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The trio of brave friends who make up Sharks, Inc.―Luke, Maribel and Sabina―dive into a crocodile-filled adventure in Crocs , the third book in bestselling author Randy Wayne White’s Sharks Incorporated series.
Marine biologist Doc Ford has a new mission for Sharks visit Sanibel Island’s remote Bone Field to find a wild orange tree that's survived a disease destroying Florida’s citrus. There, the members of Sharks Incorporated find oranges unlike any they’ve ever seen, but can’t find the tree Doc needs. Worse, the area is protected by a massive saltwater crocodile.
What the team doesn’t expect is to meet a reclusive woman who threatens to call the police if they trespass on her land again. Reluctant to give up, the trio learns she needs help. When she was young, the woman found King Calusa's grave. Now, she believes the ghost of the dead king, who was beheaded by Spanish explorers 500 years ago, is haunting her.
To uncover the truth, the kids return to the Bone Field. The thousand-pound crocodile is determined to protect its hatchlings, but crocs turn out to be the least of their worries. The intrepid trio discovers the woman’s wealthy neighbor is selling illegal reptiles―and he knows the secret of the dead king’s missing gold medallion.
Marine biologist Doc Ford has a new mission for Sharks visit Sanibel Island’s remote Bone Field to find a wild orange tree that's survived a disease destroying Florida’s citrus. There, the members of Sharks Incorporated find oranges unlike any they’ve ever seen, but can’t find the tree Doc needs. Worse, the area is protected by a massive saltwater crocodile.
What the team doesn’t expect is to meet a reclusive woman who threatens to call the police if they trespass on her land again. Reluctant to give up, the trio learns she needs help. When she was young, the woman found King Calusa's grave. Now, she believes the ghost of the dead king, who was beheaded by Spanish explorers 500 years ago, is haunting her.
To uncover the truth, the kids return to the Bone Field. The thousand-pound crocodile is determined to protect its hatchlings, but crocs turn out to be the least of their worries. The intrepid trio discovers the woman’s wealthy neighbor is selling illegal reptiles―and he knows the secret of the dead king’s missing gold medallion.
272 pages, Hardcover
Published March 1, 2022
About the author
Randy Wayne White
71 books1,434 followersaka Carl Ramm, Randy Striker
Randy Wayne White (born 1950) is an American writer of crime fiction and non-fiction adventure tales. He has written best-selling novels and has received awards for his fiction and a television documentary. He is best known for his series of crime novels featuring the retired NSA agent Doc Ford, a marine biologist living on the Gulf Coast of southern Florida. White has contributed material on a variety of topics to numerous magazines and has lectured across the United States. A resident of Southwest Florida since 1972, he currently lives on Pine Island, Florida, where he is active in South Florida civic affairs and with the restaurant Doc Ford's Sanibel Rum Bar & Grill on nearby Sanibel Island.
Series:
* Doc Ford Mystery
Randy Wayne White (born 1950) is an American writer of crime fiction and non-fiction adventure tales. He has written best-selling novels and has received awards for his fiction and a television documentary. He is best known for his series of crime novels featuring the retired NSA agent Doc Ford, a marine biologist living on the Gulf Coast of southern Florida. White has contributed material on a variety of topics to numerous magazines and has lectured across the United States. A resident of Southwest Florida since 1972, he currently lives on Pine Island, Florida, where he is active in South Florida civic affairs and with the restaurant Doc Ford's Sanibel Rum Bar & Grill on nearby Sanibel Island.
Series:
* Doc Ford Mystery
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 6, 2024
CROCS
Randy Wayne White
Well finally, something at least fun and educational. Dr. Ford and Hanna are always enlightening and the kids are sharp and funny.
This is the second or third book in this series I have read and I enjoyed all of them. This one was a little different as it was about orange trees, but I still really enjoyed it. I like how the kids are always into something and find a criminal hiding in the grove or on the water!
