Isle of Enchantment

by Precious McKenzie

  Isle of

  Enchantment

  By Precious McKenzie

  Illustrated by Becka Moore

  rourkeeducationalmedia.com

  © 2016 Rourke Educational Media

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the publisher.

  www.rourkeeducationalmedia.com

  Edited by: Keli Sipperley

  Cover and Interior layout by: Renee Brady

  Cover and Interior Illustrations by: Becka Moore

  Library of Congress PCN Data

  Isle of Enchantment / Precious McKenzie

  (Rourke’s World Adventures Chapter Books)

  ISBN (hard cover)(alk. paper) 978-1-63430-390-3

  ISBN (soft cover) 978-1-63430-490-0

  ISBN (e-Book) 978-1-63430-584-6

  Library of Congress Control Number: 2015933784

  Printed in the United States of America, North Mankato, Minnesota

  Dear Parents and Teachers:

  Rourke’s Adventure Chapter Books engage readers immediately by grabbing readers’ attention with exciting plots and adventurous characters.

  Our Adventure Chapter Books offer longer, more complex sentences and chapters. With minimal illustrations, readers must rely on the descriptive text to understand the setting, characters, and plot of the book. Each book contains several detailed episodes all centered on a single plot that will challenge the reader.

  Each adventure book dives into a country. Readers are not only invited to tag along for the adventure but will encounter the most memorable monuments and places, culture, and history. As the characters venture throughout the country, they address topics of family, friendship, and growing up in a way that the reader can relate to.

  Whether readers are reading the books independently or you are reading with them, engaging with them after they have read the book is still important. We’ve included several activities at the end of each book to make this both fun and educational.

  Are you ready for this adventure?

  Enjoy,

  Rourke Educational Media

  Table of Contents

  Pack Your Bags!

  The Plan

  San Juan

  Arecibo Observatory

  El Morro

  Caves

  El Yunque

  Mongoose!

  Bio Bay

  Home

  Pack Your Bags

  My brother and I never stay home for long. Even though we’re both 12 years old, I bet we’ve slept in our own rooms, in our own beds, maybe ten or 15 times. Okay, maybe I over exaggerate a bit. We’re always bounding around the world, following our parents on their research trips. Our mom is a bird biologist. Our dad is a historian.

  Most of the time it’s pretty sweet. While Mom and Dad work, Tomas and I log onto our laptops and do our homeschool assignments even though we’re thousands of miles from home. Sometimes we go on field trips. Sometimes we help with the research. Sometimes we help with camp.

  Yeah, camp. For the research trips, we travel in groups with other professors and their families. We usually sleep in tents. Once in a while, we’re lucky enough to travel in motorhomes. Those are nice. They have full kitchens, an indoor shower, and real mattresses to sleep on instead of foam pads that go under a sleeping bag. Tomas says we look like a band of gypsies with laptops, binoculars, and specimen jars. But I don’t mind. I think kids my age are lame. I’d rather hang out with adults.

  Tonight, I’m doing laundry and packing my duffle bags for our next research trip. We’re heading to Puerto Rico so Mom can study the elusive Antillean crested hummingbird. Mom is really excited about this trip, especially since it is the middle of winter here in Chicago. She told us to toss our swimsuits and flip flops in our bags–we’re going to a tropical paradise.

  Dad, of course, doesn’t plan to spend much time on the beach. He wants to visit museums and soak up history. When he isn’t teaching, or reading, he’s in a museum archive. He loves museums so much he was even locked in one overnight because he didn’t hear the closing time announcement. The museum guard thought everyone was out and locked up for the night. And there’s Dad, reading about the Korean War, completely clueless. It was pretty embarrassing to read about him in the newspaper the next day.

  “You don’t know, Marisol, that we won’t need long underwear,” Tomas whined in my face as we packed our bags.

  “Tomas. Stop. Listen to yourself. We are going to the tropics, not Siberia.” My brother gets a little stressed whenever we pack for a place we’ve never been before. He likes to be prepared and plan for every little detail.

