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Darlene Foster
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Amanda in Malta: The Sleeping Lady (An Amanda Travels Adventure Book 8) Kindle Edition

by Darlene Foster (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 out of 5 stars 26 ratings
"Be prepared to learn a lot about the culture while you follow Amanda on her adventure.”—Laura Best, author, Bitter, Sweet

“What a great way for a young person to learn about a culture and to be inspired to experience other countries themselves."—Irene Butler, author, Trekking the Globe with Mostly Gentle Footsteps

Amanda receives a postcard from her best friend, Leah, and is surprised to learn that she is in Malta with her aunt. Reading between the lines, she senses Leah is in trouble. Desperate to help her, Amanda travels to Malta with her classmate Caleb and his parents.

Amanda is intrigued by this exotic island in the middle of the Mediterranean, full of colourful history, sun-drenched limestone fortresses, stunning beaches and fascinating birds. But…who is killing the protected birds? Who stole a priceless artifact from the museum? And why is Leah acting so strange? She couldn’t possibly be involved in these illegal activities, or could she?

Join Amanda and her friends as they visit ancient temples, an exciting falconry and the enchanting Popeye Village, as they try to get to the bottom of the mystery of the Sleeping Lady.

Be sure to read all the books in this exciting Amanda Travels series!
1. Amanda in Arabia: The Perfume Flask
2. Amanda in Spain: The Girl in the Painting
3. Amanda in England: The Missing Novel
4. Amanda in Alberta: The Writing on the Stone
5. Amanda on the Danube: The Sounds of Music
6. Amanda in New Mexico: Ghosts in the Wind
7. Amanda in Holland: Missing in Action
8. Amanda in Malta: The Sleeping Lady
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  1. Reading age
    7 - 11 years
  2. Book 8 of 9
    Amanda
  3. Print length
    119 pages
  4. Language
    English
  5. Grade level
    2 - 6
  6. Publisher
    Central Avenue Teen
  7. Publication date
    May 11, 2021
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  11. ISBN-13
    978-1771682381
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There are 9 books in this series.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Middle-grade readers will be drawn in by the action, pulled forward by the mystery, and absorbed by the colourful backdrop of the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean.”—Wendy Phillips, author of Baggage and Fishtailing and Winner of the Governor General’s Award

“I love how the author mixes creativity, imagination and cultural appreciation in her writing – for minds of all ages!”—John Rieber, reader, blogger and entertainment reporter

“A missing friend, a mysterious boy . . . Amanda’s holiday on the island of Malta takes you on a fast-paced adventure through ancient forts and fishing villages, sea caves and spooky castles. A real page-turner!”—Ruth Larea, author of Fragments of a Dream

About the Author

Brought up on a ranch in southern Alberta, Darlene Foster dreamt of writing, travelling the world and meeting interesting people. She also believes everyone is capable of making their dreams come true. It’s no surprise that she’s now an award-winning author of the children’s Amanda Travels Adventure series, and divides her time between the west coast of Canada and Orihuela Costa, in Spain.

An Amanda Travels Adventure series!
1. Amanda in Arabia: The Perfume Flask
2. Amanda in Spain: The Girl in the Painting
3. Amanda in England: The Missing Novel
4. Amanda in Alberta: The Writing on the Stone
5. Amanda on the Danube: The Sounds of Music
6. Amanda in New Mexico: Ghosts in the Wind
7. Amanda in Holland: Missing in Action
8. Amanda in Malta: The Sleeping Lady

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08BX94XCC
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Central Avenue Teen
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 11, 2021
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.1 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 119 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1771682381
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 2 - 6
  • Book 8 of 9 ‏ : ‎ Amanda
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 7 - 11 years
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 out of 5 stars 26 ratings

About the author

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Darlene Foster

Darlene Foster

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Growing up on a ranch near Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada, Darlene Foster dreamt of writing, traveling the world, and meeting interesting people. She also believed in making her dreams come true. It’s no surprise she’s now the award-winning author of Amanda Travels, a children's adventure series featuring a spunky twelve-year-old who loves to travel to unique places. Readers of all ages enjoy following Amanda as she unravels one mystery after another. When not traveling herself, Darlene divides her time between the west coast of Canada and the Costa Blanca, Spain with her husband and entertaining rescue dogs, Dot and Lia. www.darlenefoster.ca

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
26 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Miriam Hurdle
    5.0 out of 5 stars It is both entertaining and educational
    Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    The twelve-year-old Amanda is a world traveler who visited an exotic island in the middle of the Mediterranean. It came as a surprise when she received a postcard from her best friend Leah asking her to come to Malta, hinting there was something wrong. She did not know how to get to Malta from Canada. Her friend Caleb and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Sorensen, were going on a vacation in Malta and would like Amanda to come along.

    After arriving in Malta, Amanda went to find the house according to the address from the postcard but was told Leah was not there. It was like in some detective story that a mystery boy slipped a piece of paper written with lipsticks into her pocket, urged her to try again. It turned out that Leah asked this boy, Max, to connect with Leah to meet at St. Lucian Tower. The Sorensens wanted to go to a museum. While they toured the cave, Amanda went to the Tower and saw Leah. Leah revealed that the people in the house where they stayed wanted her aunt to steal an ancient figurine of Sleeping Lady.

