Accompanying their veterinarian mother on her latest case, Jack, Ashley, and Bridger--a short-term foster child--link the poisoning of manatees in Everglades National Park to a toxic waste cover-up. A heavy-handed subplot has Bridger rethinking his sexist attitude toward women. As in earlier books in the series, facts about the park's wildlife and ecology are woven smoothly into the mystery.

In the fourth National Parks Mystery, the Landon kids head to the Florida Everglades, where their parents are investigating a series of unexplained manatee deaths. Expecting fishing and fun, 12-year-old Jack, his 10-year-old sister, Ashley, and their 14-year-old foster brother, Bridger, inadvertently become involved in the mystery, which leads to danger and the key to the manatees' death. An engaging read, the story features likable protagonists and plenty of action and suspense. Children also get information about the Everglades' ecosytem, the dangers of pollution, and the need for environmental awareness and responsibility. In addition, the book includes five full-color photos. The first is a graphic close-up of an alligator eating a turtle, particularly disturbing given its sudden, unexpected appearance in the book. An afterword by an Everglades wildlife biologist discusses a similar, real-life mystery, and endpapers provide a map and more Florida facts. Recommended for wildlife fans and reluctant readers. (Reviewed October 15, 1999)