Adventure on the Graveyard of the Wrecks

Along a treacherous stretch of beach in
northern California known as the Graveyard of the Wrecks, a powerful storm
pounded the shore, making the sea more dangerous by the minute. Dave and Jim,
fun-loving buddies, and Carl, their solemn and serious friend, had trekked to
the beach for their annual float-hunting expedition. This time Dave had brought
along Shari, his girlfriend and the first girl ever allowed to accompany the
boys on their search for glass fishing floats. Though the trip would be hard,
Shari had agreed to walk with the boys up to Spanish Flat to beachcomb for
three days in the pouring rain.
It was the middle of February and the weather was perfect-perfect for
finding floats, that is. Heavy storms washed ashore great numbers of glass
floats, making it easier and more likely to find a prize ball. And that was
what all three of the boys, infected with "float fever," were looking
for. This weekend trip, however, turned out to be more than just a beachcombing
expedition. When Carl finds a rare float, his seriousness quickly turns to
suspicion, and he accuses Shari, Dave, and Jim of trying to steal the
one-of-a-kind glass ball from his pack. When Shari finds the remains of an
Indian midden-an ancient mound of artifacts that is protected by law-Carl urges
the friends to dig in the mound, interpreting their refusal as a plot to
excavate it themselves, and to leave Carl out of the findings. As Carl's
unfounded suspicions grow, the trip develops into a test of wills and a lesson
in trust and friendship, which is finally realized only after a desperate and
near fatal struggle for survival.
An exciting and engrossing novel for young adult readers, Adventure on
the Graveyard of the Wrecks honestly deals with the importance of trust
among friends, and what can happen if a person betrays the trust that true
friends have given him.
Author Olga Cossi is a native Californian, currently residing in Coronado,
California. A former staff correspondent and columnist for several regional
newspapers, and a successful freelance contributor to numerous magazines, she
is an accomplished writer for young readers, with several books, including
The Magic Box, also published by Pelican, to her credit.