Brother and Sister, Bubba and Squirt travel through the hole that they dug with a magic spade that took them in their first book to China. This time the hole takes them to the jungles of Belize to a Mayan ruin site where they discover all about the Mayan Indians and their culture.

When they exit the hole they find themselves right next to an archaeological dig site and are welcomed by the daughter of the archaeologist, though her father isn’t pleased to see them and shoos them away.

With Bubba remembering a dream featuring his Great-Great-Grandad, the pair return to the site when everyone has left as they are sure that something about the site and the dig isn’t right. But what will they discover?

I haven’t read the first book in the series and whilst once the action got going it didn’t matter whether I had read the first book or not, I also didn’t know who Bubba and Squirt were, or even that they were siblings or why they could travel to places via a hole in the ground, so for back story information I would suggest reading book one first.

The two children are very likeable and inquisitive as well as brave, you’d have to be to jump into a hole in the ground without knowing where you would end up! The story is full-on with lots of mysteries to solve and pieces of a puzzle to put together. It is adventurous and had me quickly turning the pages wanting to know what was happening next.

It is a fun book with a very imaginative plot that is educational too given that I learned a lot about the Mayan Indian’s, although my knowledge at the beginning was very sparse.

Overall, if a child loves a book that is full of action and suspense as well as mysterious, then I would suggest they give this book a read. I can see more adventures for the siblings coming in the future but where will the hole take them next?

Sherry Ellis is an award-winning children’s author and freelance writer. Her published books include Bubba and Squirt’s Big Dig to China, That Baby Woke Me Up AGAIN, That Mama is a Grouch, Ten Zany Birds, and Don’t Feed the Elephant. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

In addition to being a writer, Sherry is also a professional musician who plays and teaches violin, viola, and piano. She also enjoys hiking, bike riding, and SCUBA diving.