEmber]

Possibly The Lion's Paw?

[M—]

Already suggested in #18.

[SparksofEmber]

Aw, shucks! :(

[M—]

I know! Thank you anyway.

[SparksofEmber]

I just found another query online that sounds like it could be the same book - here it is, let me know if it rings any bells!
"about several kids living someplace like the Everglades or Bayou. They explored in a canoe or similar boat. They discover an Island (I think) in the swamp with an uprooted tree. They discover an old Indian grave which has been exposed when the tree fell over. Some time after the discovery they are camped out there and get scared by the skull. As I remember, a professor or archeologist was trying to scare the kids off. The book may have been a Weekly Reader book club book, I'm not sure."

[SparksofEmber]

Maybe MYSTERY ON THE BAYOU by Ralph Henry Barbour
link to coverTeen adventure story set in the Louisiana Bayou country. But I can't find a better description of the book!

The Mystery Mound by Robert Burgess - After discovering a treasure map scratched on an old telescope, Shandy and Jib enlist the aid of their old friend Jackson and his houseboat to track down the hidden treasure. The adventurers find themselves shipwrecked on the Florida Gulf Coast, pursued by pirates, and stuck in a swamp before finally encountering the strange sea creature that guards the treasure.

[SparksofEmber]

Never mind those posts - I think I just found it!! Swampfire "Three youngsters camping in the Great Dismal Swamp bite off more than they expect when they decide to catch the "ghost" horse running loose in the swamp."

You can check out the ebook for free at OpenLibrary - I was skimming it, thinking it didn't seem to quite fit and then I ran across this line on page 56: "The water was an unusual shade of dark brown, and Sally couldn't resist dipping in her fingers, watching it foam softly under her hand. She thought it looked like cola, pouring into a glass."

[M—]

That quote from Swampfire sounds extraordinarily likely! I'll read the book the weekend and get back with results!

[SparksofEmber]

Cool! Let us know!

[M—]

Confirmed! Thanks so very much, Sparks. I really appreciate your help with this one!

Funnily enough, it seems that this is not the only GR topic this title has come up on:

https://www.goodreads.com/group/show_...

[SparksofEmber]

Yay! I love when we find a book that's been a stumper!

[Rich]

Glad the book is found. i thoroughly enjoyed following this thread to its happy ending. And the mention of The Lion's Paw had me reaching into the back of the closet to read that one again. What a wonderful book, first introduced to me by my fourth grade teacher a long time ago.

[Tab]

Yay! Congrats :)