Adventure

Storm Blown by Nick Courage

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Delacorte Books for Young Readers

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Summary:  As Hurricane Valerie, the “storm of the century”,  approaches the Gulf Coast, two families struggle to survive.  Emily lives in New Orleans with her brother Elliott who is recovering from cancer surgery. Her father is out on the Gulf working on an oil rig, and her mom is completely stressed out trying to deal with everything going on at home.  When Emily feels pushed away, she retreats to an island in a nearby park and hides in a tree, unaware that evacuation orders have been issued ahead of the storm. Alejo lives in Puerto Rico with his uncle, and the two of them get separated during the evacuation there.  Eventually the kids’ lives intersect, and there’s a nail-biting, race-against-time rescue as the storm moves in, even bigger and more powerful than expected. 352 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  Fans of the I Survived series will enjoy the slow build-up of the first half as the storm is still approaching, and the edge-of-your-seat suspense of the second half as the group stranded in New Orleans struggles to get away.

Cons:  The females in the story seemed too passive, depending on the males to rescue them.  Emily makes a series of bad decisions, leaving it to her sick brother to risk his life to save her.  Their mom seems just about paralyzed by anxiety, and it’s up to the dad to sweep in from his oil rig job at the last minute and begin the rescue effort.

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A Wolf Called Wander by Rosanne Parry, illustrated by Mónica Armiño

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Greenwillow Books

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Summary:  Swift may not be the biggest member of his pack, but he is the fastest, and determined to some day beat out his larger brother Sharp.  When another pack of wolves attacks, though, Swift finds himself alone.  He travels through miles of wilderness,  searching for members of his pack, or any wolves that will be his companions.  Along the way, he has encounters with a variety of animals, including humans, and barely survives some narrow escapes. He finally meets a female wolf, and after renaming himself Wander, they work together to create a new pack of their own.  Includes several pages of information and photos of the real wolf that was the inspiration for the book; additional facts about wolves; a map of Swift/Wander’s journey; and a list of resources for more information. 256 pages; grades 3-7.

Pros:  An exciting nature story that will be especially appreciated by animal lovers.  Lots of adventure and plenty of illustrations make this a good choice for reluctant readers.  

Cons:  The illustrations added a lot to the text, and Mónica Armiño’s name doesn’t appear on the cover, nor is there any information about her on the back flap.

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The Titanic (Survival Tails, Book 1) by Katrina Charman

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Published by Little Brown Books for Young Readers

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Summary:  Mutt is heartbroken when his owner, Alice, and her father leave for a journey to America.  He manages to follow them to the dock where they are boarding the Titanic.  With the help of a rat named King Leon, he manages to sneak aboard and begin his search for Alice.  Meanwhile, Clara, the captain’s cat, discovers three kitten stowaways and reluctantly becomes their guardian.  When the ship begins to go down, it’s up to Clara and Mutt to save the kittens, Alice, and maybe themselves. Includes a 5-page author’s note; a timeline of the Titanic’s voyage; additional information about the ship and the animals that were on board; and animal facts.  224 pages; grades 3-5.

Pros:  The story of the Titanic from the point of view of a cat or a dog?  This will undoubtedly be a big hit with the upper elementary crowd, and they will be eagerly anticipating book 2 which features the sled dogs that traveled with Ernest Shackleton to Antarctica.  Try this out on fans of I Survived and Ranger in Time.

Cons:  I feel as though I have read and watched enough Titanic accounts for this lifetime.

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Black Panther: The Young Prince by Roland L. Smith

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Marvel Press

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Summary:  T’Challa is the prince of Wakanda, the most technologically advanced nation in the world, and will one day follow in the footsteps of his father, the Black Panther.  When danger threatens their country, the king sends T’Challa and his friend M’Baku to safety in the United States. At their new middle school in Chicago, the two African boys find friends–and danger.  When M’Baku is lured to the dark side, T’Challa must decide whether or not he can confide in his new friends Zeke and Sheila about his true identity to try to save M’Baku. Armed with a Black Panther suit and a ring containing Vibranium, the secret substance that is the key to Wakanda’s power and success, T’Challa finds himself on a dangerous mission involving voodoo as he struggles to do the right thing and make his father proud.  Sheila’s final question, “When’s the next mission?” leaves open the possibility of a sequel. 272 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  Just in time for the Black Panther movie, this action-packed story will appeal to Marvel fans as well as anyone who enjoys a middle school story about an outsider making good.

Cons:  There could have been more interesting commentary on the two African boys’ first experience with American life and culture.

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A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting by Joe Ballarini, illustrated by Vivienne To

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Published by Katherine Tegen Books

Summary:  Kelly is desperate to earn money to be able to go to the summer camp of her dreams, so she reluctantly agrees to a babysitting job.  The parents warn her that Jacob is prone to nightmares and afraid of the dark.  Sure enough, when bedtime comes, he’s convinced that monsters are lurking.  The only problem is, he’s right.  When one of them abducts Jacob, Kelly is introduced to the world of the babysitters, a group of mostly girls trained in the art and science of protecting kids from monsters.  As her night goes on, she finds herself in increasingly horrifying situations, but also discovers a strength and power she never suspected she had.  Readers brave enough to make it to the last page will be anxiously awaiting the sequel.  352 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  This blend of scariness, humor, and kid (particularly girl) empowerment will be a big draw to fans of Rick Riordan and R. L. Stine.  This is sure to be a popular read in the coming school year.

Cons:  May be too scary for some.

The Big Dark by Rodman Philbrick

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Published by The Blue Sky Press 

Summary: Charlie Cobb is enjoying an unusual display of the northern lights with the other townspeople of Harmony, New Hampshire, when a massive solar flare knocks out the power. Not even batteries work, so all vehicles and cell phones are gone.  The town has to come together to try to survive the cold and dark.  In the midst of the chaos, Charlie realizes his mom is almost out of her diabetes medication, and if he can’t find more, she may not survive.  Determined to save her, he sets off on a cross-country skiing trip to find a city that may have the prescription they need.  As the people of New Hampshire move into survival mode, their true colors start to be revealed, and a show-down between good and evil seems inevitable.  The final page describes solar flares in history and their potential for damage in the future. 192 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  Charlie is a likable and resourceful character.  The suspense builds from the first few pages, with almost every chapter ending in a cliff-hanger.  Even reluctant readers will find this hard to put down.

Cons:  The villain, living on a well-armed compound complete with camouflage-clad sons and their subservient wives, seemed a bit out there.  Even for New Hampshire.