Stingray City: Tristan Hunt and the Sea Guardians, cartea 3
Autor Ellen Prager Ilustrat de Antonio Javier Caparoen Limba Engleză Paperback – 3 mai 2016 – vârsta de la 8 până la 12 ani
Being a teenager is never easy. Especially when you can talk to sharks! Tristan Hunt has enough to worry about with girl troubles, his parents, and trying to keep his extraordinary abilities a secret. But when Tristan and his friends are called upon to investigate the disappearance of stingrays and other ocean life in the waters off Grand Cayman, the stakes are higher than they’ve ever been before. Can Tristan solve the mystery of the missing stingrays and save them from a horrible fate? Or will he and his friends become the stingray-napper’s next victims?
Join Tristan Hunt and the Sea Guardian on their most dangerous adventure yet.
Join Tristan Hunt and the Sea Guardian on their most dangerous adventure yet.
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Specificații
ISBN-13: 9781938063701
ISBN-10: 1938063708
Pagini: 292
Ilustrații: B&W illustrations, maps
Dimensiuni: 140 x 210 x 20 mm
Greutate: 0.36 kg
Editura: Mighty Media, Inc.
Colecția Mighty Media Junior Readers
Seria Tristan Hunt and the Sea Guardians
ISBN-10: 1938063708
Pagini: 292
Ilustrații: B&W illustrations, maps
Dimensiuni: 140 x 210 x 20 mm
Greutate: 0.36 kg
Editura: Mighty Media, Inc.
Colecția Mighty Media Junior Readers
Seria Tristan Hunt and the Sea Guardians
Recenzii
"Prager continues her fact-focused fantasy [in Stingray City], complete with the trademark humor from earlier volumes, making Tristan’s story worth returning to." —Booklist
"...another original, compelling, and impressively entertaining action/adventure fantasy that is very highly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as both school and community library Fantasy Fiction collections."—Midwest Book Review, Reviewer's Bookwatch
“Can science be as fun as a Playstation 4? A skateboard? A soccer game? You bet—if marine scientist and middle-grade novelist Ellen Prager is teaching it. ... For Ellen, it’s all about making science fun and fighting the boredom that too often predominates in these days of ‘teaching to the test.’ ‘We have a crisis in education because kids are bored. Luckily, the oceans give us everything we need to bust boredom and get kids excited about learning,’ she says.”—Seven Seas Magazine
"Stingray City, the third book in the Tristan Hunt and the Sea Guardians ocean adventure series, ROCKS! When stingrays go missing, Tristan and his friends take their special talents to sea. A villainous captain and crew will keep you laughing as you dive into this whacky and wonderful tale. Sail away into reading that's fun, fast, and educational."—Captain Peg Brandon, President of the Sea Education Association
"Imagine if the sea creatures we are so fascinated with could actually unload their emotional burdens to us? Tristan, the main character in the Tristan Hunt and the Sea Guardians series of young adult books by Ellen Prager, has been gifted a very special talent that allows him to talk to imperiled creatures of the deep. In the series’ latest installment, Stingray City, he and his friends are tasked with figuring out why stingrays go missing off Grand Cayman." —Florida Weekly
"Prager really gets going when she allows sharks and stingrays to get snarky, and when she reveals to us that nothing in the sea will be safe unless everyone, even children, take aggressive action."—Nicholas Belardes, illustrator of New York Times best-selling novel West of Here and author of A People's History of the Peculiar: A Freak Show of Facts, Random Obsessions and Astounding Truths and Lords
"[Stingray City] is funny and has lots of animals in it. ... People who like superheroes, sea creatures, and the ocean would like this book." —Kids' Book Buzz (Reviewed by Nishaant, Age 7)
"I must say, that this whole series has been absolutely, without a doubt, amazingly awesome! I LOVE IT! It's my new favorite series. ... I recommend this book to marine lovers, conservationists and those just needing a superhero in their lives. I give this book 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 13." —5 Girls Book Review (Reviewed by Michaela, Age 11)
"Tristan Hunt and the Sea Guardians is a great choice for both boys and girls, age 7 and up. Even adults will love Tristan and his friends, as they tirelessly work to save the world’s oceans. ... Readers will feel the water at their heels, as sea creatures once again help the teens in their quest, making heroes of these lovely creatures." —Kid Lit Reviews
