This was such a wonderful tale, that had one of my favourite topics: the bonds humans can have with animals. Madi was such a fierce and strong character with a golden heart, it warmed my own to see how determined she was to save the little beavers! Can highly recommend this book!

Twelve-year-old Madi wants to be an "animal whisperer" like her wildlife rehabber grandmother was; her town doesn't have a wildlife rehabber since her grandmother died, and her mother has forbidden her to bring home any more animals. If she does, her upcoming trip to meet Jane Goodall will be canceled. But what is Madi supposed to do when she and her best friends, Aaron and Jack, discover two orphaned beaver kits? She saves the kits and cares for them in secret when the friends discover another murdered beaver in the process. There's a secret to be uncovered here, and Madi, Jack, and Aaron mean to be the ones to do it: as long as Madi can stay out of trouble with her mom, that is. A fast-paced adventure story about friendship, found families, and wildlife rehab, Rescue at Lake Wild has elements adventure readers will love: action, a mystery to solve, and a determined, smart protagonist with a love for animals and nature. Author Terry Lynn Johnson writes action-adventure nature stories, including 2019's Dog Driven and The Survivor Diaries, and readers who love the I Survived series will dive right in. She has knowledge to share, and she does it in a way that respects and nudges the reader into wanting more: more storytelling and more learning. Have readers who loved Carl Hiaasen's Hoot and Celia C. Pérez's Strange Birds? This is the next book for them.

I liked the descriptions. The tone wasn't too cutesy.bi liked the pacing.. I liked the dialogue. I liked the characters. I liked the relationships

“Rescue at Lake Wild” is a cute middle-grade adventure about a girl who acts as an animal whisperer to help beavers.

Firstly, I admire the author for writing a middle-grade novel focusing on preserving wildlife. I was fascinated reading about beavers’ habitual traits and thought the author did a lovely job in narrating the facts. Also, the story is relatively short and would encourage young readers to read and learn.

The characters are also likable and adventurous. Madison is a fantastic protagonist. She motives you to appreciate the outdoors and protecting the beavers. I feel Madison is an excellent inspiration for a reader of any age group. Moreover, I enjoyed how she meticulously researches and details her findings of the beavers in an organized manner. I also liked the idea Madison comes up with using iPods to direct them. She also has a friendly rapport with Jack and Aaron, and they form a good team.

Similarly, the author also added the mystery element nicely, wondering who the culprit is. Some moments also made me laugh out loud, like when Madison realizes where the beavers are, thanks to her mother.

However, the ending felt rushed. Although I enjoyed the end, I felt that there was too much going on. A lot happens in the last few pages, where it feels like you miss out on a lot if you blink. Moreover, I don’t remember if there was any punishment for the culprit who initiated the attack.

Apart from that, this is a charming book. I can see this turn into a series, where we follow Madison on many adventures rescuing various animals. Overall, “Rescue at Lake Wild” is a cute middle-grade adventure that is great to pick up, especially if you are an animal lover.

A delightful young reader that is perfect for any kid animal lover! It’s adventurous and full of fun. A great read for those that enjoyed the book PAX.

The mystery about who is attacking the beavers, suspense over whether Madison can keep her beaver-rescuing a secret, and information about beavers and wildlife rescuing work together to make a winning story. Great for any animal-lover.

I enjoyed this book about beavers and how one girl is determined to help them. It's super interesting and I enjoyed learning about beavers as well. Madison is super smart and I loved her perspective. Great for readers ages 9-12.

This middle grade novel is a winner -=- a charming story that manages to teach us something along the way!

It's fun to follow along as this trio of friends embarks on various adventures. I particularly enjoyed the interesting facts about beavers and their habitats. There's quite a bit of emphasis on them, but the story doesn't suffer as a result. Rather, the beavers are incorporated into the plot and the characters' actions.

The setting is vibrant and the resolution feels satisfying.

Young middle grader readers with an interest in wild life or the outdoors will find much to love here!

Madi is 12 and mostly on her own as her parents work long days and her older sister no longer wants Madi around, but with her two best friends, Aaron and Jack, Madi finds plenty to keep her busy. First, it is two orphaned beavers that she rescues and builds a small beaver habitat in her outdoor shed. Then, it is the mystery of who is killing the adult beavers, her sister's party, the second set of orphaned beaver pups and the town's reluctance to listen to the three friends as they begin to find solutions to the interrelated problems. Madi is a believable heroine, if just a little self-righteous and maybe a tad too committed for her age. Jack and Aaron add humor and adventure as well as additional family issues. Overall, Johnson has done a good job of educating the reader while entertaining. I am not going to rescue any beavers on my own, but I now know why they should be rescued.

