Cryptosight by Nean McKenzie

Cryptosight by Nean McKenzie
October 2019 Midnight Sun Publishing

Blurb:

What if you could see what is hidden?

Rafferty Kaminski is a 13-year-old who believes in facts. Not like his Cryptozoologist father, who searches for creatures not proven to exist.

When their father disappears in the Flinders Ranges, strange things start happening to Raff and his younger sister Zara. They learn that their father belongs to a secret organisation and they are suddenly being pursued by bunyip hunters.

Raff is drawn into the weird world of Cryptozoology as he and Zara follow 'sightings' of creatures around country Victoria. 

Will they find their father? And what is the ancient voice that only Raff can hear as they approach the Wombat State Forest?

This is a book about 13 year old Rafferty Kaminski and his younger sister Zara. It is a rollicking adventure, full of twists and turns…but it is also a story about something very old, something that has been hidden…something connected to Raff.

Let me start by saying, that I am a person who believes. 

I would like to believe that there may still be Tasmanian Tigers in existence.

I would like to believe that the gastric brooding frog is still living underground waiting for the right conditions to re- emerge.

Part of me would love to find out that yeti’s do exist, and that the loch ness monster is real…because I think there are plenty of things out there on the world that we don’t really see, and if we do get a glimpse, we can’t quite explain them.

So a book about a Cryptozoologist had immediate appeal to me.

Let’s start with Cryptozoology – a definition at the start of Chapter 1 says it’s the study of hidden things.

According to Wikipedia :

Cryptozoology is a pseudoscience and subculture that aims to prove the existence of entities from the folklore record, such as Bigfoot, the

chup-a-cabra, or Mokele-m-bembe. Cryptozoologists refer to these entities as cryptids, a term coined by the subculture. Because it does not follow the scientific method, cryptozoology is considered a pseudoscience by the academic world:

And for those of us that need to know what pseudoscience is, according to Wikipedia again, it is, Pseudoscience consists of statements, beliefs, or practices that are claimed to be both scientific and factual but are incompatible with the scientific method.

Now that we have that explained, let’s get onto the book.

Cryptosight, the title of the book, refers to the ability to see these hidden things.

At the start of the book we meet Raff 13, and his sister Zara 11.  They are camping with their Dad in the Flinders Ranges, their Dad, who just so happens to be a cryptozoologist.

Their Dad is not a normal Dad, and this is no normal camping trip.  Part of the reason for their trip was so that Raff and Zara could start some Cryptozoology training.  On day three of their training, their Dad takes them on a hike, to the middle of nowhere, and leaves them there. They have to find their way back to the campsite.

He leaves them with the five rules of survival, and its these rules that they fall back on more than once during the book.  

The five rules are:

Number 1: Always take a torch

Number 2: Always protect your family

Number 3: Wear clothes with lots of pockets

Number 4: Really looking for things is the only way to find them

Number 5: In case of emergency, leave back up in a safe place.

The siblings do make it safely back to their campsite, only to find that their Dad has gone, his bags are gone, all of his clothes,  everything.  Gone.

But...he did leave a note:

Dearest Raff and Zara,

I’m sorry to leave you so quickly, but time is of the essence.  A friend is coming very soon.  Please wait until he arrives.  I will be back before you know it.  Please keep going with your training.  This is very important.  I have to ask you not to ring your mother,  I can’t tell you why just now, you have to trust me.  I’ll see you in a couple of days.

Love always, Dad  (page 14-15)

This is where the adventure really starts for the siblings, where things start to get quite bizarre and at times, unbelievable, starting  when Zara realises she has left something behind on their hike, something that her Dad gave her, …he said it was very important, so now the pair have to go back and find it.  It’s here we start to learn a bit more about Raff and Zara, we learn that Raff is the more serious responsible one. He doesn’t believe in cryptology. Zara is forgetful, always losing things, but she believes everything her Dad believes in.

This important thing that Zara had to go back and find, is a rock, probably volcanic in origin, but seemingly ordinary.  What is very far from ordinary is that on this journey to find the left behind rock, a big black raven that stands in their way.   This, in itself, is not that weird or odd, the weird and odd part, is that Zara understands that the ravenn has a message for them, and that Zara can understand what the raven is saying

‘Beware of the three, beware.

One, face like the moon, looking for shine

Two, like a brolga, without the dance

Hands of three, the colour of setting sun.