"This third installment is the most fun Tristan Hunt adventure yet. Ms. Prager has hit her stride with this third book ... There’s more joking around now; more confidence; the kids are a little more inventive with their strategies and bolder when it comes to taking initiative." —Mom Read It
Reviews for The Shark Rider, Book Two:
"Earn your sea legs and go on an exciting eco-adventure with The Shark Rider. It's fun, funny, informative, and my favorite part is where the characters must outrun a hurricane. And where do they get their information to track the storm - The Weather Channel, of course!" —Stephanie Abrams, On-Camera Meteorologist for The Weather Channel
"This is a great follow-up to Prager's first Sea Guardians novel, sure to hook more fans."—Booklist
"Tristan, with his talent for conversing with sharks, and his marine biologist creator, author Ellen Prager, use this fascinating plot to explore ecological avenues, proving that even kids can have an awesome skill that can save the planet."—Foreword Reviews
"The Shark Rider is one of the best yarns you'll ever read about the ocean, marine life, and a group of intrepid adventurous teens."—Jerry Schubel, Ph.D., President and CEO, Aquarium of the Pacific
"...amazingly imaginative, tautly written, just-slightly-magical, fancifully fun series. Warning: You’re likely to learn a lot too."—Carl Safina, ocean scientist and author of Nina Delmar
Reviews for The Shark Whisperer, Book One:
"The Shark Whisperer is packed with science laced with humor and adventure—an underwater Harry Potter, sure to inspire readers to want to dive in and experience the ocean for themselves."—Sylvia A. Earle, National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence
"...a splashy startup with a promising premise."—Kirkus Reviews
"Those who know Prager well wouldn’t be astounded to find her delving into the realm of ocean science and youth fiction. Throughout her career, Prager always made it a priority to involve young minds."—The Miami Herald
"Author Dr. Ellen Prager’s expertise in marine science and ocean advocacy brings the series to life with vivid and accurate descriptions of marine species and the threats they face, woven among plenty of action and humor."—Mission Blue
"...another original, compelling, and impressively entertaining action/adventure fantasy that is very highly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as both school and community library Fantasy Fiction collections."—Midwest Book Review, Reviewer's Bookwatch
“Can science be as fun as a Playstation 4? A skateboard? A soccer game? You bet—if marine scientist and middle-grade novelist Ellen Prager is teaching it. ... For Ellen, it’s all about making science fun and fighting the boredom that too often predominates in these days of ‘teaching to the test.’ ‘We have a crisis in education because kids are bored. Luckily, the oceans give us everything we need to bust boredom and get kids excited about learning,’ she says.”—Seven Seas Magazine
"Stingray City, the third book in the Tristan Hunt and the Sea Guardians ocean adventure series, ROCKS! When stingrays go missing, Tristan and his friends take their special talents to sea. A villainous captain and crew will keep you laughing as you dive into this whacky and wonderful tale. Sail away into reading that's fun, fast, and educational."—Captain Peg Brandon, President of the Sea Education Association
"Imagine if the sea creatures we are so fascinated with could actually unload their emotional burdens to us? Tristan, the main character in the Tristan Hunt and the Sea Guardians series of young adult books by Ellen Prager, has been gifted a very special talent that allows him to talk to imperiled creatures of the deep. In the series’ latest installment, Stingray City, he and his friends are tasked with figuring out why stingrays go missing off Grand Cayman." —Florida Weekly
"Prager really gets going when she allows sharks and stingrays to get snarky, and when she reveals to us that nothing in the sea will be safe unless everyone, even children, take aggressive action."—Nicholas Belardes, illustrator of New York Times best-selling novel West of Here and author of A People's History of the Peculiar: A Freak Show of Facts, Random Obsessions and Astounding Truths and Lords
"[Stingray City] is funny and has lots of animals in it. ... People who like superheroes, sea creatures, and the ocean would like this book." —Kids' Book Buzz (Reviewed by Nishaant, Age 7)
