Before Captain Maddie dies, she names Zane as her first mate, gives him her cane, and charges him with the directive to sail on his board and find the treasure. With only a few strange pieces of a puzzle and a very old map, he and his friends begin an adventure that includes danger (What pirate story would be right without it?), adventure, honor, loyalty, and truth. It was a great way to show how friendship matters, too. Sometimes, it's just because you understand each other, and other times it's because you can trust a friend to have your back when you're not paying attention.

The greatest part of this story is how the author weaves the true history of New York, slaves, and Wall Street into the story in a way that requires the reader to remember the bits and pieces as they are discovered. This read was fun and kept my attention most of the way through. The skateboarding brought the story alive in a different way for me. I'm not a skater, but I was able to relate to those parts of the story, and how it mattered.

There were a few times I had no clue who was talking, but it didn't disturb the story line. I also felt disconnected once or twice in how they accidentally arrived in just the right places or circumstances to follow Captain Maddie's strange clues. I might not have connected them on my own, but the story always led me in the right direction, so I continued reading. It was easy to assume the captain's spirit was leading the characters.

I really enjoyed this story and would recommend this book to any middle grade student, or even a YA or adult who loves a good youth adventure story, or enjoys learning about hidden history in an exciting way. Also, anyone wanting to learn a little about skateboarding tricks and terms will find some great tips in this book.

This title would be a great title to introduce middle graders to the buried history of New York; I think the history and treasure riddle aspects of the story is both enriching and entertaining. However, I believe the title read like a mystery as opposed to an adventure, but overall, it's a solid read. I would recommend this book to young patrons.

Jewell Parker Rhodes tackles a retelling of Treasure Island in this book. This story is set in Manhattan where three kids and one dog will go on adventure in search of treasure using a map. Some of the pros: Our protagonist is one you will root for. There are bits and pieces of historical information that is thrown into the story. Some of the cons: It was a bit confusing at times. I think what didn't work for me is that it was trying to be a modern retelling, but there were still references to pirates and other things that made the story a bit more unrealistic. Overall, I think readers will enjoy this book.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I love Jewel Parker Rhodes! While this was my least favorite of her books I still really liked it. At times while reading this book I was confused, but I was still able to follow the big picture and enjoy the book. I loved the history that was incorporated in the story and I learned a lot while reading. I definitely recommend and think my students will enjoy this modern day pirate story!

What a grand adventure! I loved learning about some of the history of Manhattan, like how Wall Street got its name. The story was fun and I think kids will enjoy this story.