The 'Serpent Tide' trilogy by K.L. Fogg

The covers of K.L. Fogg's "Serpent Tide," "Widow's Revenge," and "Diamondback Cave" (Amazon).

The "Serpent Tide" trilogy by K.L. Fogg is a fun realistic fiction adventure about a boy from South Carolina named Wesley Vandergrift discovering that he was separated from his real parents in a shipwreck and taken in by a desperate widow who's been posing as his biological mother his whole life.

And that's just one of many twists and turns discovered within the trilogy, hence why the first book is published with the subtitle "an extraordinary adventure of discovery." There's plenty of deception, kidnapping, and interactions with a celebrity wildlife adventure enthusiast not unlike Steve Irwin.

Wesley goes on several adventures that in some way revolve around Jack Mackey, the star of the in-story TV program "The Snake Stalker." And he goes on these adventures with his newfound biological family and his lifelong best friend Amanda.

Likewise, Wesley goes through plenty of coming-of-age experiences including dealing with bullies, dating, learning how to swim, learning how to drive, and choosing which religion he wants to follow, among other things.

I read the series after my sixth grade English teacher had us read along with an audiobook for the first book. The trilogy is perfect for kids and families of any age to read together.

In fact, I'd argue that the "Serpent Tide" trilogy would be the perfect book series to adapt into movies or a TV show rather than adding to the oversaturated market for reboots, remakes, and superhero content.

While "Serpent Tide" is relatively popular, there's not much of a fandom to speak of, so there's plenty of room for creativity and it would be something fresh and light with low audience expectations.

Either way, I highly recommend the series if you're looking for something easy to read that can entertain family members of all ages.