Tampered (Orca Currents)
Orca Currents Series
on Goodreads (26)
What’s inside...
Trevor has started his first job at Ashton's Fresh Marketplace, where someone has been tampering with the food. Cayenne has been sprinkled on cookies, garlic put in coffee, and plastic insects hidden in fruit displays to terrify customers. Trevor and his friends Nick and Robyn decide to find out who is out to destroy the store's reputation. Is it Mattie, the disgruntled ex-employee? Or perhaps the competition? Or is it Alex, their schoolmate who doesn't know when a joke has gone too far? Their snooping makes the kids themselves seem suspicious, and soon they realize they have to solve the mystery before Trevor gets fired for a crime he didn't commit.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
9-12
Length
136 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
What do you think motivated the characters to make the choices they did?
How would you handle the situation differently if you were in the protagonist’s shoes?
What lessons can we learn about trust and friendship from this story?
How do the actions of the characters in the book show the consequences of tampering or dishonesty?
What does this book teach us about the importance of integrity?
Tip: Role play these questions
Encourage your child to express their thoughts and feelings about the book, validating their responses.
Relate real-life situations to the scenarios in the book to make the discussions more relatable and impactful.
Use prompts from the book to discuss broader topics such as honesty, friendship, and the consequences of our choices.
Ask your child how the characters' experiences in the book might influence their own decisions in life.
Focus on understanding the character's motives and decisions, encouraging critical thinking.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: The importance of honesty
Explanation: In 'Tampered', the protagonist learns the value of telling the truth when faced with challenging situations involving her peers.
Real-World Application: Children can apply this lesson by understanding that honesty builds trust and strengthens relationships, making them more reliable friends and classmates.
Example Lesson: Consequences of actions
Explanation: The story demonstrates how everyone's actions, whether good or bad, have consequences that can affect themselves and others around them. The protagonist experiences both the negative and positive outcomes of her decisions.
Real-World Application: This lesson helps children grasp the concept of accountability, encouraging them to think before they act and consider the potential consequences of their behaviors.
Example Lesson: Resilience in the face of adversity
Explanation: Throughout 'Tampered', the main character faces various challenges but learns to overcome them, showcasing resilience.
Real-World Application: Children can learn to embrace challenges as opportunities for growth and not be discouraged by setbacks. This resilience can aid them in navigating their own difficulties in life.
Example Lesson: The power of teamwork
Explanation: The book illustrates how working together towards a common goal can lead to successful outcomes, as seen when the protagonist collaborates with friends to solve a problem.
Real-World Application: By applying this lesson, children learn the significance of cooperation and how combining efforts with others can help overcome obstacles more effectively.
Example Lesson: Empathy and understanding others
Explanation: The protagonist learns to understand and empathize with the feelings and motives of others, which helps in resolving conflicts.
Real-World Application: Children can use this understanding to better navigate social interactions and build deeper connections with people by being considerate of others’ emotions and viewpoints.