One thing about these, they are written at a good pace and the plot has enough suspense to keep you hooked.
4 stars
Happy Reading!
Randy Wayne White
Well finally, something at least fun and educational. Dr. Ford and Hanna are always enlightening and the kids are sharp and funny.
This is the second or third book in this series I have read and I enjoyed all of them. This one was a little different as it was about orange trees, but I still really enjoyed it. I like how the kids are always into something and find a criminal hiding in the grove or on the water!
One thing about these, they are written at a good pace and the plot has enough suspense to keep you hooked.
4 stars
Happy Reading!
April 14, 2022
Disclaimer: Crocs is the third in a series, and I haven't read the first two. I don't think it matters because the book does a pretty thorough job of recapping relevant backstory.
My 10-year-old got bored and set this aside pretty quickly--not a promising sign. This had all the ingredients of a good story (adventure, unique educational backdrop, characters with complex backgrounds), but the writing just isn't good enough to pull it off.
Optional drinking game:
1 sip every time a character is referred to as "the boy," "the girl," "the man," "the woman," etc.
1 sip every time the POV shifts mid-paragraph
1 sip every time villains are cartoonishly villainous and stupid
1 sip every time the day is saved by Wild Animals Ex Machina
Finish your drink when
(I received this book for free through a Goodreads giveaway.)
My 10-year-old got bored and set this aside pretty quickly--not a promising sign. This had all the ingredients of a good story (adventure, unique educational backdrop, characters with complex backgrounds), but the writing just isn't good enough to pull it off.
Optional drinking game:
1 sip every time a character is referred to as "the boy," "the girl," "the man," "the woman," etc.
1 sip every time the POV shifts mid-paragraph
1 sip every time villains are cartoonishly villainous and stupid
1 sip every time the day is saved by Wild Animals Ex Machina
Finish your drink when
(I received this book for free through a Goodreads giveaway.)
Read
March 28, 2022No Rating
Initially thinking this was YA and not middle grade, I requested from the library. Upon receipt, I saw that the reading level was middle grade (not a genre I usually read), however it seemed like it was still worth a read because of its educational aspect focusing on Florida nature which is quite diverse and of interest to me.
I enjoyed the natural elements that this story incorporated as three pre-teens manage to tangle with two bad guys and manage to get them arrested for breaking the law. The three reminded me a little of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. Two Cuban sisters and a young boy from the midwest join forces to assist the State of FL tag sharks and do some crime solving. Unfortunately, we weren't far into the story when the youngest of the sisters invokes her witchcraft to help her when danger comes her way. It wasn't a one off either, repeatedly we are told how she trained with some Santeria practioners in Cuba and encouraged to develop her talent. Frankly, I did not think this added to the story, nor did I find it appropriate to focus on a 10 year exploring her inner witch.
White is a popular author, who apparently is seeking to remain relevant and at the top of his game, going against Rowlings with his female version of Harry Potter. Having a very deep past in this lifestyle I try to avoid it when possible because it is not lighthearted nor fun as it is being portrayed. I have read White in the past but will not be doing so in the future.
My opinion is White is talented enough not to have to bolster sales with incorporating satanism/witchcraft into already interesting children's story. I think this thought process diminishes his writing, personally speaking.
Initially thinking this was YA and not middle grade, I requested from the library. Upon receipt, I saw that the reading level was middle grade (not a genre I usually read), however it seemed like it was still worth a read because of its educational aspect focusing on Florida nature which is quite diverse and of interest to me.
I enjoyed the natural elements that this story incorporated as three pre-teens manage to tangle with two bad guys and manage to get them arrested for breaking the law. The three reminded me a little of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. Two Cuban sisters and a young boy from the midwest join forces to assist the State of FL tag sharks and do some crime solving. Unfortunately, we weren't far into the story when the youngest of the sisters invokes her witchcraft to help her when danger comes her way. It wasn't a one off either, repeatedly we are told how she trained with some Santeria practioners in Cuba and encouraged to develop her talent. Frankly, I did not think this added to the story, nor did I find it appropriate to focus on a 10 year exploring her inner witch.