"I must say, that this whole series has been absolutely, without a doubt, amazingly awesome! I LOVE IT! It's my new favorite series. ... I recommend this book to marine lovers, conservationists and those just needing a superhero in their lives. I give this book 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 13." —5 Girls Book Review (Reviewed by Michaela, Age 11)
"Tristan Hunt and the Sea Guardians is a great choice for both boys and girls, age 7 and up. Even adults will love Tristan and his friends, as they tirelessly work to save the world’s oceans. ... Readers will feel the water at their heels, as sea creatures once again help the teens in their quest, making heroes of these lovely creatures." —Kid Lit Reviews
"This third installment is the most fun Tristan Hunt adventure yet. Ms. Prager has hit her stride with this third book ... There’s more joking around now; more confidence; the kids are a little more inventive with their strategies and bolder when it comes to taking initiative." —Mom Read It
Reviews for The Shark Rider, Book Two:
"Earn your sea legs and go on an exciting eco-adventure with The Shark Rider. It's fun, funny, informative, and my favorite part is where the characters must outrun a hurricane. And where do they get their information to track the storm - The Weather Channel, of course!" —Stephanie Abrams, On-Camera Meteorologist for The Weather Channel
"This is a great follow-up to Prager's first Sea Guardians novel, sure to hook more fans."—Booklist
"Tristan, with his talent for conversing with sharks, and his marine biologist creator, author Ellen Prager, use this fascinating plot to explore ecological avenues, proving that even kids can have an awesome skill that can save the planet."—Foreword Reviews
"The Shark Rider is one of the best yarns you'll ever read about the ocean, marine life, and a group of intrepid adventurous teens."—Jerry Schubel, Ph.D., President and CEO, Aquarium of the Pacific
"...amazingly imaginative, tautly written, just-slightly-magical, fancifully fun series. Warning: You’re likely to learn a lot too."—Carl Safina, ocean scientist and author of Nina Delmar
Reviews for The Shark Whisperer, Book One:
"The Shark Whisperer is packed with science laced with humor and adventure—an underwater Harry Potter, sure to inspire readers to want to dive in and experience the ocean for themselves."—Sylvia A. Earle, National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence
"...a splashy startup with a promising premise."—Kirkus Reviews
"Those who know Prager well wouldn’t be astounded to find her delving into the realm of ocean science and youth fiction. Throughout her career, Prager always made it a priority to involve young minds."—The Miami Herald
"Author Dr. Ellen Prager’s expertise in marine science and ocean advocacy brings the series to life with vivid and accurate descriptions of marine species and the threats they face, woven among plenty of action and humor."—Mission Blue
Notă biografică
Dr. Ellen Prager is a marine scientist and author, formerly the chief scientist at the world’s only undersea research station in the Florida Keys. With her ability to make science fun and understandable for people of all ages, she has built a national reputation as a spokesperson on earth and ocean science issues. She has appeared on The Today Show, Good Morning America, CNN, CBS, NPR, The Discovery Channel, and more. Dr. Prager has participated in research expeditions to locations such as the Galapagos Islands, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, and throughout the Caribbean. She now acts as the science advisor to the Celebrity Cruise ship Xpedition in the Galapagos. She lives in St. Petersburg, Florida, where she spends her days writing, consulting, and spending as much time on and in the ocean as possible.
Antonio Javier Caparo is an illustrator, comic artist, and graphic designer. His works have been published in children's books, middle grade books, and magazines in North America, South America, and Europe. He lives in Montreal, Quebec.
Antonio Javier Caparo is an illustrator, comic artist, and graphic designer. His works have been published in children's books, middle grade books, and magazines in North America, South America, and Europe. He lives in Montreal, Quebec.
Extras
Chapter 1: Hiding in Plain Sight
The five young teens stood horrified, staring at the creatures on exhibit. Trailing behind the animals’ glowing orangey-gold bells were white, ruffled feeding arms and tentacles seven feet long! The tentacles reminded Tristan of giant strands of dark-red spaghetti. With one big difference—mega-long pasta wouldn’t sting the bejesus out of you.
