Korman, Gordon. The island [series]

Korman, Gordon. The island [series]. Scholastic, 2001 1: Shipwreck [0-439-16456-7], 2:Survival [0-439-16457-5], 3: Escape [0-439-16452-4]
Six kids who are in trouble with the law (or other situations) are sent on a 4 week cruise from Guam run by a group hoping to turn their bad ways around. The sailing ship encounters a typhoon and sinks, the captain is killed and the first mate takes off with the lifeboat. After a terrible time alone at sea, the six kids end up on a tiny uncharted island. Here they have to survive but a group of murderous criminals also use the island from time to time. The kids find a tiny and mysterious World War II air base on the island. One kid gets shot in the leg. Should they try to take out the bullet? Will the group of criminals find them and kill them? Does anyone else think they are alive? This set of approximately 130 page books could have been made into one suspenseful book. The print is large so it would have fit nicely in a 200/250 page book. The series weaves a great tale and would make a great high interest series approachable to many kids from maybe 3rd to 7th grade.