title: An Alec Flint Mystery #1: Nina, the Pinta, and the Vanishing Treasure
author:  Jill Santopolo 
description: Alec, Santopolos young sleuth talks like a fourth-grader, acts like a fourth-grader, and, mostly, thinks like one, too. Sometimeshe wonderswhy Tater Tots and pizza always pop up together on the school cafeteria menu. Orwhy he gets that marshmallowy feeling in his stomach whenhe has done something wrong and has to tell his dad. Or whether clever, daring classmate Gina Rossi will make a good sleuthing partner when they both grow up. In this adventure, gold coins, a broken drinking glass, a plastic telescope, and a newspaper photo are the clues the kids use to solve two mysterious disappearances, one of which seems tostump even Mr. Flint, the cop. Contrived? Sure.But most mysteries for this age group are; what sets this apart is its lively characters, a thoughtfully derivedsprinkling of clues for the kids to pursue, and the opportunity forreaders to have as much fun solving the mystery (and decoding thecoded messages) asAlec and Gina. Grades 3-5. --Stephanie Zvirin
zlib_text: ![](images/00001.jpg)
  
  * * *
  
  The Port of Adventure
  
  
  PROLOGUE.
  
  I. IN A GARDEN
  
  II. NICK
  
  III. THE ANNIVERSARY
  
  IV. A GIRL IN MOURNING
  
  V. WHAT HAPPENED IN THE NIGHT
  
  [VI. WHEN THE TABLES WERE
  TURNED](The%20Port%20of%20Adventure_split_001.html#filepos105368)
  
  [VII. A POLICE
  MYSTERY](The%20Port%20of%20Adventure_split_001.html#filepos140910)
  
  [VIII. THE GOLD BAG
  COMEDY](The%20Port%20of%20Adventure_split_001.html#filepos158854)
  
  [IX. THE LAST ACT OF THE GOLD BAG
  COMEDY](The%20Port%20of%20Adventure_split_001.html#filepos190097)
  
  [X. WHEN ANGELA WENT
  SIGHTSEEING](The%20Port%20of%20Adventure_split_001.html#filepos205387)
  
  [XI. THE MAN AT THE
  WHEEL](The%20Port%20of%20Adventure_split_001.html#filepos222327)
  
  [XII. THE BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY OF MAKE-
  BELIEVE](The%20Port%20of%20Adventure_split_001.html#filepos240388)
  
  [XIII. FOR THE SAKE OF DRAMATIC
  EFFECT](The%20Port%20of%20Adventure_split_001.html#filepos296686)
  
  [XIV. THE MYSTERY OF SAN
  MIGUEL](The%20Port%20of%20Adventure_split_001.html#filepos31