Spineless, animal and intrigue-based mglit for ages 8-12

Steampunk is another person’s Gilded Age, albeit with possibly more action, intrigue, and impossibly complex wooden machines. Spineless has a certain steampunk vibe about it, but when the rubber hits the road it’s more late 1800s, which is when that popular aforementioned show takes place. However, this is about the mglit book that we recently read. It’s called Spineless and is a case where the cover sucks you in, and the story manages to keep you there. This is a book that patient, middle-grade mystery with periods of adventure.

Spineless has a Scooby-Doo feel to it with some meddling kids who are intent on figuring out what’s going on. Algie is our main character, a curious 12-year-old kid who loves nature and is on vacation in Florida. In hindsight, Algie is a very clever homonym name for our protagonist. He starts out on a boat where he finds an octopus that turns out to be a main character in its own right.

After a quick escapade on the boat that’s going to the Hotel Paraiso the crew and guests disembark and discover that the resort might be holding a secret or two. Algie and his friends go about exploring the place and realize that there are things that haven’t been disclosed including some very basic human actions and a giant sea creature.

Middle-grade readers and those upper elementary readers who enjoy adventure-based, animal intrigue will like the book. Those readers who like cliffhangers will especially enjoy the pacing of the book because most of the chapters end on a hard not that implies life or death.

An enormous figure entered the room. There’s less chance of gators over there. The pool was filled not with water, but with ink. These are just a couple of the cliffhangers that each chapter ends on. Some readers will really enjoy the way that the chapters end, while others might prefer a bit more variety. Those older readers who don’t want things spelled out for them so thoroughly, won’t be as interested in Spineless, for that reason.

It is a fun book whose key audience will be that narrow band of readers who enjoy realistic fiction with a nautical twist. But, it’s not the sort of book that will have broad appeal because of the uniformity of the chapters. There are a couple of hooks in the story, but for the most part, readers will be able to see them coming. Spineless is a pleasant middle-grade book that’ll bide the reader’s time until something better comes along. I wish that it had been better because sea creatures, kids, and a Florida hotel with a spooky past is ripe for a good time.

Spineless is by Samantha San Miguel and available on Union Square Kids, an imprint of Sterling Publishing.

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