Lost Island of Tamarind

I am not a fast reader, but I got through this book in a week. At the beginning of the book, I couldn't decide whether to read on and see what would happen next or put the book down so I would have more to savour later. As I swept throught the book, there were hidden treasures around every corner. The details of this fantastic world made me want to revisit it again and again. I can't wait for the next book!

What can I say - Nadia Aguiar has written a wonderful, wonderful book that will appeal to all age groups. Although written for young adults - all ages will enjoy this entertaining and totally engrossing story of 3 young children who find themselves in another world completely different to the one that they know. "The Lost Island of Tamarind" will not only "capture" your mind but your imagination as well. The story is so beautifully written that it comes to life right before your eyes! Children will want their parents to read it, parents will want their children to read it and if the child is too young to read it themselves, they will thoroughly enjoy having it read to them......even my 82 year old mother is loving the book!

THE LOST ISLAND OF TAMARIND is a terrific adventure story, filled with glowing marine creatures, devilish pirates, cloud orchids, erupting volcanos, mermaids and giants, a jaguar-riding child stealer, a mysterious doppelganger, an unusually wise parrot -- and one of the best heroines we've met in a long time. Thirteen-year-old Maya is sick and tired of her marine biologist parents, her younger brother Simon and baby sister Penny, and their life together aboard their boat, the "Pamela Jane." She'd rather live a normal life, preferably on land, attending school, with real friends. But when a terrible storm hits their boat, and Maya's parents disappear, she and her siblings are left to fend for themselves. They sail to the island of Tamarind -- and soon realize that things here aren't what they seem. On a beach with glowing tidepools and unusual sea turtles, they begin to understand that they've landed in a world where magical creatures roam and where life has suddenly become very dangerous. They meet Helix, a young boy who will become their guide of sorts. Quickly they learn that Tamarind, an island on no map they've seen, is ensconced in a civil war. As they search for their parents and a way home, they find themselves caught in one dangerous situation after another. Clues begin to emerge from their boat's logbook -- which they've carried with them -- as well as from a mysterious glowing stone found all over the island, which they realize may have actually been part of secret research that their parents were undertaking. Fans of L. Frank Baum's OZ books, Madeleine L'Engle's Time quartet, and C.S Lewis' Narnia chronicles will relish the wild inventiveness of the world that Nadia Aguiar has created. She's a gorgeous writer with an imagination that makes this book special. In Maya, Aguiar has also created a truly engaging and spunky heroine who would get along well with Hermione Granger. TAMARIND takes you on a fantastic journey, one that you won't want to end.

This is a great story that has everything I like, adventure, mystery, and fantasy. The main character, Maya, has has a lot to deal with looking after Simon and Penny, and gets stressed, but is nice. There are tons of weird animals, danger, excitement, witches and pirates. The kids meet all kinds of strange and interesting characters on their journey. Helix is my favorite. He was orphaned but now is a cool guy who knows what to do when things get scary. Tamarind is awesome and I would like to go there. Find out how the children avoid getting eaten by jaguars, escape from an enchantress, and survive a civil war. I would read it again.

Be prepared to be gripped when you pick up the Book of Tamarind. I couldn't stop reading until I'd got to the end, and then I couldn't stop thinking about Maya, Simon, Helix and all the characters in the magical world Nadia Aguiar creates. It's fantastic! I'd recommend this for any young person - or adult who loves fantasy, a good narrative, and beautifully crafted prose.