“No way!” Tristan announced. “I’m not going in there.”
“Like, dude, me either,” Ryder agreed.
“Not a chance,” Hugh added.
“Come on, you guys,” Sam chastised. “One of us has to go in and do it.”
“If you think so, then you go in,” Rosina snarled.
Sam shook her head. “Are you nuts? I’m not going in there.”
If you could ignore their potential to pack a terribly painful sting, the sea nettles in the display were actually quite beautiful. Lit up and drifting against a brilliant blue background, the jellyfish looked like slow-motion dancers costumed in long, crimson streamers and pale ruffles. At the center of the tank, things were not so pretty. Ongoing collisions had created a jumbled twisted mess—a massive floating tangle of stinging jellyfish. And it was growing larger by the
minute.
It was nighttime at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and the teens from Sea Camp were on untangling duty. Since arriving at the aquarium, Tristan Hunt and his friends had been regular volunteers during the day and on special assignment after dark. But this was an assignment absolutely no one wanted.
Tristan flicked back the strands of brown hair that constantly fell over his face. He leaned his tall, gangly body closer to the tank, staring at the snarl of sea nettles. His best friends and camp mates, Sam Marten and Hugh Haverford, stood beside him. They each wore jeans and a light-blue polo shirt with the aquarium logo on it, indicating they were volunteers. Hugh’s slightly pudgy face looked even paler than usual, especially against his short and neatly combed dark hair. Sam fidgeted nervously, twisting her long, sun-flecked, wheat-colored ponytail with her fingers. Tristan’s other camp mates, Rosina Gonzales and Ryder Jones, had stepped back as if the lengthy tentacles could somehow wiggle their way through the thick, acrylic viewing window.
The aquarium’s senior jellyfish curator was with the teens. He stood nearby, watching. “So who’s going in?”
No one volunteered.
“Figured that would be the case,” the man said. “You’ll be pretty covered up, so the stinging won’t be too bad. No one’s ever died from it or anything.”
Tristan couldn’t tell if he was joking.
The jellyfish curator held out a hand curled around five straws. “Whoever draws the short one is the lucky—or should I say unlucky—detangler.”
Sam closed her gray-blue eyes and chose first—a long straw. Ryder went next. As he stepped forward, his wild, blond surfer hair shook ever so slightly. He came away smiling, holding a similarly lengthy straw. Hugh then nervously grabbed a straw—long. That left Rosina and Tristan. Rosina remained where she was, so Tristan stepped up. Silently praying, he chose. Relief washed over Tristan as he stared at the long straw in his hand.
Rosina promptly turned the color of cottage cheese gone bad. Shaking her mop of perpetually disheveled brown hair, she muttered, “I . . . I can’t go in there.”
The man took Rosina’s arm. “This way, young lady. We’ll get you suited right up.”
The others watched as the young teen was led, shell-shocked and mumbling, to the door that led
behind the jellies exhibit.
“Hugh, I thought you could speak jelly,” Sam whispered. “Maybe you could help. You know, just direct them to untie themselves or something.”
Hugh shook his head. “No, thanks. I may have done some pretty crazy things earlier this summer, like
riding that shark. But I was under duress, probably in shock, and that was crazy—this is just plain stupid.”
Tristan nodded, very glad he wasn’t the one going into the tank. He had enough problems just untying his shoelaces or doing anything that took even a small amount of dexterity. On land he was still pretty much a klutz.
The teens could see Rosina and the curator moving around behind the giant twenty-foot-long exhibit. Tristan decided to check out some of the other jellyfish in the gallery while they waited for her to get ready.