    I find that Darlene’s book is educational for middle schoolers and adults. I followed the tour along and learned many interesting facts about this island.

    · Ghar Dalam means ‘cave of darkness’ and It is over 500,000 years old. It holds evidence of the first humans on the island, such as Neanderthal teeth, from 7,400 years ago.

    · The Falconry Center has many rescued birds. Maltese falcon is called the peregrine falcon, known for its speed, it can reach over 320 kilometers per hour or 200 miles per hour.

    · the Knights of St. John built The St. John Cathedral in 1572. As each knight gained wealth, he and his family donated art and decorations. The inlaid marble graves showed many knights were buried here.

    · The 1980 Robert Williams’ Popeye movie was filmed in Malta.

    Amanda’s crime adventure weaved through the sightseeing and the historical facts made this reading interesting and enjoyable. I highly recommend this book.
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  • Pete Springer
    4.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Combination of History with Adventure
    Reviewed in the United States on September 25, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Having read the Amanda series before, I looked forward to reading book 8 in this excellent MG series. Amanda receives a postcard from her good friend Leah from Malta, intimating that she may need help. Leah is traveling with her aunt, but she seems distressed. Amanda can't believe her good fortune when she receives an invitation from the Sorensens to Malta on their family vacation. The parents think their son Caleb will be happier having a friend to accompany him.

    Author Darlene Foster is masterful in immersing her characters in the middle of an adventure while also providing her readers with the history of her settings. This book was no exception. Those who like mysteries will enjoy discovering what happened to the missing ancient sculpture, The Sleeping Lady, with Amanda and Leah. Each stop in Malta is a lesson in the history and culture of the region. It's a great brand of realistic and historical fiction.

    While the story held my interest throughout, there were a few minor problematic areas:

    1. We don't discover how old Caleb is until halfway through the story. Since he plays a significant role in the story, it would have been helpful to know this sooner.

    2. Caleb has ichthyophobia (fear of fish). This description comes up several times in the story but doesn't seem to serve any purpose. While I believe that kids would tease each other about this phobia, I found it odd that Caleb's father would make fun of him.

    3. The motivation of the villains in the story made sense for the most part. (Trying to get their hands on The Sleeping Lady so they could hold it for ransom.) It wasn't clear why they also had a strange fascination with shooting storks, the endangered birds in the area. I kept expecting to learn their motivation for doing so, but one never came.

    Despite these few issues, I thought Amanda in Malta was an excellent MG read. Foster's ability to weave history into the general flow of her story is quite masterful.
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  • D.L. Finn
    5.0 out of 5 stars I feel like I've visited Malta!
    Reviewed in the United States on March 28, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    “Amanda in Malta” is a middle-grade read filled with mystery and history. Amanda receives a postcard from Malta written by her friend, Leah, who asks for her help. Luckily Amanda’s friend Caleb and his family are going to Malta on vacation, and she can go with them. As they explore the sights, Amanda starts to unravel Leah’s situation with her aunt. I felt like I had visited Malta when I finished reading the book. The attention to detail was amazing, and it was like I had gone on tour with Amanda. This is the first book I’ve read in the series, and I will now go back and read more of her adventures. A great read for not only middle-grade readers but can be for the adult who is young at heart, like me. I will be giving this book to my older granddaughter for her birthday!
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Barb Taub
    5.0 out of 5 stars Move over Nancy Drew--Amanda rocks the kid detective!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 14, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    As a genre, kid detectives have a long history. From the Bobbsey Twins and basically everything Enid Blyton ever wrote, to Swallows and Amazons, from the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Encyclopedia Brown, and even three young wizards who go away to magic school—young sleuths never cease to capture our imagination.

    One of my favorite additions to their group is Amanda Ross, the twelve-year-old heroine of the Amanda Travels series. In her latest adventure, Amanda’s best friend Leah sends a mysterious letter begging Amanda to join her in Malta. “Something’s not right. Can you come ASAP?” Amanda is puzzled to receive a letter instead of email, worried that she has no way of replying, and dejected at being trapped in a Canadian winter. “Her mom was in a bad mood again. She always was during tax season. Amanda would rather die than be an accountant.”

    Luckily, she receives an invitation from Caleb not-her-boyfriend Sorenson’s family to join them for a vacation on Malta. But when they arrive on Malta, Caleb and Amanda are unable to find Leah. They begin to realize that something dangerous is going on. As they investigate, the situation becomes darker by the minute. A national treasure, the tiny ancient sculpture of The Sleeping Lady, has been stolen. Leah and her aunt are somehow involved, and clearly in danger.

    As the children investigate, we join them in exploring the treasures and unexpected surprises of Malta. True to their genre, they outwit bad guys, protect endangered animals, and hide in really tiny spaces. And of course, there’s the time-honored kid detective trope when a bound and gagged Leah must bang for a rescue.

