Cliff-Hanger

This is one of a series of books about National Parks, Mysteries in Our National Parks. I love this series! I have always loved National Parks, and State Parks, and grew up camping in them. I enjoyed the reading Cliff-Hanger and knowing the places the characters were talking about and being able to have a picture in my head. 

Cliff-Hanger is the story of the Landon family, a mom and dad, and a son, Jack,  and a daughter, Ashley, who take in foster children. When this story opens the family is preparing to go to Mesa Verde National Park outside of Durango, Colorado. The family is going because the mom who is a veterinarian has been asked to come to the park and examine a cougar that has been attacking park visitors. The family gets word last minute that there is a girl named Lucky who needs a foster home, so the family decides to take her with them. Ashley begins to notice right away that some of Lucky's actions are not adding up. She is making mysterious phone calls and disappearances. Jack is instantly on Lucky's side because she has shows him special attention, and flirts with him. The rift between Lucky and Ashley begins to tear the family apart. Jack finally begins to believe Ashley as he notices the strangeness in Lucky's behavior. One night Jack and Ashley follow Lucky as she sneaks out and find out that Lucky is planning on sneaking away and meeting up with her father who is a con-man. In the end the park rangers arrest Lucky's father for breaking in, and the family comes together again. 

The Mysteries in the National Parks Series would be an excellent way for a library to promote the National Parks through passive programming. The library could have a poster created for each park that can include interesting facts about each park. 

PROFESSIONAL BOOK REVIEW FROM POWELL'S BOOKS

When a cougar attacks a hiker in Mesa Verde National Park, the Landons have another mystery on their hands. Jack and Ashley are used to visiting parks with their wildlife veterinarian mother and photographer father, but this time their hands are full with a foster child called Lucky Deal. As Lucky and Jack become friends, Ashley becomes suspicious: What did Lucky take from the burn site? Who did she call in the night? In a midnight showdown at Spruce Tree House, Jack realizes there's more to fear than a killer cat. Cliff-Hanger weaves Native American folklore, natural science, and geography into a heart-pounding thriller. The afterword by Will Morris, Chief of Interpretation and Visitor Services at Mesa Verde, outlines the dangers of cougar attacks and the need to protect wild animals.

Skurzynski, G., Ferguson, A., & Mehler, C. (20071999). Cliff-hanger: a mystery in Mesa Verde National Park. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic.