Trouble at Turtle Pond
- 257 pages
- 9 hours of reading
When eleven-year-old Miles moves to Marsh Hollow, he seeks a fresh start after being labeled a troublemaker at his previous school due to his ADHD and the loss of a class pet. Determined to make a positive impression, he aims to solve a mystery. One night, he witnesses something suspicious in his neighbor's backyard and suspects trouble. His other neighbor, Pia, invites him to join the Backyard Rangers, a group dedicated to protecting endangered turtles at a nearby pond, presenting Miles with the perfect opportunity to investigate. He uncovers clues indicating wildlife poaching, including sabotaged turtle traps and stolen eggs, endangering the turtle population. Miles and Pia enlist two more Backyard Rangers to help track down various suspects, including a meticulous gardener, an eccentric pet shop owner, and the local bully with his drifter uncle. As they delve deeper, they begin receiving threatening messages, and suspicion unexpectedly falls back on Miles. He must prove to his new friends that he is not the troublemaker he was thought to be and stop the turtle crimes before more turtles—and people—are harmed. This friendship-centered eco-mystery highlights the importance of citizen science, activism among kids, and the value of being observant.