Beware, beware, of the three.

Beware beware, Beware…’

Page 22

From here on it’s non stop action for the Raff and Zara.

They escape a ranger, that’s not really a ranger, but one of the Three.

Stowaway on a bus full of kids retuning home after a camp, get held in a police station and go home with virtual strangers who believe they have a river serpent on their property....could it be a real live cryptid?

But Raff and Zara do finally make it back home, only to be faced with one of the Three breaking into their house, so they make their escape, and stow away on a truck heading in the general direction of their grandfathers house,  a grandfather they haven’t seen for many many years.

All of the time getting more and more clues as to what has happened to their Dad…and also start to figure out that their Mum is not the laboratory scientist that she claims to be.

We do find out how important the 'ordinary' stone is, it’s a Sark, which helps cryptozooloigists keep track of each other, identifies someone who has seen a cryptid and when there is danger nearby.  The Sark, it the one thing that might save them, and answer some questions.

As I said at the start, this is also a story about something very old, something hidden.

Throughout the story there are paragraphs, told from a different voice, the voice of this something, passages from the point of a view of a creature. A creature that has been living underground. It has been asleep for a long time, but it has woken…it’s something that should not even exist.

Obviously I am not going to tell you what this creature is, or what other cryptids the siblings might come across in this book, where’s the fun in that.  You have to read the book to find that out…read the book and see if you just might be a believer too?

Many Windows: Six Kids, Five Faiths, One Community by Rukhsana Khan, Uma Krishnaswami, Elisa Carbone

• Many Windows: Six Kids, Five Faiths, One Community by  Rukhsana Khan, Uma Krishnaswami, Elisa Carbone
• 
  
• Published December 30, 2013 Napoleon and Co 

Blurb:
In the midst of global turmoil, with people of various faiths in major conflict, three friends—a Muslim, a Christian and a Hindu—decided to write a book. Many Windows is a book about young people who are friends despite their religious differences. It’s a book about celebrations, that ultimately celebrates community. Many Windows is a collection of seven stories about six children who are in the same class at school, two white boys, a black girl, a Chinese girl, an Indian girl and a Pakistani boy. They are not necessarily friends, but they all come together in one commnunity at the end of the stories. Each story in the collection centres on a different celebration within the faith of that child. In the appendix, each of the celebrations is explained in more depth, as it is celebrated within that faith community: Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Judaism and Hinduism. Each story represents a window into the life of the child, or, from a different point of view, the child’s window looking out to the world.

This is a collection of seven stories about six children who are in the same class at school, two white boys, a black girl, a Chinese girl, an Indian girl, and a Pakistani boy. They are not friends, but they all come together in one community at the end of the stories. Each story in the collection centres on a different celebration within the faith of that child, and in the appendix at the back of the book, each of the celebrations is explained in more depth, as it is celebrated within that faith community: Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Judaism and Hinduism.

Each story represents a window into the life of the child, or, from a different point of view, the child's window -- looking out to the world.

I loved this book, and I think it’s so relevant to most children’s school experiences today.  So many children in the one class with different beliefs and cultural backgrounds, but not necessarily having much understanding of what those faiths are like…or even what other families are like.

Let me start by saying that this is a tiny book, the story part of it is only 65 pages long.   It is published by a small publisher in the US, so just a heads up, to get it in Australia it is quite pricey. If you are an Ebook reader, it is available on kindle and much cheaper.

There are 7 stories in total, each story told by a different character, with one character having 2 stories, at the start and at the end of the book, bringing everything together.

Each of the stories focuses on a different child, and the more stories you read, the more the stories become intertwined.  Rukhasana Khan did not write all of the stories in the book, she wrote 5 of the 7, but I will look at the book as a whole.

Because each story is short, I won't tell you too much about them, I will just give a brief teaser to each one.

The characters are:

Natalie a Buddhist, she works in her father’s jewellery store, an Important part of her story is a locket...that we see again somewhere else in the book.

Jameel a Muslim,  his family is having a visit from his uncle, from Pakistan.  There is some secret about his uncle...no one talks about it, but will Jameel find out the truth?

Deepa is Hindu and Diwali is her festival. Friendship is a strong theme in this story. The one person Deepa normally celebrates the day with is not with her this year.

