J.J. Abrams calls The Nebula Secret “a fun, exciting and action-packed ride that kids will love.”
But as much as I trust Abrams’ opinion — especially as a Lost superfan — I’m even more interested in hearing what Scouts said about the book.
Scouts like 13-year-old Riley.
“This book was one of the best books I have ever read!” Riley writes. “With the suspense keeping me up all night trying to figure out the answers. The characters were very funny and all around great!”
I first told you about Explorer Academy, National Geographic’s new fiction series for middle graders, in a blog post in May.
Nat Geo sent out a call for Explorer Academy ambassadors, and the first 100 who responded were invited to read and review an advance copy of the first book in the series, The Nebula Secret.
The response was so overwhelming — more than 1,500 entries in all — that Nat Geo doubled the number of ambassadors to 200 lucky Scouts.
Those reviews have been pouring in, and I wanted to share a few of my favorites below.
Bottom line: This series is perfect for thrill-seeking Scouts who enjoy exploring and learning about the world around them. It’s inspired by the adventures of real-life National Geographic explorers.
To enhance the story’s educational value, each book includes a section called “The Truth Behind the Fiction,” which explains the science concepts and profiles of real explorers doing work relevant to each book’s theme.
Reviews from Scouts
“I thought the book was an amazing story that felt like a roller coaster.” – Ruben, age 11
“I couldn’t wait to finish the book. The mysteries will leave readers racing to finish the story.” – Yadiana, age 10
“I would gladly recommend this to all my friends because they also like adventure, meeting new friends and technology.” – Bryce, age 8
“This novel is jam-packed full of action, plus tons of cool code-breaking!” – Conner, age 9
“This book is wonderful! With breathtaking twists and turns, this book must get a sequel.” – Noah, age 10
Read more reviews here and buy your copy of The Nebula Secret on Amazon.
Still not convinced?
If your Scouts missed the excerpt in the August issue of Boys’ Life, you can read the first chapter for free at this link.
Or watch the book trailer by visiting exploreracademy.com.
And finally, here’s one for parents: One lucky family of four will experience a thrilling ship-based expedition, just like the students in Explorer Academy! The sweepstakes prize trip is courtesy of National Geographic Expeditions, and you can enter here. (You must be 18 or older to enter.)
Join the adventure in person!
Meet Explorer Academy series author Trudi Trueit and a real National Geographic explorer at one of nine stops on their fall tour:
Sept. 21, 2018: Greenwich, Conn.
Sept. 22, 2018: New York City
Sept. 23, 2018: Chicago
Sept. 24, 2018: Naperville, Ill.
Sept. 26, 2018: Decatur, Ga.
Sept. 27, 2018: Thousand Oaks, Calif.
Sept. 28, 2018: Newport Beach, Calif.
Oct. 13, 2018: Mill Creek, Wash.
Oct. 19, 2018: Seattle
Learn more at this link.
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