Very frequent choices. Fun and immersive. ( )

In the Mystery of the Maya you are given the task of finding your friend Tom who disappeared in Mexico while on assignment. The beginning of the book includes the warning that “you and YOU ALONE are in charge of what happens in this story”. As part of the Choose Your Own Adventures serial, you decide which direction the story will take. The story speaks to you directly as it explains your mission as well as some clues to find your friend who has gone missing. After every few pages, it asks you to make a choice; for example, if choose to “stay in Kuba, turn to page 19” or “go to Cozumel, turn to page 31”. Depending on the route you take, you could end a great Mayan ruler, onto a new clue, a human sacrifice or victorious in finding your friend Tom. If you don’t like your ending, you can just start over or back track to your last page of clues. Black and white pencil sketches are intermixed with the text and complement the story. The small format and “short stories” make it easy to pick up or put down with ease. Upper elementary or middle school would be the best fit for these adventures. ( )