  Tomas pushed his round eyeglasses up his nose. He scratched his forehead. Even though we’re twins, we look nothing alike. Tomas is short and kind of round. His green eyes are alert and cautious. I’m tall and, as Aunt Bernadette says, athletic. Tomas’s dark hair is puffy and curly. Mine is dark and straight. Total opposites but we always have each other’s backs.

  Tomas ran his fingers through his curls. “Fine. How about jeans? A pair? Two?”

  “Sure. In case we go out to eat or something.”

  We both giggled at the idea. We never went out to eat. The research camps were usually hours from civilization. We had to eat whatever was at camp: plain rice, peanut butter sandwiches, dried fruit and nuts.

  “I’m sneaking candy bars in my bag.” Tomas loved sweets and missed his American candy bars when we were in a jungle or desert somewhere.

  “Don’t do it. Mom will have a fit. She’ll accuse you of trying to attract bears or something,” I chuckled.

  “I don’t care. I am tired of canned beans and dried prunes.” Tomas didn’t usually challenge Mom and Dad’s rules but this time I think he meant it. “I am a growing boy. I need those calories.” Tomas stretched his arms and patted his belly.

  “Fine. Pack those candy bars in your bags. Then, when a bear eats you alive, I will tell you I told you so.”

  “Marisol, how do you plan to tell me that you told me so if I am in a bear’s belly?”

  I tossed my bed pillow at Tomas’s face.

  “Shut it, smarty pants.” Tomas ducked and the pillow slammed Dad in the face.

  The Plan

  Dad’s face was a little red where the pillow hit him. He laughed it off good-naturedly.

  “I hope that pillow bomb was not really meant for me, young lady.” Dad tried to sound stern but the twinkle in his eyes gave him away.

  “Did you guys finish packing? Your mom ran to the grocery store to pick up last minute toiletries and medicine.”

  “No, we’re not even close. Tomas is way overthinking and trying to fit an outfit for every season in his bags.”

  “Always be prepared. That’s my motto,” Tomas snorted.

  I rolled my eyes. He was such a Boy Scout.

  “Tomas, Marisol, there’s just one season in Puerto Rico: hot. Pack T-shirts, shorts, and bathing suits. You’ll be fine.” Dad was matter of fact. I could tell Mom had probably given him a huge to-do list to finish while she was out. Although he was excited about the trip, I knew there were a gazillion things for him and Mom to finish before we boarded the airplane tomorrow morning.

  Tomas nodded his head and mumbled, “Okay. Fine.”

  “Leave room in your carry-on bag for your laptops and notebooks for school.”

  Tomas and I nodded. How could we possibly forget school work?

  “I’ve got your passports and boarding passes,” Dad continued, then paused, obviously trying to remember what Mom told him to tell us. “Toothbr
ushes? Floss?”

  “Check and check,” I said. “Tomas and I have our toiletries together.”

  “Good. Good.” Dad said. “Oh, and young man, don’t forget your deodorant.”

  Tomas blushed. I laughed so hard I almost fell off the bed. This time, Tomas aimed a pillow bomb at me and clocked me on my back.

  Dad took a deep breath. “Settle down you two. I’m supposed to tell you the plan. Listen up.”

  Tomas and I straightened up. We knew we needed to find out exactly what this trip was going to be like.

  “We leave tomorrow at 7 a.m. and arrive in San Juan, Puerto Rico around 4 p.m., with a one hour layover in Atlanta.”

  Tomas and I answered in unison.

  “Got it.”

  “That means we’ll need to be at the airport at 5 a.m. to go through security. I’ll wake you up at 3:30 so you can shower and get dressed.”

  Tomas moaned, “I don’t need to shower. I need to sleep. Wake me up at 4 a.m.”

  “No sir. We’ve got a plane to catch and no time to mess around. You can sleep through the flight.” Dad was all business now. “We might have time for a quick lunch in Atlanta. We’ll have dinner when we get to Puerto Rico.”

  “Can we take snacks?” I asked Dad.

