The Expeditioners and the Treasure of Drowned Man's Canyon (The Expeditioners, #1) by S.S. Taylor, Katherine Roy (Illustrator)

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Computers have failed, electricity is extinct, and the race to discover new lands is underway! Brilliant explorer Alexander West has just died under mysterious circumstances, but not before smuggling half of a strange map to his intrepid children—Kit the brain, M.K. the tinkerer, and Zander the brave. Why are so many government agents trying to steal the half-map? (And where is the other half?) It’s up to Alexander’s children—the Expeditioners—to get to the bottom of these questions, and fast.

I just finished reading The Expeditioners with my son and we both enjoyed it. Although, I do think he liked it more than I did. I found it hard to suspend my disbelief when three kids were taking on tasks that were wholly unbelievable at best. I wish their dad's friend had stuck around after their impromptu visit, but he didn't show back up until the end. There were very convenient solutions to all of their problems that seemed to appear out of nowhere (like a flamethrower or a boat), and the author's explanation was basically a utility vest. How did the vest work? How did the mechanics allow for the seemingly impossible to happen? I wanted to better understand the story and the world Taylor had created.

I will say that the illustrations were amazing. My son would always hop out of bed to study them more intently. They really added a whole other level to the storytelling that we both found interesting and engaging. I also liked the secret code and wish the reader had played more of a role in deciphering it. Unfortunately, it's like we're on the outside looking in and experiencing everything secondhand. I wanted to feel like I was uncovering hidden truths alongside Kit and his siblings, not as a bystander waiting for something to happen.

Three very young kids managed to travel all over the world, survive on very little food and water (if any at all), and all of the problems resolved themselves quickly and without much effort on their part. I also think the author was trying to insinuate a potential relationship between Kit (I think he was 14) and a girl that joined their group about halfway through. It felt awkward and out of place in the story, especially when his older brother also seemed interested.

Speaking of girls, both brothers drooled over a different girl later on and it was weird and uncomfortable. The sting of jealousy their friend experiences also felt out of place given their dire circumstances. Their comments about her beauty were off-putting and didn't feel natural at all.

The entire ending felt rushed and someone's death felt forced into the story instead of happening in a believable way. We were also given very little background information on the person to make their story and personal history relevant to the events that take place. It felt like the author wanted to end this book just to set up the second, and I wish more time had been spent developing the characters, world, and how everything in it worked. I shouldn't still feel confused at the end.

Overall, it's a fun story. However, it's not a series I will be continuing. My son might decide to pick up the next book on his own, but he hasn't asked about it yet. (★★★☆☆)