S. S. Taylor

As the world teeters on the edge of war, Explorer-in-Training Kit West finishes his spy training and is sent on his first secret mission: a dangerous journey across the Simerian Desert to retrieve a secret map that will allow his government to fend off an invasion. But things are not as they seem and Kit must battle deadly sandstorms, ruthless spies, and government agents to find the map and stay on the trail of his father, the famous Explorer Alexander West. Will Kit have what it takes to find the map and a secret desert city known only in legend? And will he have the courage to finally find out where his father is leading him?

--- Added from Google Books ---

In a world in which the computers have crashed and it's discovered that the maps of the world are all wrong, the children of a famous explorer must follow a series of maps left their father.

Kit, Zander, and M.K. West are finally settling into their new lives at the prestigious Academy for the Exploratory Sciences. But normal school days vanish the moment Kit uncovers another secret map left behind by their brilliant, world-famous father, who recently vanished on a dangerous mission. This new map points to a treacherous, uncharted stretch of the Caribbean known for violent storms and swallowed ships. Even worse, ruthless government agents are already hunting them down, desperate to seize the map for themselves. As two massive world powers inch closer to an all-out war, the West siblings realize their father's hidden discovery might be the only thing that can stop a global disaster. While M.K. works frantically to build a massive, top-secret contraption in her workshop, Kit and Zander must decode the clues and stay one step ahead of their enemies. Packed with high-stakes danger, brilliant inventions, and thrilling escapes, this pulse-pounding adventure will keep you on the edge of your seat as the siblings race to uncover the deadly secrets of King Triton's Lair.

It is a beautiful, sunny day by the sparkling water, and Natterjack Toad is ready to enjoy his favorite treat. He has a packet of delicious chocolate-chunk crunchy-munch cookies and cannot wait to take his first bite. Just as he gets ready to snack, a tall heron steps right into his hiding spot. Natterjack Toad has to move fast to avoid becoming a snack himself. Every time he finds a new place to settle down, another hungry animal interrupts him. Jump into this funny, fast-paced chase as Natterjack Toad tries his best to find a quiet spot. It is a delightful, laugh-out-loud story about a determined toad who just wants to eat his cookies in peace.

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.