Isle of Ever

Gr 5-7–The game is afoot! Can Benny, 12, solve the riddles left by her great-great-great-great-great grandmother before it’s too late? Everly “Benny” Benedict, who is white, has always dreamed of a place to call home, and when a lawyer from Long Island explains her surprise inheritance from her successful ancestor Evelyn Terry, she jumps at the chance to claim it. But there’s a catch: Benny must complete a series of riddles left by Evelyn and find a mysterious and seemingly magical island off the coast of Greenport before the Blood Orange Moon. Can she finish the game before the two-week deadline? Calonita’s latest offers a page-turning mystery that will have readers on the edges of their seats. Throughout the game, Benny must reckon with Evelyn’s past mistakes while trying to navigate newfound friendships, financial responsibility, and the road map to the utterly fantastical “Evelyn’s Island.” The fast-paced and satisfying collection of riddles through clues and diary entries are a feast for avid puzzle lovers. The stakes just get higher, and by the end, readers will be anxiously awaiting the sequel. The pacing is excellent, the character development enticing, and the finale positively nail-biting.