A review by engpunk77
Seaside Sanctuary by Emma Carlson Berne

3.0

I read this with a student who is in 7th grade, and she gave it a solid 5 stars. Dolphins at Seaside Sanctuary are dying, and it's up to two girls to figure out why, connecting obvious clues with detective work such as using the internet to do a realistic kid-style search, scouring academic journals in the sanctuary office, arranging a field trip to investigate a chemical plant, and some risky field work. The adults are missing all of the clues, of course, which makes a satisfying middle grade read. (I was expecting, "And I would have succeeded, too, if it weren't for you meddling kids!")

Pacing and length were perfect for a very easy mystery chapter book. My student was actually interested in continuing Elsa's and Olivia's adventure in the subsequent titles, but we don't have them in our e-book collection to read together during quarantine. I'd give this title to upper elementary students who like animals and are not yet avid readers. Great introduction to the mystery genre.