Narrator Tristan Morris captures the suspense in this Florida mystery featuring three young shark-taggers, a Southern-accented detective, and a menacing poacher. Luke, Maribel, and Sabina tag endangered blacktips for marine biologist Doc Ford (who is featured in White’s adult series of the same name). Morris gives Luke, a resolute farm boy from Ohio, a halting speech pattern to highlight his uncertainty about the odd abilities he acquired after being struck by lightning. While Morris doesn’t create girlish voices for the Cuban sisters, he captures their accents and personalities. The listener hears Maribel's deliberative maturity as she captains the shark-tagging boat in dangerous circumstances. Sabina’s feisty confidence is heard in encounters with reporters and criminals alike. Morris maintains an ominous sense of danger throughout the audiobook. L.T. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine

01/06/2020

The author of the Doc Ford series for adults makes his middle grade debut in this series launch set on that marine biologist’s home turf of Sanibel Island, Fla. After his mother’s death, sixth grader Luke moves from rural Ohio to live with his sea captain grandfather on the island, where a lightning strike imbues him with a “sixth sense” that gives him telescopic vision, extraordinary hearing, and the ability to gauge others’ moods via the colorful auras he sees surrounding them. White works this premise into the story when Doc Ford hires Luke and two sisters, Maribel and Sabina, who recently emigrated from Cuba, to help tag sharks for a research project. The boy uses his powers to locate the elusive fish and help track down a member of a poaching ring that’s been capturing sharks to peddle their fins. Despite the plot’s underlying tension, its pace is thwarted by undue repetition of background facts and jargon, and the tiresome grumbling of the pugnacious younger sister. Yet the tempo accelerates as the kids crack the mystery, after which White caps his novel with a heartwarming finale. Ages 8–12. (Mar.)

Filled with scoundrels, humor, sharks, intrepid kids, and a surprise ending all wrapped around an environmental theme. Prepare yourself for a fast boatload of fun!” —Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

“Nobody navigates the natural beauty and dangerous twists of Florida’s mangrove backwaters better than Randy Wayne White. Part detective novel, part field guide, and 100 percent authentic Florida—this fun and suspenseful tale shows Randy Wayne White is an undisputed master of his craft, and this place.” —John Rasmus, former editor in chief at Nat Geo Traveler, Men’s Journal, and Outside

"[Fins] examines how a difficult past can give strength and shape an intentional present. This well-paced, exciting series opener will keep readers on their toes." —Kirkus Reviews

"Give to readers looking for science-based mysteries." —Booklist

03/20/2020

Gr 4–6—Wright, author of the best-selling "Doc Ford" series for adults, makes his middle grade debut with this Florida adventure. Three kids, new to Florida, are recruited by Doc Ford to tag sharks. Sisters Maribel and Sabina escaped from Cuba and now live with their mom on a houseboat. Luke, a farm boy from Ohio, moved to Florida to live with his grandfather. They form the group Sharks, Incorporated. Luke, struck by lightning at the beginning of the story, suddenly develops heightened senses and can communicate with animals. He can also see people's emotions as colors, which serves him well when the three stumble upon a band of poachers who have been killing sharks for shark-fin soup. If the kids survive the storm—and the poacher—they may end up with a $50,000 reward. VERDICT Lots of details about boats and shark-tagging, plus a slow buildup to the real action, make this best suited to kids with a keen interest in sharks, or adult fans of the "Doc Ford" series who may enjoy the character cameos. Perhaps future installments will hold more of the promised adventure.—Laurie Slagenwhite Walters, Brighton District Library, Brighton, MI

2020-01-12
Three kids become involved in an effort to thwart shark poachers in this middle-grade spinoff of White's long-running Doc Ford series for adults.

Following an incident with his stepfather, Luke Jones, a white boy from Ohio, has moved in with his aunt, Hannah Smith (herself star of a companion to the Doc Ford series), on Sanibel Island. Sisters Sabina and Mariel Estéban, refugees from Cuba, have also recently arrived on Sanibel. The three kids find themselves working under Doc Ford, a white marine biologist who's tagging blacktip sharks in an attempt to determine the cause of declines in the overall population. As the kids become more proficient, they name themselves Sharks Inc. and begin tagging on their own. However, thanks to the popularity of shark fin soup, poachers have found their way to the island to net the migrating blacktip sharks. Little do the kids know that exploring too deeply into the mangroves will lead them into danger and force them to work together in order to simply survive. The narrative puts a lot of focus on the three children and their personal histories. It does not shy away from difficult issues like losing a parent, abuse, being a refugee, and the conditions that may cause forced migration, but it examines how a difficult past can give strength and shape an intentional present.

This well-paced, exciting series opener will keep readers on their toes. (Adventure. 10-14)