White is a popular author, who apparently is seeking to remain relevant and at the top of his game, going against Rowlings with his female version of Harry Potter. Having a very deep past in this lifestyle I try to avoid it when possible because it is not lighthearted nor fun as it is being portrayed. I have read White in the past but will not be doing so in the future.
My opinion is White is talented enough not to have to bolster sales with incorporating satanism/witchcraft into already interesting children's story. I think this thought process diminishes his writing, personally speaking.
March 8, 2022
This is a fun and entertaining read! Doc Ford and Hanna have enlisted the aid of three young people, and created Sharks Incorporated, to aid in biological research in the Sanibel area. In this installment, the research starts with a search for a "survivor" orange tree to be used to help save the Florida orange crop. Their search soon turns dangerous, when they discover two criminals, intent on the capture of endangered marine species to sell on the black market. It is a fast paced, suspenseful book that kept my interest throughout. Doc Ford and Hannah are two of my favorite fictional characters, and Luke, Maribel and Sabina have become favorites as well. As a long-time Randy Wayne White fan, I look forward to reading the other books in this series. I did win this book in a Goodreads Giveaway, and I am glad I did.
February 17, 2022
The kids of Sharks Incorporated, Luke, Maribel and Sabina are assigned a new task by Marine Biologist, Doc Ford, to search for orange trees that are not infected with the greening blight on the many small islands in the Sanibel, Florida area. It is believed that some of the original orange trees the Spaniards brought to Florida still survive and are immune to the current blight and Doc hopes to find some of these to help find a cure for the blight or to begin growing this hardier stock. The children suspend their shark tagging enterprise and begin looking for the oranges and find some oranges on a small mangrove island but can't seem to locate the tree. However Luke does find a rattlesnake and is saved by an osprey and the girls find and alligator with babies in a small pond but it doesn't look like and alligator. They film video of the creature and return to Doc Ford's lab. He confirms it is a Florida crocodile (not as dangerous as a Nile crocodile. They also show him the oranges they found and he confirms they are what he is looking for. He asks where exactly they found them and then tells them that land is private property and they will have to get permission from the owner to return. He tells them the owner is an elderly woman who was the best fishing guide in Florida until she retired and her family has owned the land for generations and she is not very friendly. The kids go and manage to talk the lady into letting them help her around the property. This begins an adventure with a huge goose, a group of poachers, the osprey, the crocodile, the snake and the ghost. This is a fun read for elementary age children (adults can enjoy it too). This book is the 3rd in the series and the author does a wonderful job of combining educational content with a riveting adventure story. He uses the same care, attention to detail and adventure in his books written for adults as well! I have thoroughly enjoyed this series and look forward to the next book!!
I received an e-book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest review.
I received an e-book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest review.
March 20, 2022
This is another exciting and enjoyable book in this series. In this installment, Doc Ford and Hannah ask Luke, Maribel and Sabina to aid in finding a "survivor" wild orange tree to see if it can be used to help cure the disease that is infesting commercial orange trees. What they find is two criminals capturing and selling endangered animals on the black market, and they find themselves in grave danger. This is a suspenseful, fast paced thriller! I am a long time Randy Wayne White fan, and this is a good addition to his series! My wife won this book as a Goodreads giveaway, and I am glad she did!
