Four children, three teens and a small boy are on a plane which crashes in the Amazon jungle. Far from civilization, the children manage to survive initially by foraging and fishing, after which they build a raft and try to go down the river. They meet a reclusive hermit, living his life out in the jungle, who is very displeased to meet them. Living in the ruins of an undiscovered city built by ancients, he does not want to return to civilization, or even help the children do so, for fear the ruins will be commercialized and, well, ruined.
The rest of the story is about how the children establish a relationship with the explorer, and circumstances force him to help them return to the city, but under strictest instructions of silence.
I was given this book as a gift accidentally. It is a children’s book, but it is an enjoyable read with little illustrations at the start of every chapter. It is structured well, and the children each have unique personalities, driven by their complex backgrounds and home situations. Each child is called upon to face their fear and grow as a person through the course of their adventure.
I have read adult-oriented books with lesser depth than this, so on the whole, I was not disappointed.