The Sugarcane Kids and the Mystery at Angel Bay

The Sugarcane Kids and the Mystery at Angel Bay by Charlie Archbold (Text) PB RRP $16.99 ISBN 9781923058385

Dad pulls the chewed-up shark egg out of Washington’s mouth. It is drippy with drool. He puts it on the table.
              ‘That’s a Port Jackson shark egg. It shouldn’t be at Angel Bay,’ says Sylvie. ‘We should only be finding local shark eggs on the beaches around here.’

Andy and the Sugarcane Kids love riding their bikes to Angel Bay. And they love seeing their old mate Jerry lurking under the jetty looking for the spiny lobsters he loves to eat. Jerry’s a massive Queensland groper fish – he’s almost as big as a queen-sized bed.

But something very strange is going on at Angel Bay. A pile of dead fish has washed up on the beach. Mysterious shark eggs have appeared, which is very cool, but also weird because Port Jackson sharks don’t usually live in the tropical waters of far north Queensland. And – worst of all – Jerry is missing.

Could it have anything to do with a new tourist resort Raymond Royce has planned for Angel Bay? A resort that would destroy the fragile natural environment of the bay. The Sugarcane Kids, along with Washington, the cheeky sausage dog, are on the case. But will they discover what Royce is up to before it’s too late?

This is a new adventure book in the Sugarcane Kids series suitable for readers aged 8+ years.

The Sugarcane Kids and the Mystery at Angel Bay

The Sugarcane Kids and the Mystery at Angel Bay by Charlie Archbold (Text Publishing) PB RRP $6.99 ISBN 978-1-9230-583-85

Reviewed by Ann Harth (www.annharth.com )

Charlie Archbold invites middle-grade readers to join Andy and the Sugarcane Kids as they solve The Mystery at Angel Bay where the rainforest meets the reef in Far North Queensland.

With the skate park’s croc fence under repair, Andy, Eli, Harvey and the twins have more time after school to ride to Angel Bay. Their friend Jerry, the giant groper, hangs out there under the boat ramp waiting for fishermen to discard their unwanted catch. But Jerry is not himself these days. Instead of gobbling down every fishy morsel that comes his way, he seems uninterested. Andy and the others hope Jerry’s lack of appetite isn’t connected to the dead sea creatures and misplaced shark eggs suddenly washing up along the pristine stretch of beach.

The environmental status of Angel Bay has always protected it from anything but recreational use. Without this status, it may be vulnerable to development, and Mayor Royce already has plans for a beachside tourist resort. The beached sea creatures could change everything and jeopardise Angel Bay’s protected status.

Something fishy is going on, and the Sugarcane Kids join forces and make a new friend. They climb cliffs overhanging crocodiles, mountain bike through bush trails, and snorkel the reef to unravel the mystery.

Mystery at Angel Bay is an absorbing and at times humorous adventure with plenty of twists to keep the reader guessing. The cast of characters make it even more enjoyable. Each of the Sugarcane kids is unique and likable with their own quirks and interests. The secondary characters add much to this book, and I found myself laughing aloud more than once.

Mystery at Angel Bay is written in first person through Andy’s viewpoint. His voice is convincing and natural and sprinkled with interesting facts about the rainforest and reefs of Far North Queensland.

I would highly recommend this book for a middle-grade audience. If this is a reader’s first leap into the Sugarcane Kids series, they will soon be back for more.

The Sugarcane Kids and the Empty Cage

The Sugarcane Kids and the Empty Cage by Charlie Archbold (Text Publishing) PB RRP $16.99 ISBN 9781922790996

Reviewed by Kylie Buckley

The Sugarcane Kids from far north Queensland are back again with another mystery to solve. This time they are in search of lost animals. Firstly, Old Jean’s hand-raised eclectus parrot goes missing. Then, the library’s beloved pet scrub python disappears. While many townsfolk believe these animals have innocently escaped their enclosures, Andy, Eli, Harvey, Bernie and Fletch start to suspect that they have been stolen, and feared to be headed for illegal trade. The kids know that these protected animals need special care and are on a mission to find them asap!

This fun action-packed adventure story is suitable for readers aged 8 years and older. Its themes include protection of native wildlife, community, friendship, and bravery.

The Sugarcane Kids and the Empty Cage is the second novel in a middle grade adventure series. The first book in the series, The Sugarcane Kids and the Red-bottomed Boat, has received multiple awards including Winner of The Reading’s Children’s Prize 2022 and Winner of the 2023 Davitt Award for Best Children’s Novel. The third book in the series, The Sugarcane Kids and the Smelly Fish, is due for release in 2025.