Madi and her friends Aaron and Jack live in Willow Grove, a small town where they are able to go out on the local lake in a boat, and drive the ATV in the woods between each others' houses. When they find two adult beavers dead near the lake, the are very concerned that there might be babies left in the lodge. Madi manages to swim under the water and retrieve two young beavers, whom she names Phrag and Cooler. Since her grandmother, who passed away a few years previously, was an "animal whisperer" and wildlife rehabilitator, Madi knows how to take care of wild animals, but she also knows it can be dangerous and challenging. Her parents, who are very busy with work, have told her absolutely no more wild animals to foster, so Madi and her friends ensconce the kits in their clubhouse, secure in the belief that her older sister Marley won't come in, since it smells like "a barn inside a boys' locker room next to a monkey factory"! Madi is set to go to a lecture by famous primatologist Jane Goodall, and she knows that if her parents find out, she won't get to go. She doesn't feel that there are any other places that can take care of the beavers, and she fears for their safety because of the deaths of the beavers, which she thinks is tied to dams messing up drainage culverts around the town. Aaron and Jack are a little more forthcoming with questions, all but accusing some townspeople they meet during their investigations. Not only are the children worried about the beavers, but the little devils are kind of cute. Less than cute is their instinct to smear their food and mud on the walls of the clubhouse as if it were a dam! Madi and her sister have an agreement-- Marley won't say anything about the animals if Madi won't say anything about Marley having her high school friends over for parties. Eventually, Madi is sure to be found out, but will she be able to figure out the mystery, as well as what to do with Phrag, Cooler, and another small beaver, Xena?
Strengths: There were lots and lots of good details about taking care of young beavers, but it is also clear that this is not something that should be tried at home! Madi very carefully takes her own notes, and follows those left by her grandmother, and does her best to take good care of the animals. It is very clever how she teaches them to build in certain places, thus helping the town's problem. Her parents are both well and concerned about their daughters, but busy enough that they don't pay a lot of attention, which is a brilliant way to structure a middle grade novel. Madi misses her grandmother, but is channeling her grief in constructive ways. Johnson always writes a good story, and this is a great SUMMER addition to her works.
Weaknesses: Aaron and Jack were not well developed characters, and the ending seemed a bit abrupt.
What I really think: This is a must purchase for elementary schools, and a good addition for middle schools where books about animals or outdoor adventures are popular.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an eARC edition of this book.

Canadian author Terry Lynn Johnson has written a younger middle-grade novel appealing to readers curious about animal rescues. Madi wants to be like her recently deceased Nana and become a wildlife rehabilitator. Her parents, however, have told her point-blank - no more rescues. When Madi and her two best friends Aaron and Jack, discover two orphaned beaver kits, she knows they are their only chance for survival. Now they have to learn how to care for them without their parents finding out, and they need to figure out who is killing the beavers.

Canadian author Terry Lynn Johnson has written a plot-driven story interspersed with tidbits of humour and incidents that this age group will laugh about, get a bit grossed-out (think leeches and bloodsuckers) and gain a greater appreciation of beavers. When finished with the book, readers will have a deeper understanding of beavers, their engineering skills and how they can change habitats. That is not to say we do not get to know Madi, Aaron and Jack. The three are friends who look out for one another and yet bicker amongst themselves and demand time for their own passions that comes across naturally and not forced. Each character has a unique family situation that they are working through and is relevant to this intended audience.

In the Author's Note, Ms. Johnson includes the stories of inspirations for the book, including sources she used to write, and readers should take the time to read this as it is both interesting and informative. Readers need to be critical thinkers and be aware of what is factual and what is not. The author's note lets readers understand the author's desire to have accurate and current information for their audience, and for this reviewer appreciated.

This novel would be suitable for a wide range of readers. It would make a captivating read-aloud for students as young as eight but can see students as old as eleven and twelve enjoying this book. The shorter length will be more enticing for many and may also act as a bridge for students wanting to get into a longer novel. I sincerely hope that we will see this as a series.

Read this cute story about the finding of baby beavers and the care and protection that is needed to take care of wild animals if found. Very good information on beavers and the view of other people that may not see the need to protect wildlife if they are in their way. Poaching is part of this story as is learning about how beavers make dams and what is needed to care for them. Characters in the book are written in a very fun way that kids will enjoy reading. They will learn but the story does not bog them down with too many facts at once. Story flows very nicely.

