Here's a perfect series for any middle grade reader, 8 - 13, who is looking for fast-paced, exciting adventures and mysteries. Readers won't get all bogged down with endless details and descriptions. Each story starts out with a bang and doesn't let up until the last page. Even if you have a reluctant boy reader at home, these books are sure to connect because the author also grew up as a struggling, reluctant reader. Yet, avid readers and girls love reading his books, too.
Lost Island Smugglers #1
Sam Cooper had only recently moved to Florida when he met Tony at his new church. Tony’s father owned a marina.
Sam, Tony, and Tyler took scuba lessons together. Tony got them in for free. After they completed the course, the boys decided to try out their new skills in the real world…the ocean. The only problem was, none of them had permission.
While Tony’s father was away on a buying trip, the boys took one of the rental sailboats out for their diving adventure. Everything went well until the biggest storm Tony had ever seen, blew up from out of nowhere. Their boat was smashed to splinters and the boys found themselves stranded on Lost Island.
But, if they thought the worst had happened, they were wrong. The boys discovered a secret hideout that was used by drug runners in high powered speedboats.
Sam and his friends had to find a way to stop them, but how? And, even if they could, what were they going to tell their parents when they got home?
Captain Jack's Treasure #2
Sam Cooper lives right near the ocean, on the Treasure Coast of Florida. All he’s ever heard about since he moved here were the fabulous treasures that have been found, and those still waiting to be discovered.
For his birthday, he received the gift of his dreams. It’s the latest, top-of-the-line, metal detector. Along with his friends, Tony, and Tyler, all are convinced that they will be the ones to dig up the next great find.
They meet a crusty sea captain named Jack. He’s fixing up an impossible looking old tub. The boys believe it’s going to be used to search for treasure at sea. They get permission from their parents to help with the restoration job in the hopes that Captain Jack will share his wealth.
When Sam’s father nearly dies, from a heart attack, the true values of life take on new importance and meaning.
What is Captain Jack’s mysterious secret? And what is he really planning to do with that boat?
Readers will gain a new appreciation for family, they will learn about the dangers of greed, and oh the stories Captain Jack can tell.
River Rampage #3
Sam Cooper and his friends have the chance of a lifetime to go rafting down the mighty Colorado River. The rains have been heavy this season, turning the raging river even more treacherous. The boys become separated from the main group, their rubber raft is going flat, and now they’re on their own. They have their hands full with a crusty prospector, his gold mine, a gang of outlaw bikers, and a desperate river escape on their makeshift wooden raft.
Think that’s the worst that could happen? Well, it isn’t.
This Property Is Condemned #4
A sign outside the old Remmington Mansion read, “This Property is Condemned.” Sam Cooper couldn’t figure out exactly what that meant. Even after his father explained it, he became more puzzled than ever. So, along with his friends, Tony and Tyler, he set out to solve the mystery.
Sam thought the old place was abandoned. But, when the boys went to investigate, a curtain moved, and they discovered old Mrs. Remmington still lived in the crumbling house.
Sam was the kind of person who would try to right any wrong, or help anyone who was in trouble. And Mrs. Remmington was in a lot of it.
So, he organized the whole town to go out and fix the place up like new. But that’s when his problems really began.
Why did those men try to scare the old woman into moving? And, why were they threatening Sam and his friends?
No matter what it took, Sam was determined to find out.
At The Buzzer #5
Sam Cooper had rehearsed a thousand times, in the back yard, how he would win the big game, with a three point shot, and be a hero. Still, he wondered what would happen in a real game. Sam’s friends all played on the basketball team at school.
Sam was concerned about his best friend, Perry, for a couple of reasons, and he was going to do his best to help his friend.
On the way home from a survival church camp weekend, the boys’ van is nearly involved in a fatal accident with an eighteen-wheeler on a rain slick road. The boys have to confront life and death for the first time in their lives.
Later, while they practiced basketball at Sam’s house, Perry fell, resulting in a severe injury. Instantly his plans to use basketball as the ticket to his future were changed. Perry was the big man in the middle. Without him, the team had to change the way they played.
Would they be able to win the championship?
Would Chris take the final shot like he’d practiced his whole life?
Did it go in…or didn’t it? The answer will surprise you.
Ghosts In The Old Attic #6
Sam Cooper is about to get the surprise of his life. His parents plan to leave Harper’s Inlet and move to Louisiana, where they will open a bed and breakfast.
