Educational and team-building adventures in the Amazon kick off a series dubbed Race the Wild that stirs generous dollops of factual information into a fictional TV-show-sponsored competition to spot wildlife in various habitats. Here the Red Team's Russell, Sage, Mari, and Dev bond as they race to beat rival teams of young peers to sightings of capybaras, a glass frog, and other rain-forest creatures. Occasional embedded info-dumps with images and maps offer background on topics from the rain-forest canopy levels to profiles of such distinctive residents as the pale-throated three-toed sloth and the squirrel cuckoo. Along with zoological wonders, the race offers exciting challenges aplenty. As something extra for readers to ponder, Earhart also tucks in a thorny ethical issue when Russell discovers that another team is cheating but said team is composed of his friends from back in the States. What to do? Stay tuned.--Peters, John Copyright 2015 Booklist

Gr 2-4-When Russell and his four friends enter The Wild Life Rain Forest Relay competition deep in the Amazon, he assumed that they would be teamed together. The prize is one million dollars, but now he is halfway across the world and his friends have been put on another team. With each clue comes survival challenges, brain puzzles, and adventure. Russell must rely on his skills and those of his team members to survive. To make matters worse, the boy discovers that his friends have been spying on him and cheating. Feeling betrayed, RusseIl doesn't know what to do. Should he tell his team members? Some of the words seem a little forced and the author tells more than she shows. The plot, however, is well-paced and engaging. The facts used to solve the clues are fun but not overwhelming, and even provide a few twists. Illustrations are detailed and complement the text. Characters are likable, if a bit flat. VERDICT Fans of survival stories, adventure, puzzles, and mystery will enjoy this book.-Kira Moody, Whitmore Public Library, Salt Lake City, UT © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.