Madi Lewis knows that she isn’t supposed to bring anymore stray animals home or she won’t be allowed to meet Jane Goodall at an upcoming Gala. But when she and her 2 best friends Aaron and Jack rescue 2 orphaned beaver kits whose parents were shot, she has no choice but to take them home to care for or they would die in the wild without their parents. Jack, who wants to be a Big Game Warden, with his dog Lid as well as Madi and Aaron are searching for clues to figure out who killed those beavers and stop the town from killing all the beavers because they are damning up the wrong spots and flooding roads and farms along the river.

This was a really great read and so much fun. I really liked that Madi’s grandmother was a Wildlife Rehabilitator which is why she is so passionate about saving wild animals and her motto “If you see something, do something”. I liked all the animal conservation information and how her and her friends problem solved how to have the beavers dam where they wanted them to and not where it was wrecking the roads and peoples land. Also all the information about beavers was really interesting and I didn’t know anything about them so that was fun to learn. This was a really easy read and the dynamic between the 3 friends was great and the kids were just so funny.

Thanks to HMH Childrens Book Group and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book in e-book form. All opinions in this review are my own.

Canadian author Terri Lynn Johnson has written a charming early middle grade novel. Even though Madi isn't supposed to rescue any more animals, she can't help herself when she finds two orphaned beaver kits. Madi and her friends care for the beavers, but also work to solve the mystery of who is harming the beavers and how can the township live in harmony with their beaver population. RESCUE AT LAKE WILD has beaver facts and wildlife rehabilitation tips woven throughout, without ever being overwhelming or forced.

I highly recommend RESCUE AT LAKE WILD for libraries serving children in grades 2-4 and I look forward to purchasing it for my libraries when it is released in April 2021. I know that the young readers will be drawn by the charming cover and reasonable novel length, and not disappointed by Johnson's engaging story!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book.

I love this author, and I'll read anything that she writes. This story is a lower MG read about three friends who find some orphaned beaver kits, and are determined to not only protect them, but figure out who is killing the beavers in their areas.

There are several things about this book that I think will make it a hit with young readers. The cover art by Maike Plenzke is colorful, kid-friendly, and very appealing. The length at just over 200 pages will tempt many readers who pass on longer reads. The main character, Madi, is passionate about saving wildlife and following in her grandmother's footsteps to care for injured animals. There is so much fascinating information about beavers (I had no idea they were so smart and capable of problem solving) without feeling overdone or too factual. Madi's friends, Aaron and Jack (and Jack's dog, Lid) are part of the plan to hide the kits so Madi's mom doesn't find out, but the adventures that they get into together are funny and typical middle grade behavior. I really appreciated the resolution of the story, and would love to read another story about one of Madi's animal rescues.

This would be a great classroom read aloud, with an opportunity to talk about animal conservation and poaching, and our role to play in it.

Madi relates more to animal than she does to people. She has brought so many wild animals home to heal or raise after their parents have abandoned them, she is forbidden from bringing any more home. Fortunately for Madi, her parents both are often gone for work and her teenage sister is in charge of watching her. Her sister could care less what she does as long as Madi doesn't tell on her about having her boyfriend over or having parties when their parents are gone.

Even though Madi is not supposed to bring stray animals home, she finds beaver kits whose parents have been killed by people in town who are trying to prevent the beavers from building their dams because it is leading to flooding. As Madi learns how to keep the kits safe and healthy, she also figures out a way to make the beavers dam in spots where it won't cause flooding to roads and property.

I liked the ecological awareness aspect of the book, and liked that kids' voices were heard in solving community problem. I learned a lot about beavers; I did not realize they were such social animals.

I felt like the dialog was contrived, not natural or flowing. The characters were "off," somehow and seemed flat. I liked the story well enough, but not how the story was told.

This was such an amazing book to read during summer vacation! Having grown up on a farm in Minnesota, this story brought me right back to all those afternoons when I was able to hang out in nature and experience the wildlife around me. I vividly remember walking down to the river multiple times with my grandma to look at the beaver dams and thinking how amazing they were and wondered what it would be like to go inside. So when the story began with our spunky main character diving under the water to get into the dam just see if there are orphaned kits (baby beavers) in need of rescue,was hooked! I enjoyed all the facts about beavers and was rooting for the trio to solve the various mysteries and ecological problems. I will definitely be adding this to my middle school library!!