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2005
finalists.

2005 Hackmatack

Children's Choice Book Award/Prix littéraire - le choix de jeunes

Dig this: In 1840 a surprised English workman uncovered a 900-year-old Viking treasure - the buried silver hoard contained over 7,000 coins. Not all treasures are found so easily. American treasure hunter Mel Fisher searched the Gulf of Mexico for fifteen years before discovering the wreck of a centuries-old Spanish treasure ship in 1985. That treasure contained over 130,000 silver coins!

Hidden Treasure unearths ten amazing and true treasure stories from across the globe. From a junkyard in New York to the Valley of the Kings in Egypt, join the hunt for history's most secret and often surprising hiding places. Complete with a section on tips for true-life treasure hunters, and bursting with Tina Holdcroft's fun and dynamic cartoon-style illustrations, Hidden Treasure will lead any child to countless reading riches.

Tina was born in England, studied art in Toronto, married her high school sweetheart, and has one child. They all live in Toronto, most of the time: together, they have sailed 45,000 miles, crossed the Atlantic four times, dodged whales, survived storms, and anchored in the harbors of 23 countries. She has illustrated over 30 picture books, and her work appears in science books, activity books, and textbooks on various subjects. This is her first work as an author.

Thematic Links

• Mystery, treasure, discovery
• History and other cultures
• Adventurous people
• Determination and perseverance

Suggested Activities

• Have a treasure or scavenger hunt.
• Visit a museum of natural history or historical or archeological site.
• Make your own maze with a treasure in the end.
• Visit a junk yard, lost and found box or yard sale to discover hidden treasures others have thrown away.
• Search for metal treasures buried in sand (sand table) with magnets.
• Research sunken ships off the Atlantic coast. What treasures could be hidden there?