Benjamin is Jewish - his grandmother is in a nursing home...she doesn't recognise Benjamin or his family any more.  But something about seeing Benjamin play with his dreidels, sparks a memory in her, a memory of a family member who is no longer with them.

Stephanie is a Christian and It's Christmas Day.  In Stephanie's story we see all of the other characters come together.

I like that the stories aren't 'about' religion or culture, they are just stories about people, they don't stop and explain anything within the story, it's just ‘there'

They mention Ramadan, but they don't go on to explain what that is, Similarly with other aspects, Like the food, the Luddos in Jameel's story or puris and jalebi in Deepa's. 

Other things like the dreidels in Benjamin's story. They're an important element to the stories, but it's never explained what they are... So it makes the reader want to find out more.  

As mentioned earlier, at the back of the book there is more detail on each of the faiths, as well as the specific celebrations mentioned in the stories, so you don't have to go far to get the extra information.

TJ is the other character and he has the first and last story in the book, and his, for me, are the most powerful stories.

In the first story, and you get the feeling that TJ has a bit of attitude…it’s his first day in a new school, and he does not seem happy to be there.  When he gets pulled up by the teacher, she asks him questions about his behaviour like he has a choice…this isn’t something TJ is used to, and it throws him a bit. 

His new classroom is a No Put Down Zone, and this rule applies to the yard as well, so when some kids tease TJ at lunch time, he shoves one of them, gives them a bloody nose and ends up on the principal’s office.  When he explains that the kids were teasing him first, Mrs Williams says that’s unacceptable and they must apologise to TJ…

TJ is shocked that he was listened to, and that the other kids were made to apologise. TJ doesn’t get off lightly though, and he still gets detention…that’s OK by him though, it’s fair.

The book ends with TJ. We start where we began.  What I get the most from this book is that TJ is the character I want to know more about. As a reader we get a glimpse into his life, and it’s pretty bleak, I just want to know that he will be ok. All of the other stories are about family and faith, but not TJ’s. The contrast between his life and those of the other characters is stark. That's why his stories work so well starting and ending the book, it puts all of the other stories into perspective.

The strongest theme that I get from all of the other stories would be family.  Each character has a strong connection to family, and within that family they also have their faith, but for me family is the key.  It’s obvious from what we read about TJ that this is what he is missing, and there is hope that maybe the new friends he has, have gone some way to fill the emotional void in his life.

This book is exactly what the title suggests, a window into the lives of these children.  Yes, it is a book about culture and faith, but it's also about family, family histories, friendship and community...oh and basketball... basketball is another thing that joins these kids together...but you can read the book to find out more about that.

The Iron Man by Ted Hughes Illustrated by Chris Mould

The Iron Man by Ted Hughes Illustrated by Chris Mould
Published August 2019 Faber and Faber

Blurb:
Stunning illustrations by Chris Mould make this one of the most exciting editions of The Iron Man to be published.

The Iron Man came to the top of the cliff.
Where had he come from? Nobody knows.
How was he made? Nobody knows.

Mankind must put a stop to the dreadful destruction by the Iron Man and set a trap for him, but he cannot be kept down. Then, when a terrible monster from outer space threatens to lay waste to the planet, it is the Iron Man who finds a way to save the world.

Iron Man has been described as one of the greatest modern fairy tales...and I don't think I have read it...until now.  I may have, years ago, but I have no memory of it.  Guilty as I am of judging a book by its cover, I was drawn to this edition.  It's a hardback, large size, (height: 28cm) and beautiful bronze lettering and highlights on the cover...it's beautiful...and it made me pick it up...and even read it!

My first thought is 'why have I never read this?'..the language is captivating, right from the start and it would be an amazing 'read a loud'.  Chris Mould's illustrations work perfectly and  most definitely add something to the story for me.  The colours evoke the right mood, and the layout keeps the reader engaged in the story.

I would love to say that I would have enjoyed this story just as much if I had read it years ago in an earlier edition...but we'll never know.  All I can say is that I am glad to have read it in this one.

Frostheart by Jamie Littler

Frostheart by Jamie Littler
Published November 2019 Penguin UK

Blurb:
Way out in the furthest part of the known world, a tiny stronghold exists all on its own, cut off from the rest of human-kin by monsters that lurk beneath the Snow Sea. There, a little boy called Ash waits for the return of his parents, singing a forbidden lullaby to remind him of them... and doing his best to avoid his very, VERY grumpy yeti guardian, Tobu.