Famous for figuring out how to keep jellyfish alive and on display, Monterey Bay Aquarium had one of the best collections of both common and exotic species. The first tank Tristan came to was a five-foot-high, transparent cylinder filled with flying saucer-shaped pink moon jellies. Each was about a foot across. He’d seen this species in the Bahamas and Florida. Supposedly, their sting is pretty weak. Tristan preferred not to be the fact checker on that one. Next to the moon jelly display was another cylindrical tank. This one held dozens of small white-spotted jellyfish. They were yellowy- brown, mini-cupcake-sized, polka-dotted creatures with clusters of short, frilly feeding arms. Next to the tank a small speaker blared fast-paced disco music. Tristan leaned closer to the tank. He could swear the white-spotted jellies moved in short, rapid bursts, perfectly in beat with the music. He moved to the next tank. It contained small, plum-colored blubber jellies pulsing to a different tune. Their bells resembled dark-purple, sideways bouncing, blubbery rubber balls trailing clusters of weird, triangular-shaped arms. Tristan then moved to a darkened corner of the exhibit, where perhaps the strangest of the bunch were on display—jellyfish that lay on the bottom of the tank with bioluminescent pearls of light atop their flattened bells. After staring at the seemingly starlit creatures for a few minutes, Tristan hurried back. He definitely didn’t want to miss any of the action at the big sea-nettle tank. On the way, he passed displays with upsidedown, egg-yolk, and lion’s mane jellyfish.
“Here she goes,” Sam announced.
Tristan made it just in time to see Rosina climb up a ladder to the top of the sea-nettle tank. A wetsuit top and hood covered all but her hands and face. The hood gave her chipmunk cheeks and emphasized her big fearful eyes. The jellyfish curator stood beside the ladder and urged her on. Rosina paused, looking around. Tristan figured she was probably searching for the nearest exit. Rosina then took a there’s-no-wayout-of-this deep breath and tentatively stuck a hand
into the sea-nettle tank. She reached cautiously toward the huge, drifting knot of jellyfish. One of the free floating jellies bumped her hand. Rosina drew back so fast Tristan thought she might fall off the ladder.
It was then that Tristan noticed the strands of transparent goo flowing from Rosina’s fingers. “Nice slime,” he said, referring to the mucus that regularly oozed from Rosina’s hands when she was in seawater. When it came to their special ocean talents, she was the only
one in the group who had developed mucus-deployment skills.
Rosina slowly reached back into the tank and gently touched the jelly’s bell, pushing it out of the way. Her hand trembled as she then nudged the jelly’s tentacles and feeding arms away from the massive tangle. The look on her face was not what Tristan expected—pukeinspiring pain. Instead, Rosina appeared pleasantly surprised.
Rosina reached more confidently into the tank and undid a twist of tentacles and feeding arms. She then leaned over and submerged her entire head and upper body. Using both hands, she began to swiftly untangle the sea nettles. Rosina came up for a breath and then
leaned back in. Soon the massive snarl was undone and all the jellies were once again drifting about the tank.
The other teens stood stunned in front of the exhibit. Deep in thought, Hugh pondered the scene.
“It must be the mucus.”
“What must be the mucus?” Sam asked.
“It’s like how clownfish coat themselves in mucus so they don’t get stung by the sea anemones they live in.”
“Oh, I get it,” Tristan said. “It’s her slime. It’s protecting her from the stinging.”
Sam smiled. “Sweet!”
“Like, she can have it,” Ryder said.
Rosina popped up from the water grinning. She reached back into the tank and stroked one of the jellyfish like it was a cuddly pet. She looked up and waved with a slow-motion, I’m-the-queen wave. Tristan swore she was looking and smiling specifically at him. It was a bit disturbing. Rosina was usually not the most pleasant of people and she rarely smiled. But then again, ever since he’d saved her from drowning in the boulder pool and helped her escape from the psycho spa in the British Virgin Islands, she’d been acting strangely nice to him.
A little while later, Rosina rejoined the group. Hugh and Sam high-fived her. Ryder gave her a cool head nod. Rosina then stepped toward Tristan as if she was about to hug him. He shuffled backward awkwardly, nearly tripped, and held out a fist. Rosina fist-bumped Tristan, all the while staring kind of dopily at him. Sam rolled her eyes and Hugh grinned knowingly.
The jellyfish curator joined the group and gave Rosina a hearty pat on the back. “Well done, young
lady. That was quite impressive.”
