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Ollie and the Science of Treasure Hunting: a 14-Day Mystery

The FBI is encouraging 13 year old Ollie to keep a low profile after his last adventure with his best friend Moxie (Moxie and the Art of Rule Breaking).  A little bit chubby and a lot asthmatic, Ollie joins a group at Wilderness Scout Camp, located on an island in Boston Harbor where legends of pirate treasures abound.  As he focuses on making friends, working on scout badges, and engaging in a ruthless game of tag, Ollie is approached by Ranger Johnson to help locate a lost treasure of pirate Ben Avery.  The chapters are short and flip between camp competitions, pirate clues, and Ollie’s interest in geocaching.  Ollie’s issues with asthma and the personalities of his tent-mates and fellow campers are realistic.   There are several references to Ollie’s adventure with Moxie in the first book.  While it is not necessary to read the books in order, it may help in understanding the whole picture of Ollie.  However, I found it a bit irritating to keep reading references to a book I have not read.  Readers will root for Ollie as he deals with bullies and his asthma, struggles with knowing who to trust with pirate booty, and develops into a leader.