Mystery on Skull Island

by Elizabeth McDavid Jones

Book Overview

In 1724, Rachel breaks her father's rules and meets with her friend, Sally. While exploring for a secret meeting place, they discover a deserted island. Soon they learn that the island isn't deserted.... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1584853417
• ISBN13: 9781584853411
• Release Date: January 2001
• Publisher: American Girl Publishing Inc
• Length: 179 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.8" x 8.1"
• Age Range: 9 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 7

Customer Reviews

Christiana Wolterstorff 5-2 Mystery of Skull Island Review

This book deserves 5 stars because it gives suspence, high vocabulary and a great ending.The book also has breath taking chapters everytime you get to the next one you can't stop reading. Beleive me you must read this book. but, i recommend you should be 10 and up to read this book because there are some scary moments and high vocabulary words. ENJOY THE BOOK!!!!!!

You will want to read this book.

Rachel Howell, 12-years-old, has lived in New York with her grandparents ever since her mother died. Rachel hasn't seen her father in 7 years and then, finally, he sends for her to come live with him in Charles Town, South Carolina. Rachel loves and misses her father, and she badly wants to live with him, but she is anxious, too. In 1724, sailing to the Carolinas is dangerous because of pirates. Rachel's worst fears come true when her ship, the Betsy Jo, is run down and boarded by pirates. They steal the pearl necklace that belonged to Rachel's mother!Things don't get better when she arrives safely in Charles Town. Her father tells her that in a few weeks she will meet Miranda, the woman he's going to marry. He is very happy about it, and Rachel tries to be happy, too, but she wonders what her stepmother will be like, and she's jealous of having to share her father when she has only just been reunited with him.Rachel makes friends with Sally, the daughter of a tavern-keeper. Rachel's father doesn't mind it until Miranda tells him that tavern-keepers are not the right kind of people for the daughter of a wealthy merchant to befriend. Mr. Howell forbids Rachel to see Sally again. He enrolls her in school, because Miranda tells him to, and he says that she will make friends there.Rachel likes Sally, and she doesn't like Miranda. She and Sally figure out a way to stay friends and meet on an island where nobody will know that they're friends. They name it Skull Island, and it's a pretty place, but spooky, too. The island has a sinkhole full of quicksand and the girls discover strange symbols carved into rocks. Could Skull Island be a pirates' hideout? Will Rachel and Sally figure out the mysteries on Skull Island? Will they survive to tell other people if they do? Will Rachel get her mother's pearl necklace back? You will want to read this book in the History Mysteries series by American Girl. It has charming illustrations, and a section on the history of Charles Town in 1724. If you don't already know about the History Mysteries series, you will be glad you discovered them. --- (...)

Another Good One

The year is 1724 when twelve-year-old Rachel comes to Charles Town to live with her father. Her mother died when Rachel was five and she has lived with her grandparents ever since. She makes a new friend in Sally, the tavern-owner's daughter, but their budding friendship is ended soon after the arrival of Miranda, Rachel's father's fiancee. To continue seeing each other, the girls decide to spent time on a small island near the town. They dub the island "Skull Island" after discovering a human skull near some quicksand on their first visit. They also discover a hidden lagoon, an overgrown trail, and mysterious carved symbols. Are pirates hiding stolen treasure on the island? The plot thickens when Rachel finds evidence of a secret relationship between Miranda and Mr. Craven, her father's business partner. Then her father's business is ruined when his ships are attacked by pirates. Is Miranda betraying Rachel's father? Can she save her father from disaster and keep her friendship with Sally?Though she's now eleven, my daughter still often enjoys having me read to her when she goes to bed at night. We have been including books from the American Girl "History Mystery" series for two or three years, now. These books combine engaging stories with real historical settings, giving young readers useful insights into how people lived in those times along with positive characters they can relate to. In general, we give the books in this series four stars. This one is one of my daughter's favorites, so this is an especially strong four-star pick and we strongly recommend it.

Great new book from the History Mysteries series.

Since her mother's death when she was just five years old, Rachel Howell has lived with her grandparents in the city of New York. The year is 1724, and Rachel is now twelve. Her father has finally sent for her, and she must make the sea journey from New York to Charles Town, South Carolina. When the ship is almost at its destination, pirates attack, and Rachel loses her most precious possession, a necklace that had belonged to her mother. When she finally arrives in Charles Town, Rachel is thrilled to finally be reunited with her father, but is devastated by the news that he plans to remarry and that his fiance, Miranda LeBoyer, will be arriving soon from Philadelphia. Rachel makes two friends, Sally and Todd, whose mother runs an inn. But at Miss LeBoyer's urging, Rachel's father forbids her to see her friends because they are from a lower class. Rachel and Sally decide to meet in a secret place, a small island near the city that they name Skull Island because they believe a pirate's treasure may be hidden there. After Rachel's father loses his fortune in a bad business deal, the friends begin to believe that his misfortune may have been caused by Miss LeBoyer, who is keeping a secret about his partner in the investment. Some very surprising plot twists follow, but I won't reveal what they are, because it would spoil the ending. I highly reccomend this book to young readers who enjoy historical fiction.