The five young teens stood horrified, staring at the creatures on exhibit. Trailing behind the animals’ glowing orangey-gold bells were white, ruffled feeding arms and tentacles seven feet long! The tentacles reminded Tristan of giant strands of dark-red spaghetti. With one big difference—mega-long pasta wouldn’t sting the bejesus out of you.
“No way!” Tristan announced. “I’m not going in there.”
“Like, dude, me either,” Ryder agreed.
“Not a chance,” Hugh added.
“Come on, you guys,” Sam chastised. “One of us has to go in and do it.”
“If you think so, then you go in,” Rosina snarled.
Sam shook her head. “Are you nuts? I’m not going in there.”
If you could ignore their potential to pack a terribly painful sting, the sea nettles in the display were actually quite beautiful. Lit up and drifting against a brilliant blue background, the jellyfish looked like slow-motion dancers costumed in long, crimson streamers and pale ruffles. At the center of the tank, things were not so pretty. Ongoing collisions had created a jumbled twisted mess—a massive floating tangle of stinging jellyfish. And it was growing larger by the
minute.
It was nighttime at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and the teens from Sea Camp were on untangling duty. Since arriving at the aquarium, Tristan Hunt and his friends had been regular volunteers during the day and on special assignment after dark. But this was an assignment absolutely no one wanted.
Tristan flicked back the strands of brown hair that constantly fell over his face. He leaned his tall, gangly body closer to the tank, staring at the snarl of sea nettles. His best friends and camp mates, Sam Marten and Hugh Haverford, stood beside him. They each wore jeans and a light-blue polo shirt with the aquarium logo on it, indicating they were volunteers. Hugh’s slightly pudgy face looked even paler than usual, especially against his short and neatly combed dark hair. Sam fidgeted nervously, twisting her long, sun-flecked, wheat-colored ponytail with her fingers. Tristan’s other camp mates, Rosina Gonzales and Ryder Jones, had stepped back as if the lengthy tentacles could somehow wiggle their way through the thick, acrylic viewing window.
The aquarium’s senior jellyfish curator was with the teens. He stood nearby, watching. “So who’s going in?”
No one volunteered.
“Figured that would be the case,” the man said. “You’ll be pretty covered up, so the stinging won’t be too bad. No one’s ever died from it or anything.”
Tristan couldn’t tell if he was joking.
The jellyfish curator held out a hand curled around five straws. “Whoever draws the short one is the lucky—or should I say unlucky—detangler.”
Sam closed her gray-blue eyes and chose first—a long straw. Ryder went next. As he stepped forward, his wild, blond surfer hair shook ever so slightly. He came away smiling, holding a similarly lengthy straw. Hugh then nervously grabbed a straw—long. That left Rosina and Tristan. Rosina remained where she was, so Tristan stepped up. Silently praying, he chose. Relief washed over Tristan as he stared at the long straw in his hand.
Rosina promptly turned the color of cottage cheese gone bad. Shaking her mop of perpetually disheveled brown hair, she muttered, “I . . . I can’t go in there.”
The man took Rosina’s arm. “This way, young lady. We’ll get you suited right up.”
The others watched as the young teen was led, shell-shocked and mumbling, to the door that led
behind the jellies exhibit.
“Hugh, I thought you could speak jelly,” Sam whispered. “Maybe you could help. You know, just direct them to untie themselves or something.”
Hugh shook his head. “No, thanks. I may have done some pretty crazy things earlier this summer, like
riding that shark. But I was under duress, probably in shock, and that was crazy—this is just plain stupid.”
Tristan nodded, very glad he wasn’t the one going into the tank. He had enough problems just untying his shoelaces or doing anything that took even a small amount of dexterity. On land he was still pretty much a klutz.
The teens could see Rosina and the curator moving around behind the giant twenty-foot-long exhibit. Tristan decided to check out some of the other jellyfish in the gallery while they waited for her to get ready.