But life is about to get a whole lot more crazy-adventurous for Ash. When a brave rescue attempt reveals he has amazing magical powers, he's whisked aboard the Frostheart, a sleigh packed full of daring explorers who could use his help. But can they help him find his family . . . ?

Bursting with brilliant characters, heart-stopping adventure and tons of laughs, this is a magical tale about being brave, looking out for your friends, and finding your place in the world.

I read that this was a cross between The Christmasaurus (Haven't read it, but I did love The Creakers) Frozen (haven't seen it), How to Train Your Dragon (haven't read it OR seen the movie)....So I had no expectation other than the fact that it didn't really sound like a book I would read, based on those comparisons.

I had to read this one for work, and I am glad I did.  I am learning, that even though I say I don’t read fantasy…I do, in fact, love a good story, regardless of the genre it's wrapped up in, and that’s what this one is…a good story…and look at the cover!

I always use the prologue in The Creakers, as an example of the perfect start to a book, every school visit, that opening gets the kids hooked. Chapter 1 in Frostheart is longer, but I guarantee the result will be the same.  Within the first 16 pages, the scene is set...icy cold snow covered plains, drama, conflict, terrifying creatures. We meet Ash, small but brave and we meet Lurkers, ferocious creatures longer than two men with ice sharp fangs.

Ash has been left by his parents, living in a community where he doesn't quite fit in.  When he is basically shunned from by the Fira people, for being a Song Weaver, a dying breed that can supposedly tame wild beasts with song. Ash finds himself on The Frostheart a ship like sleigh, crewed by a mixed bunch of misfits, Pathfinders, who have no home, and spend their lives travelling between strongholds, making their living as traders.  If Ash is ever going to find his parents, it will be with Pathfinders.

It’s with this ragtag group that Ash starts to put the pieces of a puzzle together.  His parents used to sing him a lullaby, and now Ash has realised that it’s actually the start of a set of clues he needs to follow. He’s not entirely sure why, but hopes his parents will be there at the end.

Frostheart is full of interesting characters, good guys, bad guys, new snow covered worlds and at its heart, it’s about being brave, finding people who accept you for what and who you are, and about finding your voice, and not being afraid to use it.

Rosa and the Daring Dog by Megan Rix

Rosa and the Daring Dog by Megan Rix

Published November 2019 Penguin UK

Blurb;

HOWLY is a tiny puppy, left abandoned in a trash can next to a school.

EDDIE is the young girl who finds him . . .

Eddie is immediately drawn to the puppy, whose bravery and determination remind her of a very famous person indeed.

Eddie's class are learning about Mrs Rosa Parks, whose act of courage on a bus in 1955 started a whole movement against racism in America. Mrs Parks herself soon visits Eddie's school, and when the great lady points out a stark reminder of racism in the school's own playground it's up to Eddie, her friends, and their new school dog Howly to remind everyone how to stay hopeful and stand up for what is right.

I had heard of Rosa Parks, and I kind of knew who she was and what she did, but this is the thing about children;s books, it has the ability to expand my universe.  Reading this 250 page children's novel gave me more insight into Rosa Parks, more context into which her story fits, and a new desire to find out more.  This is my first Megan Rix novel, but I am keen to read more, as she has a great way of incorporating historical facts into a story.

The story is set in 1990, in Detroit.  There is an authors note at the back of the book , where she explains why she set the book in this time period.  Rosa Parks is 77 years old, and she has lived through all kinds of segregation, because she is black...she also made a stand for what she believed in and has become known as the mother of the civil rights movement in the USA.  Through Rosa Parks and other characters in this book, we learn more about her story as well as the stories of Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jnr.   We learn about the Walk to Freedom March and the Children's March in Birmingham Alabama, where more than 600 children were arrested!

So, you may think, that's all good and well, but that's American history.  This is true...but America is still part of the world that we live in, and that's like saying we don't need to read about the Holocaust, because it's not Australian history.  Racism is a global issue, and as Australians we have our own history and current problems with racism.  I think a book like this is a great way to open discussions, and look at out own history with the segregation of Aboriginal Australians, the stolen Generation,  the White Australia Policy, and even our treatment of refugees. The importance of knowing and facing up to the not so pleasant parts of our history is surely the first step into it never happening again.