    But like the mom who sneaks vegetables into the pizza, this series has another secret weapon. Geography—surely one of the least popular subjects in any middle school classroom—takes a starring role in Amanda’s adventures. We see both the gorgeous coast and fishing villages, learn about history, meet some of the people, and even discover wonderful food and quirky local features such as a movie set from the Popeye movie which is now a theme park, or an entire cafe for homeless cats.

    The nonstop action, danger, daring rescue, and humorous banter between Amanda, Caleb, and Leah all make this adventure fast-paced and a huge amount of fun. But what is also remarkable is the way the main characters’ flaws play as big a part as their bravery. Caleb’s fish phobia, Amanda’s fear of heights, and Leah’s decision not to reveal her knowledge of the crime in order to protect her aunt are all fully but sympathetically revealed.

    If you know any middle school readers who enjoy adventure, mystery-solving, bravery, and humor, I would not hesitate to recommend any of the books of this wonderful series.
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  • Andrea tagalakis
    5.0 out of 5 stars Super cute
    Reviewed in Canada on June 25, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    My daughter and I are still reading it, but we love the detailed descriptions of the localities!
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  • Toni Pike
    5.0 out of 5 stars An exciting mystery for children in a fascinating location
    Reviewed in Australia on September 29, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Amanda in Malta is Book 8 in the Amanda Travels series, and it is a great mix of mystery, adventure, travel and history. I think this series is a brilliant concept, allowing young people to learn about wonderful places around the world while developing their reading at the same time. It’s sure to inspire an interest in travel, and each book in the series can be read as a standalone novel.

    Amanda is a twelve-year-old girl who receives a strange letter from her friend Leah. Leah is visiting Malta with her aunt, and seems to be in trouble. Then a friend invites Amanda to travel there on vacation. The adventure plays out around the most interesting historic and tourist sites in Malta, so for the reader it’s almost as good as really being there. Tensions rise when a tiny Neolithic statue, The Sleeping Lady, is stolen from the museum.

    This is an enjoyable mystery that young people will love. Amanda and her friends are courageous and daring, always willing to head into danger, and the story is a real page-turner. The historic and tourist sites are brilliantly woven into the action, and are integral to the most dramatic scenes. I was very interested in this book, having visited Malta on a cruise about four years ago. It was a pleasure to visit again through Amanda’s eyes, and learn so much more about it.

    Although suited for children aged 9 – 12, it would also be excellent for anyone learning English or trying to improve their literacy. it’s an easy and enjoyable read, so would be a great choice for reluctant readers. The whole series would be a good gift idea for children of the right age.

    This is the sort of story that ticks all the boxes, helping to inspire a love of reading in children as well as expanding their general knowledge. I give it a resounding five stars.
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  • Georgia Rose
    4.0 out of 5 stars Adventurous children and beautiful Malta... love it!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 15, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Anyone who knows me knows that my favourite place, in fact the place I would run too, should I ever be expelled from the UK, you never know, it might just happen, would be Malta. Well, Gozo to be precise, but the Maltese islands as a whole. So, imagine my delight at seeing a book for 9-12 year olds featuring adventurous children, which harks back to the theme of all the books I read as a child, that is set in Malta. It certainly ticked all the boxes for me to give it a go.

    I loved the opening where Amanda receives a postcard from her best friend, Leah, asking her to come to Malta because she’s there with her aunt and something’s not right. And then the way everything slots into place so she ends up going with her friend, Caleb, and his family.

    Soon Amanda and Caleb are embroiled in the mystery of first trying to find Leah and then tracking down the missing statue of The Sleeping Lady, all set against the backdrop of the beautiful Maltese islands.

    What I really liked about this book was all the description and information about Malta: its history, people and culture. It’s all in there, but not overdone, and I hoped against hope that there would be a trip across to Gozo and was not disappointed, albeit in a year (the second in a row) when my plans to travel to Gozo have been thwarted. This was lovely as I could imagine exactly where Amanda was and what she was seeing.

    This is the eighth book in a series where Amanda, the youthful detective, has an adventure in a different country each time and I would recommend it to all young readers who like to learn a bit about the setting of a story as well as following the action.
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  • Sue Wickstead
    5.0 out of 5 stars Malta 🇲🇹 A place to visit
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 1, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I enjoy reading books for children although I usually read picture books with my young grandson.
    I picked up this book because Malta 🇲🇹 is a place I’d love to visit one day.
    I enjoyed the story, as well as traveling around Malta 🇲🇹 with Amanda.
    I wonder if I could find some of the places if I ever should visit.
    It was light and easy to read and perfect for my own holiday adventure.
    As I was off to Spain 🇪🇸 I thought I might go with Amanda too.
    Enjoyable reading
    Customer image
    Sue Wickstead
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    Malta 🇲🇹 A place to visit

    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 1, 2023
    I enjoy reading books for children although I usually read picture books with my young grandson.
    I picked up this book because Malta 🇲🇹 is a place I’d love to visit one day.
    I enjoyed the story, as well as traveling around Malta 🇲🇹 with Amanda.
    I wonder if I could find some of the places if I ever should visit.
    It was light and easy to read and perfect for my own holiday adventure.
    As I was off to Spain 🇪🇸 I thought I might go with Amanda too.
    Enjoyable reading
    Images in this review
    Customer image
    Report

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