I have a tween boy (9 going on 10 years old) who loves to read. It can be a challenge to find chapter books that he can really enjoy. I’m talking about the kind of stories that have him sneaking a flashlight into bed so he can keep reading under the covers after bedtime. He recently got turned on to the new series, Travels With Gannon & Wyatt, and is happily devouring each book that has been published so far.
Travels With Gannon & Wyatt by Patti Wheeler and Keith Hemstreet is a new series of adventure books for tween boys that is already captivating young audiences and receiving awards (Winner of the 2013 National Outdoor Book Awards). There are currently 3 books in the series: Botswana (released May 2013), Great Bear Rainforest (released October 2013) and Egypt (to be released January 2014).
The books are written as journal entries by twin brothers Gannon and Wyatt. The chapters take turns going back and forth between Gannon and Wyatt’s journals, so you get to read the story from each brother’s point of view.
My son started with the first book in the series, Botswana, and is currently reading Great Bear Rainforest. I asked him to write a couple of brief sentences for me to put in this review that would tell people what the thought about the books and who would like to read them. Here is what he says:
I like the Gannon and Wyatt series book because they go on really cool adventures. So far I am on the second book, The Great Bear Rainforest. I have already finished the first one which is where they go to Botswana, Africa. I think boys would really like this series. Girls might like it but mostly I think boys would like it more. The third book is where they go to Egypt, and I can’t wait to start that book. I hope that the author makes more books like this so I can read them.
I was a little surprised when my son told me there was a part of the Botswana book where the main characters were threatened with guns by the criminal animal poachers. According to him, it is a really intense scene in the book. Of course, there is a happy ending and the boys are rescued. Although this was not a big issue for us, I know some parents may be concerned about guns and gun violence themes in the books their children read. I did not mind because it gave us the chance to talk about what a serious crime poaching is and why poachers are willing to kill people to keep from getting caught.
My son now counts Gannon & Wyatt books among his very favorites. I’m happy he enjoys going on these realistic adventures because he gets to learn about exotic destinations, environmental issues, nature and animals. It keeps kids on the edge of their seats and inspires their imaginations. We highly recommend this series for middle school grade readers.
Keep up with their latest adventures when you follow @GannonandWyatt on Twitter