The other idea that this book brings up is the power of out voice, and how if enough people are willing to stand up and do the right thing, then change might actually happen.  So again it leads into contemporary issues like climate change, and Greta Thunberg, or the rights of girls and Malala.

On a completely different note...there's Howly, the puppy.  He represents a different change, a change in how we can support children in schools.  In 1990, the Reading Education Assistance Dog program was being trialed, and now it is now a successful way that schools are boosting literacy and reading levels with their students.  In Australia we have the Story Dogs organisation, where reading dogs are playing such an important role, in not only improving reading, but in many cases changing children's lives.  

If you're keen to look a bot further here's a few places to start:

 ISBN 9780241372791

ISBN 9781786030177

ISBN 9781445164038

The Darkdeep by Brendan Reichs and Ally Condie

The Darkdeep by Brendan Reichs and Ally Condie
Published September 2018 Pan Macmillan

Blurb:

When a bullying incident sends twelve year-old Nico Holland over the edge of a cliff into the icy waters of Still Cove, where no one ever goes, friends Tyler and Ella – and even 'cool kid' Opal – rush to his rescue . . . only to discover an island hidden in the swirling mists below. Shrouded by dense trees and murky tides, the island appears uninhabited, although the kids can't quite shake the feeling that something about it is off. 

Their suspicions grow when they stumble upon an abandoned houseboat with an array of curiosities inside: odd-looking weapons, unnerving portraits, maps to places they've never heard of, and a glass jar containing something completely unidentifiable. 

As the group delves deeper into the unknown, their discoveries – and their lives – begin to intertwine in weird and spooky ways. Something ancient has awakened . . . and it knows their wishes and dreams - and their deepest secrets. Do they have what it takes to face the shadowy things that lurk within their own hearts? 

Told from Nico's and Opal's alternating points of view, The Darkdeep, from bestselling duo Ally Condie and Brendan Reichs, kicks off a suspenseful and spooky new series, perfect for fans of Stranger Things.

This would have to be, hands down, the most popular book I have talked about in schools this year.

When I do book talks at schools, as a way of the library doing their buying, I general take a 100+ books.  I pick out my favorites and talk about those ones, then the students have free reign (or whatever limits the library have put in place!), to browse all of the books and vote for what they want to read, and have in their library. At one school, I literally had a constant line up of students wanting to vote for The Darkdeep, and I have never in my 20+ year doing this have I seen that.  I do quite the spiel on it when I talk about it, complete with sound effects…so I am sure that helps.

The Darkdeep was on our shelves for 6 months before I even spotted it…which shocked me no end, as I think I know every book on the shelves!  As soon as I saw it I though 1) Why haven’t I read this? And 2) Kids will love this.  I think one of the tag lines is Stranger Things meets The Goonies.  It’s a perfect comparison and pretty funny in schools, because all of this kids at school 'oooh’ at the Stranger Things reference, and all of the adults react the same way to The Goonies.

I think there’s a big gap in children’s fiction, and YA to be honest, as far as Horror goes.  Now that so many libraries are genrefying their collections, this is one area where the gaps are showing.  This book is such a good choice for middle, and upper primary, as it’s creepy, and a bit scary, but not too scary.  

The setting is creepy, a fog covered island, and there’s mystery as to why there is a house in the middle of a lake (and that’s not solved in the first book), the fact that whatever the children fear most, manifests itself as a hologram, and then these holograms get more real and scarier.  It’s got a lot going for it as far as creepy goes.

It also has a lot of non scary things going for it too.  Themes of bullying, friendship and loyalty are strong, and the story is told from alternating characters’ points of view, which works well, as we get two perspectives on what’s happening.

The best news for anyone starting this series now, is that Book 2 has just been released, so no waiting to find out what happens next.

 

Fish In a Tree by Lynda Mullay Hunt

Fish In a Tree by Lynda Mullay Hunt
Published 2015 Puffin

Blurb:

An emotionally-charged, uplifting novel that will speak to anyone who's ever thought there was something wrong with them because they didn't fit in. Everybody is smart in different ways. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its life believing it is stupid. Ally has been smart enough to fool a lot of smart people. Every time she lands in a new school, she is able to hide her inability to read by creating clever yet disruptive distractions. She is afraid to ask for help; after all, how can you cure dumb? However, her newest teacher Mr. Daniels sees the bright, creative kid underneath the trouble maker. With his help, Ally learns not to be so hard on herself and that dyslexia is nothing to be ashamed of. As her confidence grows, Ally feels free to be herself and the world starts opening up with possibilities. She discovers that there's a lot more to her-and to everyone-than a label, and that great minds don't always think alike.

