The Lost Journal of Vagari: A Middle Grade Adventure Book for Kids

By Bobby Basil

"Peter Pan" meets "The Little Prince" in this middle grade book full of fantasy, mystery, and comedy!

 

Bestselling children's book author Bobby Basil has a new story for kids 8-12 that takes readers on a journey from Maine to a place beyond the sea and behind the horizon...

 

When twelve-year-old Roscoe Dash and his best friend Britt Stryker discover a journal from missing explorer Dr. Kester Vagari, they set sail on an extra strength adventure to find Figoosta, the magical island Vagari wrote about in his journal.

 

They make it to the island and learn Vagari is still alive and still kooky. Roscoe gets the adventure he's always wanted, with wooloos to swing, knercs to ride, and truxips to twist. But in Nightmare Cave, Roscoe realizes his deepest fear is being forgotten by his loved ones back home. Now Roscoe and Britt want to get off Figoosta, but they don't know how to leave. They might have to stay on Figoosta forever…

 

This magical island adventure is perfect for:

• reluctant readers
• kids who love adventure
• kids who love true friendship stories
• anyone who wishes they could sail away to uncharted places

Buy the book today and watch ordinary kids go on an extraordinary adventure!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bobby Basil
• Release date: May 25, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393132189

Book preview

Grammy June and the Journal

Britt Stryker opened her front door a crack.  She slowly chewed her grape gumball and eyed Roscoe standing on her porch.  Her chestnut skin blended in with the wooden doorframe.  Britt was taller than Roscoe, something she liked to point out more than she probably should have.  Right now, she seemed even taller than usual.  Britt brushed her raven black hair out of her eyes and asked, Is your Boys Club meeting over already?

Funny.  Are you going to let me in or not?

The Adventure Troop didn’t let me in their group, so why should I let you into my house?  Britt said this in a way that seemed a little too rehearsed.  She had been waiting to say it for so long, but the perfect moment had never arrived until now.  It was one of those comebacks you think of too late to say but hope someday you will have another opportunity.  Today, Britt finally got her opportunity, and it felt great.

You see, the Adventure Troop didn’t let girls join, even if they’re smart, driven, and curious girls.  And Britt was all three of those things.  Plus, she could play the ukulele, and that’s just not something a lot of twelve-year-olds—no matter their gender—can do.  She had wanted to join the Adventure Troop ever since she heard about them from Roscoe.  When she found out they wouldn’t let her in because she was a girl, Britt didn’t sulk in her bedroom about it.  She didn’t cry into her cereal every morning, then eat spoonfuls of her tears mixed with bran flakes.  No.  She set out to teach herself things the Adventure Troop could never teach her.  If they were teaching how to survive in nature without tools, Britt was going to learn how to survive with technology.  And so she taught herself how to design robots, circuit boards, computer programs—anything and everything that would make her life simpler.  That would show the Adventure Troop exactly how great Britt was, and they would have to let her in.

When the Adventure Troop finally did allow girls to join, Britt suddenly wasn’t excited about being a member.  How come now I can join but if it was last Tuesday you wouldn’t have let me?  She yelled at the Troop Leader.

The Troop Leader recited the line he was told to give when someone asked that exact question.  Well Britt, times are changing and not as many boys are signing up to join.

Wait, so are you only letting in girls because you need more members? Britt deduced.

The Troop Leader bit his lip nervously, caught in a pickle.  Times are changing.  He thought repeating the sentence would make Britt think he gave an answer. 

It worked, kind of.  It gave Britt enough of an answer to know she would never be happy joining the Adventure Troop like this.  All of her hard work didn’t make her more valuable to the group.  It was just because now they let in girls.  She didn’t need to be part of a group like