Survivor Diaries: Lost!, written by Terry Lynn Johnson, reviewed by Caroline Rabideau

Summary: Survivor Diaries: Lost! is the third in a four part series. The story begins with a reporter interviewing Carter after his escape. The reporter asks Carter to tell how he survived being lost in the rainforest from start to finish. Carter is different than most of the kids in his class, he has severe anxiety and often has attacks. He and his mom have a very close relationship and share a deep love of birds. They came on this trip in order to add new bird sightings to their “life list.” Together with his mom, Carter has learned if he focuses a little more on life, and plans for any contingency, he feels more prepared for anything that could go wrong and can handle unexpected situations a little easier. Anna is the exact opposite. She is the tallest in their class, incredibly strong and athletic. Her dad taught her to take life as it comes and rely on her instincts, so Carter’s planning is a little much for her to handle. When they are suddenly overrun by howler monkeys, they take off running and end up lost in the rainforest. Carter has to rely on Anna for her strength and determination, while Anna relies on Carter for his knowledge of the rainforest and survival. . Will they make it out of the rainforest alive? Accompanied by real survival facts in the back of the book, this book will thrill any reader who is interested in adventure, survival, or the outdoors. 

Straight Talk for Librarians: I love that the books do not have to be read in any sort of order. A reader could pick up one that he or she was interested in without ever reading the one before. 
I think this may have been my favorite book in the series so far… maybe. I love how relatable the characters of Carter and Anna are. Carter’s anxiety is so raw and emotional that, as the reader, you not only sympathized with him, but you start to feel stress and relief on his behalf. The challenges they face are so Indiana Jones-like, and yet two middle school kiddos are able to rely on what they know to find their way out. I will note, many of the situations in this book felt a little lucky, but I think a young reader would think this was extremely exciting. Just like the books before it, this book is a little longer, at 93 pages. It has large print and many pictures, as well as easy-to-understand definitions of science and survival terms. It has the survival facts glossary in the back. It is also accompanied with the online game, which will be such a hook for kiddos. I think this series is such a great choice for low readers in middle school. I can’t wait to read the last book.