When the family arrives, Sam’s cousins have some pretty wild-eyed stories to tell about a “haunted” mansion nearby. He and his cousins begin exploring the creepy place. Where were those noises coming from and the strange lights at night? There is also a rumor that the reason this place is “haunted” is because there is buried treasure hidden someplace.
As the cousins are investigating, Sam’s parents have been looking for an available property they can afford.
Sam was in for another surprise when he found out about the rundown mansion his parents finally chose to buy. Who is trying to discourage them from moving in and why?
Will the family be able to open the bed and breakfast before it’s too late, or will they lose all their money?
Max Elliot Anderson grew up as a struggling, reluctant reader and has spent most of his life in the production of documentary and dramatic films, client videos, and television commercials. Most of his previous writing includes adventures and mysteries that bring the same visual excitement, and heart-pounding action from those productions into his books for middle grade readers 8 and up.
While producing video programs and commercials for clients, he observed the important role humor played in many different situations. The Sense of Humor is a culmination of those experiences and observations, and is intended to help people understand the power a positive sense of humor offers.
Mr. Anderson is listed in Who’s Who in America and his productions have won multiple Telly Awards. He and his wife Claudia have two children and four grandchildren.
The Accidental Adventures of Kurt Benson and his friends, Riley and Jordan.
Here's a perfect series for any middle grade reader, 8 - 13, who is looking for fast-paced, exciting adventures and mysteries. They're perfect for summer reading because these books are relatively short - most just over 100 pages. Readers don't get all bogged down with endless details and descriptions. Each story starts out with a bang and doesn't let up until the last page. Even if you have a reluctant boy reader at home, these books are sure to connect because the author also grew up as a struggling, reluctant reader. Yet, avid readers and girls love reading his books, too.
The Cat Burglars #1
Kurt Benson could hardly believe there had been a burglary, and right in his own neighborhood. He was helping out his friend, Riley Pletcher, whose parents owned Pletcher’s Bed and Biscuit Kennels.
Kurt thought it was odd that his neighbor’s cat, Buffy, had been staying at the kennel while the family was away on vacation. But, when he found out the houses of at least four other Pletcher’s customers had also been hit, his head started spinning.
That was before he saw the copier repairman do something odd. When he thought no one could see him, the man took a sheet of paper from a clipboard on the wall, made a copy, and quickly returned the clipboard to its hook.
Was it possible the repairman had something to do with all those burglaries?
Were they getting ready to strike again?
Can Kurt figure out the mystery in time?
Funny Money Mystery #2
Kurt Benson’s uncle’s house was actually the second story of a building in the center of Main Street. His aunt and uncle ran a bakery downstairs. One thing was for sure, Kurt never had to wonder where his next meal would be coming from.
His friends, Riley and Jordan, helped him make deliveries. Over at Emmett’s shop, they had the man weld two bikes to an old metal cart. He even added a motor. Now they could carry larger loads of baked goodies.
Kurt never missed anything that happened along Main Street because he could look down there from the upstairs window. That’s why, when a van pulled up and men began unloading large boxes, and taking them inside an abandoned storefront, Kurt became suspicious. He and his friends came up with a plan to find out what those men were doing.
After counterfeit twenty-dollar-bills began showing up all over town, the boys set up a high-tech surveillance system to help solve the mystery.
Could it be that the guys across the street were printing all those phony bills?
Will the boys be able to get the evidence before those men figure out what’s happening and leave town?
The Mystery of Grandmother’s
Grandfather Clock #3
Kurt Benson loved to visit his grandparents’ farm. But, not this time. A simple phone call changed everything. His grandfather had been a bomber pilot and, together, they’d built models. When the phone rang, Kurt was nearly finished building the first one that could actually fly.
His grandparents lived a long distance away. When the family finally got there, Kurt and his sister Olivia found out that their grandfather had died. But the biggest shock was that someone may have been responsible for it.
So, Kurt, Olivia, and their cousins set out to discover the truth. What they find is that someone had been threatening the old man and now they were trying to scare Kurt’s grandmother.
His grandfather had left some clues, but they didn’t make sense to Kurt until he noticed a mirror. He also found that someone in the county office had been tampering with property records and several people had already lost their farms…but why?
Summer Camp Trouble #4
Kurt Benson and his friends Riley and Jordan used to look forward to summer camp each year up in Wisconsin. But that was before the camp opened up to kids who came from some pretty rough homes a couple of years ago.