  “You can buy a few when we get to the airport in the morning. But not too many. You two don’t need all that junk food.”

  “I’m stashing candy bars in my duffle bags,” Tomas muttered under his breathe. Dad didn’t seem to hear him.

  We heard the apartment door open and went out to the living room. Mom bustled in with her arms full of grocery bags. Snow dusted the top of her hat, coat, and boots. “Whew, I can’t wait for Puerto Rico. This time tomorrow, we’ll be sitting on a warm, tropical beach. Goodbye Chicago winter.”

  “Hello sunshine,” Dad smiled. He gave Mom a kiss on the cheek and helped her carry the bags to the kitchen table.

  “I think I’ve got everything. Vitamins, bandages, shampoo, cold medicine.” Mom dug through the bags and organized the items on the table.

  “I think they have grocery stores in Puerto Rico. You know, they are a US territory,” I said.

  “Why yes they do. But I like to always be prepared.” Mom gave me her professor look that told me not to get sassy. I certainly know where Tomas got his attitude from. He is a mini-Mom.

  “Did your father go over the plan with you two?”

  Dad, Tomas, and I said yes.

  “Good. How about the camp set-up?”

  Dad cleared his throat. “No, I haven’t covered that yet.”

  “Well then, here’s how it will work.” Mom gave Dad a quick look. “I spoke with the research coordinator this morning. We’ll have three or four days to act like tourists while we wait for our lab equipment to arrive.”

  “We can soak up some history,” Dad piped in.

  “Yes, and then we’re off to El Yunque to find the Antillean crested hummingbird.” Mom was so excited she was practically glowing.

  I suspected there was an important detail that Mom and Dad were keeping from us. I blurted out, “What about the camp? Do we get to stay in a motorhome since El Yunque is a United States national park?” I hoped that we could stay in Puerto Rico in comfort. It was not called the Isle of Enchantment for nothing.

  Mom stuttered a bit. “Not exactly. It is a national forest not a national park. So, we get to set up a primitive camp.”

  That made me a little nervous. “What do you mean by primitive? No electricity?” We’d stayed at sites without electricity before. That was not a big deal. We burned candles for lights after dark and cooked over a campfire.

  “Um, yeah. No electricity and no toilets.” Mom looked away from me.

  “Cool!” Tomas shouted.

  “Do I just find a tree if I need to go?” This situation seemed nasty to me and I was beginning to think I should just stay home for this adventure.

  “Don’t be silly,” Mom rolled her eyes at me. “You’ll dig a hole with a shovel. Cover it when you’re done. It’s fairly common in the backcountry. And it’s called the cat hole method.” Mom had evidently used the cat hole method before.

  “Awesome! I get to act like a cat for three months!” Tomas was just a little too happy about this plan.

  “Awesome,” I groaned.

  San Juan

  The flight from Chicago to San Juan, Puerto Rico, was not terrible. I read most of the day while Tomas snored beside me. Mom and Dad sat behind us and mapped out our days on the island. Glancing back at them, if I didn’t know better, I would have guessed that they were on their honeymoon. They looked so happy about this trip. Who would have thought it was really about work? Work in a primitive tropical rainforest, without any kind of toilet, trying to study the behavior of the smallest bird in the Caribbean? I guess my family was slightly different than most families.

  Dad rented a car at the San Juan airport to take us to our tourist hotel. We would have four days to relish hot showers, soft beds, and flushing toilets. After that, we’d join the research team from the University of California in the backcountry of El Yunque National Forest for three months of hummingbird research.

  “Ready, crew?” Dad said as he dangled the rental car keys in the air.

  “Let’s hit it,” Tomas said. Tomas was clearly ready to see the sights of the city.

  Mom and Dad piled our bags in the car’s trunk. Tomas and I jumped into the backseat.

  “Aren’t you ready for an adventure?” Tomas asked me.

  “I guess so,” I shrugged.

  “What’s the matter? Your face has been all pinched and tense looking since we got on the plane in Chicago.”

  Tomas knew me so well. I could rarely hide anything from him.