November 5, 2022
3.5🌟
First of all, my lack of connection with the MCs is entirely my fault. I read this without having read the first two books of the series because I wanted the crocs plotline immediately and couldn't wait to read books 1 & 2 first. I must've missed some good adventures and heartfelt moments which bonded together the MCs and made them this awesome band of intrepid kids having adventures in the coastal wilderness of Florida. Surely missed some important character-building and development as well, but, again, entirely my fault. Plot-wise: it's fun, action-packed, fast-paced and personally enjoyable with the detective story element, all the environmental themes and the wildlife featured in here; especially the crocs. Poaching is one of the biggest problems in wildlife conservation and it was conveyed here in a way that's easily grasped by the book's target audience. The Native American legend/history infused in the story was something special to learn about, too. Sabina is such an eccentric and bold kid; Maribel, calm and collected, a true leader; and Luke, regularly anxious but fully capable and talented. These kids are living in the dream being able to participate in wildlife conservation efforts. I'm definitely interested in reading the first two books which focused on marine life. Sharks are cool! And crocs, definitely!!
First of all, my lack of connection with the MCs is entirely my fault. I read this without having read the first two books of the series because I wanted the crocs plotline immediately and couldn't wait to read books 1 & 2 first. I must've missed some good adventures and heartfelt moments which bonded together the MCs and made them this awesome band of intrepid kids having adventures in the coastal wilderness of Florida. Surely missed some important character-building and development as well, but, again, entirely my fault. Plot-wise: it's fun, action-packed, fast-paced and personally enjoyable with the detective story element, all the environmental themes and the wildlife featured in here; especially the crocs. Poaching is one of the biggest problems in wildlife conservation and it was conveyed here in a way that's easily grasped by the book's target audience. The Native American legend/history infused in the story was something special to learn about, too. Sabina is such an eccentric and bold kid; Maribel, calm and collected, a true leader; and Luke, regularly anxious but fully capable and talented. These kids are living in the dream being able to participate in wildlife conservation efforts. I'm definitely interested in reading the first two books which focused on marine life. Sharks are cool! And crocs, definitely!!
August 30, 2022
The third in the series, I did feel like I missed a little bit of the more subtle nuances from not reading the first two books before this one, but it was a standalone story.
The members of Sharks Inc. are back with a new mission. The are off to Sanibel Island to find a lone wild orange tree that survived a disease destroying citrus trees all over Florida. But the only way to get to it is through the territory of a huge crocodile. That isn't the only challenge though. A local woman threatens to call the police if they trespass on her land again.
Missing gold, illegal pet trade and crop diseases all take center stage in a friendship filled adventure and mystery. A must read for nature and animal lovers. It pairs a lot of age appropriate environmental education and activism with intrigue to make for a fast paced read.
The members of Sharks Inc. are back with a new mission. The are off to Sanibel Island to find a lone wild orange tree that survived a disease destroying citrus trees all over Florida. But the only way to get to it is through the territory of a huge crocodile. That isn't the only challenge though. A local woman threatens to call the police if they trespass on her land again.
Missing gold, illegal pet trade and crop diseases all take center stage in a friendship filled adventure and mystery. A must read for nature and animal lovers. It pairs a lot of age appropriate environmental education and activism with intrigue to make for a fast paced read.
March 2, 2022
I love this!
Ghosts, crocodiles, bad men and adventures await Mariel, Sabina & Luke when Doc Ford sends them looking for ‘survivor’ trees in Florida’s back bay mangrove islands. Ancient citrus trees that still exist on Indian shell mounds in dark lonely places. While searching, the trio befriends an old fishing guide recluse and learns the truth of a young girl’s death and the treasure she found nearby. On a dense foggy night they camp out and discover reptile poachers who they dangerously pursue through the night. Lots of action here. White uses his magic to combine FL history, mystery and eco adventure into his 3rd book in the Sharks Incorporated series. Would highly recommend “Crocs” for readers of any age.
Ghosts, crocodiles, bad men and adventures await Mariel, Sabina & Luke when Doc Ford sends them looking for ‘survivor’ trees in Florida’s back bay mangrove islands. Ancient citrus trees that still exist on Indian shell mounds in dark lonely places. While searching, the trio befriends an old fishing guide recluse and learns the truth of a young girl’s death and the treasure she found nearby. On a dense foggy night they camp out and discover reptile poachers who they dangerously pursue through the night. Lots of action here. White uses his magic to combine FL history, mystery and eco adventure into his 3rd book in the Sharks Incorporated series. Would highly recommend “Crocs” for readers of any age.