Then, this summer, things got a little more interesting when a rich kid showed up. He didn’t come by bus, minivan, or car like most campers. This guy arrived in a helicopter. Plus, his suitcases were filled with candy bars and other things he used to get kids to do things for him.
This summer, some of the roughest boys Kurt had ever seen came to camp. Right from the start, they caused all kinds of trouble.
Then, one night, there was a huge explosion as fireworks went off. They were supposed to hit Kurt’s cabin, but something went terribly wrong.
Why did Kurt risk his own safety to save the life of one of the worst guys at camp? His actions would change Rudy’s life from that point on.
Danger Mountain #5
Kurt Benson’s cousin Dillon lived at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. Dillon McDonald’s father owned an outfitter’s shop in the village there. One day Dillon hoped to work for a mountain rescue team. But for now, he and his friends Pete and Wayne were planning their first practice hike. It was only supposed to be for a short distance, and then they’d return the same day. Kurt was coming to Colorado with his father on a business trip.
Dillon’s father had often warned him to stay away from Danger Mountain. That’s because climbers would hike toward it, but never return.
Just before the boys left the outfitter shop, even before sunup on the day of their first mountain hike, a strange group of men started out ahead of them. Dillon’s father had rented the men almost everything except the mules. Kurt hoped he wasn’t about to get into another accidental adventure, but was he ever wrong!
Early into their hike, the boys left the main trail so they could get a glimpse of Danger Mountain. And that’s when they saw some of those same men chasing another man up to the edge of a cliff. A shot rang out, and the man went over the side.
Shadow of the Fat Man #6
Kurt Benson and his friends, Riley and Jordan, helped out sometimes at Weaver’s Hardware Store. It only filled half of the building. The other half housed a restaurant. Both businesses shared a common basement. And, it was in that basement where Kurt and his friends overheard a plot for a bank robbery. Any time Kurt got excited recently, his eye twitched. And right then, it was twitching something awful.
The men upstairs agreed to meet again in the same booth, so, Kurt and his friends decided to be there to listen in on their plans.
Kurt wanted to tell what he knew, but, for the moment, he wasn’t exactly sure what the plan was, when it would happen, or who the men were. His father had always warned him not to do or say anything that might make the family look bad.
The boys overheard the plans where the crooks intended to steal the money from a vault, stick it into plastic, trash bags, and toss those bags into a waiting garbage truck that one of the gang would have out in the alley.
When they tried to tell their story to the police chief, he informed them that he can’t arrest anyone simply for what he thinks they might do.
Now it’s up to Kurt, Riley, and Jordan, in another accidental adventure, to catch those robbers in the act…but how?
Max Elliot Anderson grew up as a struggling, reluctant reader and has spent most of his life in the production of documentary and dramatic films, client videos, and television commercials. Most of his previous writing includes adventures and mysteries that bring the same visual excitement, and heart-pounding action from those productions into his books for middle grade readers 8 and up.
While producing video programs and commercials for clients, he observed the important role humor played in many different situations. The Sense of Humor is a culmination of those experiences and observations, and is intended to help people understand the power a positive sense of humor offers.
Mr. Anderson is listed in Who’s Who in America and his productions have won multiple Telly Awards. He and his wife Claudia have two children and four grandchildren.
Book 2 in the Sam Cooper Adventure Series. Get all 6!
Sam Cooper lives right near the ocean, on the Treasure Coast of Florida. All he’s ever heard about since he moved here were the fabulous treasures that have been found, and those still waiting to be discovered.
For his birthday, he received the gift of his dreams. It’s the latest, top-of-the-line, metal detector. Along with his friends, Tony, and Tyler, all are convinced that they will be the ones to dig up the next great find.
They meet a crusty sea captain named Jack. He’s fixing up an impossible looking old tub. The boys believe it’s going to be used to search for treasure at sea. They get permission from their parents to help with the restoration job in the hopes that Captain Jack will share his wealth.
When Sam’s father nearly dies, from a heart attack, the true values of life take on new importance and meaning.
What is Captain Jack’s mysterious secret? And what is he really planning to do with that boat?
Readers will gain a new appreciation for family, they will learn about the dangers of greed, and oh the stories Captain Jack can tell.
Reviews
By Jenifer Schaut
My little boys absolutely LOVE pirates...treasures and adventure! While my boys are a bit young for this story, at the same time this was a delightful, clean and adventure filled story that was packed enough to hold their attention for a chapter a day, reading time. As a parent that is always looking for quality literature that my boys can grow with (and doesnt include vampires and magic and demons, yuck!) this was a refreshing read indeed. One I am sure we will revisit too as they get older.