This is an example of a book I knew nothing about, except that all of a sudden schools started ordering it, class sets of it, so it quickly moved to the top of me TBR pile.  As you can see it's not a new book, published in 2015, I am three years late to the party...but better late than never, because I loved this book.

Ally feels dumb every day.  She knows she is actually quite smart, but the fact that she can't read, and struggles to write make life pretty tough.  She is from a military family, so has had to change schools a lot.  This has meant she has kept these issues a secret, teacher's just think she doesn't try, and she doesn't let on that there's more of a problem.  Then she gets a new teacher,  Mr Daniels, and it doesn't take long for him to figure out what the problem is...you see, Ally has Dyslexia.

In my job I hear about Dyslexia a lot, but this book made me really stop and think what it was like to BE dyslexic, and the struggles children have, and how it can make them feel so useless.

See this passage to see what I mean:

Page 138

“Look, “ I say. “When you get on your bike, don’t you expect it to hold you up? Not fall apart when you pedal?”

“Yeah. So what?”

“Imagine if every single time you got on your bike, you had to worry that the wheels would come off.  And every time you ride, they do. But you still have to ride. Every day. And then you have to watch everyone watch you as the bike goes to pieces underneath you. With everyone thinking that it’s your fault and you’re the worst bike rider in the world.”

“Why in the world are you talking about bikes and wheels coming off?”

“My brain, “ I say, leaning my forehead against the cold wall. “My brain will never do what I want it to do.”

And this one.. giving an explanation of the title of the book.

Page 159

“Now, don’t be so hard on yourself, okay?  You know, a wise person once said, ‘Everyone is smart in different ways.  But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life thinking that it’s stupid.’”

It's not just a book about dyslexia though.  It's about friendship, and finding 'your people'.  Ally starts to realise that everyone has something going on in their lives that, at times, might make them feel different or 'less than'...and having the right people around you can make all the difference.


Lynda Mullay Hunt has an amazing way with characters and voice, and Ally is one of those characters that will stay with me always.

If you're a fan of books like Wonder or Out of Mind you should give this one a go.

Kensy and Max Book 1: Breaking News by Jacqueline Harvey

Kensy and Max Book 1: Breaking News by Jacqueline Harvey

Published March 2018 by Penguin Random House

Introducing Kensy and Max – an action-packed spy-adventure series for girls and boys from bestselling author Jacqueline Harvey! What would you do if you woke up in a strange place? If your whole life changed in the blink of an eye and you had no idea what was going on? Twins Kensy and Max Grey’s lives are turned upside down when they are whisked off to London, and discover their parents are missing. As the situation unfolds, so many things don’t add up: their strange new school, the bizarre grannies on their street, the coded messages they keep finding and the feeling that, all around them, adults are keeping secrets . . . Things can never go back to the way they were, but the twins are determined to uncover the truth!

I was super excited to read the first in a new series by the super talented Jacqueline Harvey.

One of the things I loved about this book, as with so many of Jacqueline's books, is that they are so well researched. All of the street names and most of the places mentioned in the book are real, so you can follow where the twins are going on real map of London, or for a more realistic experience look at this area on Google maps or Google Earth. 

Follow their journey from home to school, by following the directions on Page 85 (you will have to start at home and work backwards, as there is no address for the school)

In Chapter 17, Kensy and Max have dinner at The Morpeth Arms This is a real pub in London. They really do have a Spying room and underneath the pub there really are corridors and holding cells for the nearby Millbank Penitentiary. http://www.morpetharms.com

You can find The Morpeth Arms on Google Maps (58 Millbank, Westminster, London SW1P 4RW, UK ) and see how close they really are to the MI6 headquarters across the river.

Being the  nerd that I am, I actually did this, and I loved seeing exactly where the story was set, I think kids will love this too.

Apart from all of the above, the story was great too.  Lots of shady characters, figuring out who the good guys are, who the bad guys are and a revelation at the end of the book that makes you want the get your hands on the next book as soon as possible!