February 2016

The Jersey Trackers' bookmobile was unusually loud as the team headed to the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City. The usual rustle of flipping pages was replaced today with the excited hum of the book club’s students planning what activities they would do at the touch and feel museum. “I can’t wait to see the archaeology department,” Chelsea mused. “I read more

“Wow, can we go to the statue, Mr. C?” exclaimed Cooper, the athletic jokester of the group. “I bet I could swim there!” “I am sure you could. It’s less than a mile away from the shore,” said a calm, soft voice. The Trackers turned around to see the petite museum director, Ms. Springer. “New Jersey has a lot of read more

“Our last and final activity is actually a special surprise no other student group has or will get to see,” Mr. C explained. “This Sunday will be the ceremony to celebrate New Jersey’s extraordinary thinkers and the Rutgers University’s 250th Anniversary. It’s one of the many places where thinkers from our state can go to let their imaginations flourish,” Ms. read more

Ms. Springer lowered her voice to a mere whisper. “We have found strange hoof prints around the grounds that could only belong to…the Jersey Devil.” “I just don’t know why he would want to steal from his own state,” Jamal said, shaking his head. “I’d rather not find out,” Chelsea said in a shaky voice. Ms. Springer punched in a read more

Chelsea bounced up and down in her seat, but it wasn’t because the bookmobile was driving over rocks or slipping into potholes on a dirt road. Well, maybe a little because of that! But mostly she was unable to contain her excitement. When the group figured out that the clue in the basement of the Liberty Science Center yesterday was read more

But instead of going UP when we get to the mines,” Cooper said, “we’re going DOWN!” “That’s right,” Mr. C said. “We’ll be going a quarter of a mile underground.” The Trackers exchanged amazed glances. “Make sure to keep your eyes open for any clues from the Jersey Devil,” Simon told the group as they filed out. “My father is read more

She tore herself away, only to be distracted by another sign that said, Dig for Fossils! Fossils! “C’mon, my rock-loving friend,” Maya said, linking her arm in Chelsea’s. “The guide is ready to take us into the mine.” Chelsea laughed at the nickname and let Maya lead her around the building toward a set of high green doors. The other read more

They all jumped back—even Mr. C—as though a dinosaur’s heavy foot might actually stomp down on them. “Of course that was sixty-five million years ago!” the guide reminded them. The girls giggled and the boys pushed each other but they managed to follow Miss Malone through the large doors and into a dark, wet tunnel lined with rock. Lamps strung read more

Miss Malone pressed her lips tight and shook her head. She also said no when Cooper later asked if he could ride one of the metal carts filled with rock that were scattered around the tunnels. Chelsea kept her eyes open for clues, but didn’t see anything that jumped out at her like the map Simon had spotted in the read more

“Now I’m going to turn the lights off, so it’s going to get really dark down here. Everyone got their rocks?” The group said yes, although they wondered why it mattered in the dark. “Here we go,” she said, and pulled a lever on the wall. Darkness indeed filled the room, but so did something else—color! The group gasped and read more