Famous for figuring out how to keep jellyfish alive and on display, Monterey Bay Aquarium had one of the best collections of both common and exotic species. The first tank Tristan came to was a five-foot-high, transparent cylinder filled with flying saucer-shaped pink moon jellies. Each was about a foot across. He’d seen this species in the Bahamas and Florida. Supposedly, their sting is pretty weak. Tristan preferred not to be the fact checker on that one. Next to the moon jelly display was another cylindrical tank. This one held dozens of small white-spotted jellyfish. They were yellowy- brown, mini-cupcake-sized, polka-dotted creatures with clusters of short, frilly feeding arms. Next to the tank a small speaker blared fast-paced disco music. Tristan leaned closer to the tank. He could swear the white-spotted jellies moved in short, rapid bursts, perfectly in beat with the music. He moved to the next tank. It contained small, plum-colored blubber jellies pulsing to a different tune. Their bells resembled dark-purple, sideways bouncing, blubbery rubber balls trailing clusters of weird, triangular-shaped arms. Tristan then moved to a darkened corner of the exhibit, where perhaps the strangest of the bunch were on display—jellyfish that lay on the bottom of the tank with bioluminescent pearls of light atop their flattened bells. After staring at the seemingly starlit creatures for a few minutes, Tristan hurried back. He definitely didn’t want to miss any of the action at the big sea-nettle tank. On the way, he passed displays with upsidedown, egg-yolk, and lion’s mane jellyfish.
“Here she goes,” Sam announced.
Tristan made it just in time to see Rosina climb up a ladder to the top of the sea-nettle tank. A wetsuit top and hood covered all but her hands and face. The hood gave her chipmunk cheeks and emphasized her big fearful eyes. The jellyfish curator stood beside the ladder and urged her on. Rosina paused, looking around. Tristan figured she was probably searching for the nearest exit. Rosina then took a there’s-no-wayout-of-this deep breath and tentatively stuck a hand
into the sea-nettle tank. She reached cautiously toward the huge, drifting knot of jellyfish. One of the free floating jellies bumped her hand. Rosina drew back so fast Tristan thought she might fall off the ladder.
It was then that Tristan noticed the strands of transparent goo flowing from Rosina’s fingers. “Nice slime,” he said, referring to the mucus that regularly oozed from Rosina’s hands when she was in seawater. When it came to their special ocean talents, she was the only
one in the group who had developed mucus-deployment skills.
Rosina slowly reached back into the tank and gently touched the jelly’s bell, pushing it out of the way. Her hand trembled as she then nudged the jelly’s tentacles and feeding arms away from the massive tangle. The look on her face was not what Tristan expected—pukeinspiring pain. Instead, Rosina appeared pleasantly surprised.
Rosina reached more confidently into the tank and undid a twist of tentacles and feeding arms. She then leaned over and submerged her entire head and upper body. Using both hands, she began to swiftly untangle the sea nettles. Rosina came up for a breath and then
leaned back in. Soon the massive snarl was undone and all the jellies were once again drifting about the tank.
The other teens stood stunned in front of the exhibit. Deep in thought, Hugh pondered the scene.
“It must be the mucus.”
“What must be the mucus?” Sam asked.
“It’s like how clownfish coat themselves in mucus so they don’t get stung by the sea anemones they live in.”
“Oh, I get it,” Tristan said. “It’s her slime. It’s protecting her from the stinging.”
Sam smiled. “Sweet!”
“Like, she can have it,” Ryder said.
Rosina popped up from the water grinning. She reached back into the tank and stroked one of the jellyfish like it was a cuddly pet. She looked up and waved with a slow-motion, I’m-the-queen wave. Tristan swore she was looking and smiling specifically at him. It was a bit disturbing. Rosina was usually not the most pleasant of people and she rarely smiled. But then again, ever since he’d saved her from drowning in the boulder pool and helped her escape from the psycho spa in the British Virgin Islands, she’d been acting strangely nice to him.
A little while later, Rosina rejoined the group. Hugh and Sam high-fived her. Ryder gave her a cool head nod. Rosina then stepped toward Tristan as if she was about to hug him. He shuffled backward awkwardly, nearly tripped, and held out a fist. Rosina fist-bumped Tristan, all the while staring kind of dopily at him. Sam rolled her eyes and Hugh grinned knowingly.
The jellyfish curator joined the group and gave Rosina a hearty pat on the back. “Well done, young
lady. That was quite impressive.”