  “I was kind of hoping for a real bed to sleep in, you know?”

  Mom hopped into the passenger’s seat. “What’s up, kids?’

  “Marisol wants luxury, a bed,” Tomas chirped to Mom.

  “Mari, honey, I thought you liked coming on our research trips.” Mom look worried.

  “I do but, I don’t know. I’m just tired. Forget it.” I rubbed my eyes. I was tired and maybe grouchy too. Mom rubbed my hand.

  “Mari, you could have stayed with Aunt Bernadette in Chicago. You didn’t have to come along if you didn’t want to.”

  Mom’s mention of Aunt Bernadette changed my mind. It would torture me to stay with Aunt Bernadette for three months. She’d wake me up at 5 a.m., drag me to yoga class three times a day, and make me eat bean sprouts and brussel sprout juice for dinner. Aunt Bernadette was a fitness freak. “No thanks.”

  “That’s my girl,” Mom smiled and looked reassured. I wasn’t ready to abandon my family for a soft, warm bed.

  Dad revved the engine and headed into the heart of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

  The blue sky, the sparkling ocean, and palm trees were dazzling. It was so different compared to blizzardy Chicago. Cars zipped around us. Mom tried to read the road map and the road signs.

  “I didn’t know Puerto Rico had a big city,” Tomas said.

  Mom turned to him.

  “Yep, high rise buildings and traffic. Just like home.”

  Tomas shook his head. “No, San Juan is different. It looks Spanish.”

  “Of course it looks Spanish,” I said, narrowing my eyes at Tomas. “Who do you think settled the island in the first place?” I couldn’t believe my twin could be so dense.

  “I know that,” Tomas said. “What I meant was that the buildings are interesting. Look at the pastel colors, the arches. It looks old and new at the same time.”

  “It is amazing,” Dad said. I think he was trying to keep me and Tomas from getting into an argument in the car.

  I shook my head and turned to look out the passenger’s side window. San Juan was spectacular. It bustled with people, shops, and cafes–a fun, modern city in the middle of the Caribbean Sea.

  “Why don’t we find the hotel and head to the beach for sunset?” Mom suggested. Tomas
fist-pumped the air.

  “Yes! Let’s hit the beach!”

  Dad pulled the car into the hotel’s parking lot. Tomas jumped out with his bags, ready to find the beach. “Slow down there, señor,” Dad tugged Tomas’s arm. “We’re checking in and picking up the hotel room keys.”

  “Let’s hurry. I want to swim,” Tomas said impatiently.

  After we checked in and went up to our room, Tomas and I didn’t waste any time. We were changed into our bathing suits and ready for the beach in less than five minutes.

  The beach was easy to find. It was right across the street from our hotel. The water was a calm blue like I’d never seen before. Seagulls dipped into the water, looking for food. Families ran up and down the beach, enjoying the warm sunshine.

  “Tag! You’re it!” Tomas pounded me on my back.

  “Ouch,” I screamed. Tomas raced down the shore. He knew I wouldn’t let him get away with that. I sprinted after him, caught up to him, and pushed him into the sand. Instead of being angry with me, Tomas wiped the beach sand out of his mouth and eyes. He laughed and rolled away into the sea. His black head bobbed up and down with the waves. “Come in, the water’s fine,” he yelled. Tomas looked like a merman in the water. I dove in after him. We raced through the water like dolphins.

  “I love Puerto Rico,” Tomas shouted. The tropical climate certainly suited Tomas.

  “Me too,” I yelled back.

  Mom waved at us from the shore.

  “Time to come in. The sun’s setting,” she said. Tomas looked sad.

  “Tomorrow, little brother.” I rubbed my fist on top of his wet head.

  After breakfast the next day, Dad suggested we try kitesurfing.

  “I’ve got lessons all set up for us,” he said.

  I couldn’t believe Dad would kitesurf. He isn’t very athletic. Tomas and I were very excited. We walked down to the beach to meet our instructor.

  “Hola, Perez family! Are you ready to fly over the water?” Fernando, our instructor, was tall and muscular.