Recent Reads: Mystery of the Lost Lynx by Tamra Wight

Source: From Librarything Early Reviewers Program in exchange for an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review. 

Mystery of the Lost Lynx by Tamra Wight 

Series: Cooper and Packrat, #5
Publisher:  Islandport Press
Publication Date:  June 21, 2022 

 

Format: Paperback


Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

Their favorite campground is opening for winter break, so Cooper, Packrat, Roy, and Summer are excited for snowy fun while helping plan a winter festival. But when they see a lynx kit wearing a pet collar, watch a reckless snowmobiler dash across the ice, and are warned about a dangerous poacher, the young detectives and some cool new friends set off on their most exciting adventure yet. Can they solve the mystery and protect the camp's wildlife from poachers before it's too late? Award-winning author Tamra Wight returns with her fifth installment in the Cooper and Packrat series and this time she introduces readers to a whole new season of fun, more excitement than ever, and even a hint of young romance at the Wilder Family Campground.

Review: 

This looked like a super cute book when I requested it from Librarything, I didn't realize that is was the fifth book in a series. 

This middle grade series follows Cooper, Packrat, Roy, and Summer on wilderness adventures. In this installment there is a lost lynx cub. 

Oftentimes in middle grade books, authors recap who the characters are and any info that might be helpful for young readers, or in my case, ones that pick the book up out of order. I felt that this book was missing that aspect and while I figured things out along the way, it made for a slow start for me and I wasn't immediately invested in these chacracters like other readers might have been. I didn't learn much about them until we were in the thick of the plot - that Cooper was an aspiring game warden and often takes on that persona on this campground that his family owns. His friends seemed pretty interchangable, but I gathered that Packrat was his right had and Roy probably has some anger issues. Summer and Cooper were also in the beginning 'I like you' stages so that was a cute addition. 

The overall plot was fun, but slowly built. There is a poacher on the property and he is surprised by the winter campground opening. There is a little lynx that the kids are seeing around and they are concerned that the poacher is going to get her, so they are trying to find him with the help of the Warden. 

I like how determined Cooper was to help and liked that Warden Kate fed into that, although I think that was also pretty dangerous. I also really liked that each chapter started with facts about Lynx. I didn''t really like how missing the parents felt, they were either non-existance or completely overbearing, this whole thing felt like they should be more around and questioning things. 

Overall, this was a cute read like I thought it would be. I found it sow to start and a bit hard to get into, but think younger readers will enjoy the mystery and adventure that the kids have. There is a lot of action at the end.