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By Anne Payne "homesteading" (NC) It's so nice to see someone writing exciting fiction for young boys between the ages of 9 and 12. As the mom of two former reluctant readers, I wish this book, and it's counterparts, had been around when my boys were that age. Filled with wonderful characters, young and old alike, Captain Jack's Treasure is sure to keep even the most hesitant reader glued to the pages of this book.
What little boy doesn't want to be a pirate or a sea captain at some point in their young life? I really liked how the three friends worked together with Captain Jack, their comradarie, and the amount of respect they showed to him and each other. Not only is this a captivating tale but it has spiritual concepts in at as well!
Nicely laid out in short chapters so they aren't overwhelmed, and not too many pages, it keeps a good pace going. They're sure to be enticed to read it just from the cool cover! I recommend this to any parent who has a child struggling with interest in books. Try this one. They just might become hooked on reading for life!
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By Sarah J. Bailey
If I was a boy then this would be a wonderfully, enjoyable book - but because I'm not - I still enjoyed it. This is a short book (I received the e-book version) which will hold the attention of a fast moving boy as well as given them a look into the character's Christian world view. The main characters are three boys who are best friends and enjoy treasure hunting on the beach - but they all learn some valuable lessons along the way - especially some tips from the Bible.
There isn't a lot of good, modern (lots of classics though) books for boys to enjoy that aren't riddled with witches, magic and other sinful behavior, so to read this was a breath of fresh air. There was no violence - although an old sailor did tell a pirate ghost story - but even that was VERY brief and I know my oldest would write it off as fanciful and not to be believed. I'm looking forward to maybe reading this with my son but may need to wait a few more months.
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Sam, Tony and Tyler are best friends. They are constantly looking for adventure. Sam receives a metal detector from his dad for his birthday. He and his friends have heard that people have found a lot of treasure in the area where they live. They do some research and figure that they can be the ones to find the next great treasure. If the mention of finding treasure doesn’t peak your interest then let’s throw in an old sea captain. We all know that boys, and girls, like stories about treasures and old sea captains. This particular sea captain appears to be hiding something. He hires the boys to help him rebuild his ship. Along the way the captain teaches them about true treasures. This is a book that both boys and girls, and parents will enjoy. I love the gentle message of laying up treasures in Heaven. All of Max’s books have a Christian theme to them. The reason I really like them is that I can put them on my shelves at school. I put them there not only for the Christian students, but also for ALL students. They are clean cut with great messages. They have adventures and mysteries to carry the reader from the first sentence to the end of the book. I would say it is a must read.
- Sandra Stiles **************************
By Charlene L. Amsden "Quilly"
One can tell that Max Elliot Anderson knows the hearts and minds of young boys. The characters, Sam, Tony and Tyler, were typical all-American, adventure-seeking, conclusion-leaping boys full of curiosity and impatience, yet each has his own distinct personality. Bible verses and Bible precepts were embedded in the story without being tract-like or preachy helping the reader learn valuable life lessons right along with Sam, Tony, and Tyler. I highly recommend this book to all adventure-loving (especially pirate-adventure loving) 8 to 11 year old boys or girls. Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/Captain-Jacks-Treasure-Adventure-Episode/dp/1942513267?SubscriptionId=1QZMGW0RRJC2PX87HDR2&tag=salranexp-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=1942513267
Sam Cooper is about to get the surprise of his life. His parents plan to leave Harper’s Inlet and move to Louisiana, where they will open a bed and breakfast.
When the family arrives, Sam’s cousins have some pretty wild-eyed stories to tell about a “haunted” mansion nearby. He and his cousins begin exploring the creepy place. Where were those noises coming from and the strange lights at night? There is also a rumor that the reason this place is “haunted” is because there is buried treasure hidden someplace.
As the cousins are investigating, Sam’s parents have been looking for an available property they can afford.
Sam was in for another surprise when he found out about the rundown mansion his parents finally chose to buy. Who is trying to discourage them from moving in and why?
Will the family be able to open the bed and breakfast before it’s too late, or will they lose all their money?
Using his extensive experience in dramatic film, video, and TV commercial production, Max Elliot Anderson brings that same heart-pounding, visual excitement to his middle grade adventures & mysteries for readers 8 and up
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