March 27, 2022
This is the third installment in the "Sharks Inc." series, and perhaps the best of the bunch. If you've read the earlier books, the characters should be familiar by now so Mr. White doesn't have to devote a lot of time reintroducing everyone and can concentrate on the story.
The kids are confronted with a couple of guys trying to smuggle exotic animals, among them, American Saltwater Crocodiles right in Dinkin's Bay. They are also tasked with finding an ancient orange tree and uncovering a mystery tied to the Native-American Calusa tribe that lived in Florida in bygone days. With the help of Doc Ford, Hannah Smith, and the cantankerous Capt. Pony Wulfert, Luke, Maribel, and Sabina put their courage to the test in another exciting adventure.
The kids are confronted with a couple of guys trying to smuggle exotic animals, among them, American Saltwater Crocodiles right in Dinkin's Bay. They are also tasked with finding an ancient orange tree and uncovering a mystery tied to the Native-American Calusa tribe that lived in Florida in bygone days. With the help of Doc Ford, Hannah Smith, and the cantankerous Capt. Pony Wulfert, Luke, Maribel, and Sabina put their courage to the test in another exciting adventure.
April 26, 2022
Three budding marine biologists discover an unusual shell mound on a tiny Florida island while tagging sharks for research. As they learn more about the early community that populated the island they encounter dangerous animal poachers, befriend a wise old recluse and discover more about themselves and each other. Lots of intrigue, plenty of fun. The first of the series I've read and I plan to stock the rest in my library. Good stuff.
September 24, 2024
Crocs: A Sharks Incorporated Novel
After enjoying a number of Doc Ford books and while awaiting the arrival of one ordered online, I came across this book. It had an eye-catching cover, and I was hooked.
Doc Ford and Hannah are in the story, along with three fascinating children. Their adventures and discoveries kept me reading for hours.
I highly recommend this book and all of the Doc Ford books I've read and will be reading!
After enjoying a number of Doc Ford books and while awaiting the arrival of one ordered online, I came across this book. It had an eye-catching cover, and I was hooked.
Doc Ford and Hannah are in the story, along with three fascinating children. Their adventures and discoveries kept me reading for hours.
I highly recommend this book and all of the Doc Ford books I've read and will be reading!
March 24, 2022
I listened to "Crocs" as an audiobook. It is a "YA" book, but certainly enjoyable for anyone. It had a nice balance of kid angst, environmental pursuits, and age appropriate thriller/action. It was a quick listen, and Tristan Morris, the narrator, did a great job with the variety of voices and the emotional events.
March 22, 2022
Absolutely loved! Love spending time in Doc Ford Country and enjoying the young adult perspective. The kids are smart, thoughtful, and brave, finding their way in and out of some dangerous situations. Adventure, science, crime, and magical realism make for an excellent read.
June 26, 2024
Randy Wayne White does it again
Another Randy Wayne White hit; great story and history of Sanibel and and Captive Islands history. The characters have a story to tell with mystery and suspense added for the reader's pleasure.
Another Randy Wayne White hit; great story and history of Sanibel and and Captive Islands history. The characters have a story to tell with mystery and suspense added for the reader's pleasure.
March 5, 2022
Well, it certainly is a YA book but it is a fun read. The kids are impressive. The mystical parts are fun. The bad guys, not nice. The semi-science pleasant. Ok, so enjoy it.
March 29, 2022
I got a little more than half way before the audiobook returned to the library. It was ok, but I don't think it was going to work for the program I wanted it for.
Read
September 6, 2024It was good, but sad and kind of scary at some parts.
May 13, 2022
Not one of his best
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews