School Library Journal Review
Gr 2-4-Suspenseful chapter endings propel readers forward in this fast-paced series entry. Best friends Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose visit the latter's grandmother in Key West, FL, during winter vacation. Gram Hathaway and some other senior citizens are getting ready to invest large amounts of money in a shipwreck-salvaging project. It doesn't take long for the youngsters to figure out that something is fishy. The young detectives sneak aboard their suspects' cruiser and find themselves in danger. Saved by the coast guard, they are able to provide incriminating information to the authorities. Despite some incredible coincidences, the novel gives realistic details about salvaging shipwrecks. Dividing her time between in-line skating and baking cookies, Gram stays just this side of believable. Black-and-white illustrations appear throughout, depicting the book's setting. A frothy but fun read.-Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
During their Florida vacation, detective trio Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose expose two would-be swindlers' efforts to con Ruth Rose's grandmother and her friends into investing in a sunken treasure scam. Despite too many coincidences, fans of this chapter book series will enjoy the latest installment. Black-and-white drawings accompany the text. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
Gr. 2^-4. This latest A to Z Mysteries chapter book (in the Stepping Stone series) features Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose vacationing in Florida with Ruth Rose's grandmother, who is very excited about an investment opportunity in recovering sunken treasure. Upon their arrival at the airport, the ever-alert amateur sleuths overhear a man on a pay phone planning a robbery. The kids can't decipher the code language he uses, so they can't report him, but they notice a distinguishing tattoo on his ankle. While visiting a treasure museum to learn about old shipwrecks, they spot someone with a tattoo just like the one on the man in the airport--who turns out to be involved in Gram's "sweet deal." Young mystery buffs will enjoy the children's adventures uncovering the fraud, and the black-and-white artwork will draw them into the predictable but readable story. --Shelley Townsend-Hudson
