This post is sponsored, but all opinions are my own.

As a mom of an 8 year old who doesn’t seem to have much of an interest in reading I was so excited to learn about the Explorer Academy books. I had been told I should read some series books with my son that were above his level to help him learn. So, when I heard about this series I was very excited to start them with him.

The Explorer Academy is a 5 book series based on the life of a 12 year old boy from Hawaii who loves to surf and has a pet honey bee. By the end of the series the explorers in training at Dr. Regina Hightower’s Explorer Academy will have traveled to all seven continents. We love traveling, so this was a perfect series to start.

Book 1, the Nebula Secret is all about the main character, Cruz leaving his home in Hawaii to attend the Explorer Academy along with 23 other kids from around the world. The hook of the book is that Cruz discovers his family history with the organization is a bit mysterious and could jeopardize his future. In between going to classes and participating in adventures Cruz has to figure out the mystery of his family’s past.

The series is fact based fiction inspired by the real-life adventures of real National Geographic explorers. The series involves code breaking and STEM learning. Each book ends with a “Truth Behind the Fiction” section that profiles the real explorers and the work they did.

From now through 3/19/21 you can save 50% on The Nebula Secret (book one) at Amazon by using promo code 50OFFEA1 Each purchase helps support the vital exploration, research, education and conservation projects of the National Geographic Society.

Have you read the series? Let us know what you think, but no spoilers please!