Yellow Jackie
 

LENGTH:
Takes an average reader about a half hour to get to the "solve-it" page.

WHAT'S IT ABOUT?
This time you're helping this guy sail a yacht across the Pacific Ocean. And you come across this other yacht that's competing in one of those around-the-world races. But they've got trouble - one by one the crew is falling ill. And so you need to figure out what's going on and whether or not they should give up the race.

ANYTHING EXCITING HAPPEN?
Other than the typhoon, the monster, the shipwreck, the three mysterious ailments, the creepy radio message, and Jackie kissing Terry, no.

THEMES:
"Yellow Jackie" gets you face-to-face with the world's deadliest diseases, and surprising facts about epidemiology, dehydration and flotsam (look it up). Plus you polish up your literacy and inquiry-based problem solving skills and inductive/deductive reasoning. So you got all that going for you.