Archive for the 'Adventure' Category

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The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor

Published June 2, 2009 Adventure , Award Winners , Fantasy , RAC 1 Comment
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Genre:  Fantasy

Age Level:  14 and up

# of Pages:  358 p.

Award Winner:  Iowa Teen Award 2009-2010

This retelling of Alice in Wonderland follows a girl named Alyss, whose mother was queen of Wonderland until her evil sister, Redd, overthrew her on Alyss’s seventh birthday.  In order to protect Alyss, her mother threw her and her personal bodyguard into a looking glass so that they could escape until Alyss could grow up and assume her rightful position as queen.  Alyss ends up escaping into Victorian London where she is forced to grow up with people who do not believe any of her stories of Wonderland.  She comes to wonder if she did make it all up or if it is as real as she thinks it is.  Meanwhile, Wonderland is in squalor due to Redd’s tyrannical rule.  Can Alyss revive Wonderland and take what is rightfully hers?

Fantasy readers will not want to miss this story.  It is creative, imaginative, and full of adventure and suspense.  It is the first in this series so there will be more and anyone who reads this story will be eager to read the next in the series.  The characters are unique and memorable.   Even people who didn’t necessarily enjoy the original Alice in Wonderland will be able to appreciate this story for the fun adventure that it is.  Highly recommended.

A Small White Scar by K.A. Nuzum

Published May 27, 2009 Adventure , Award Winners , RAC Leave a Comment
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Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Age Level:  12 and up

# of Pages:   180 p.

RAC Book:  Yes

Award Winner:  Iowa Teen Award 2009-2010

Set in the 1940’s, Will lives on a ranch with his dad and twin brother, Denny.  Will struggles with the fact that his twin has some mental development problems and when their mother died their father put Will in charge of Denny.  Now that they are teenagers Will wants to participate in rodeos and get hired at a ranch that will let him do more than just look after his brother.  He gets the idea to run away to a rodeo and get hired at a ranch afterward, but his brother follows him.  Will struggles with the fact that he wants to leave his brother behind because he does love him, but he also wants to reach for his goals and that is not possible if Denny is around.  As Denny surprises him by persistently following him to the rodeo he must decide if he really wants to run away from his home.

Will’s story is a story that anyone could identify with who has ever struggled with personal wishes and obligations to another person.  Will does a lot of thinking about his situation and often feels torn as to what he should do.  In the end, his actions to run away help him, his father, and Denny learn to look toward the future and not stay in the past.  This might be a difficult story for students to get into, but once they start they will be able to identify with one of the characters in some way.

The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp by Rick Yancey

Published May 22, 2009 Adventure , Award Winners , Fantasy , RAC 1 Comment
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Genre:  Fantasy

Age Level:  13 and up

# of Pages:  339 p.

RAC Book:  Yes

Award Winner:  Iowa Teen Award 2009-2010

Alfred Kropp is a big, awkward kid whose father ran off when he was little and his mom recently died of Cancer.  He is living with his Uncle Farrell, who works as a night security guard for a big business.  Uncle Farrell is always trying to encourage Alfred to try new things and push himself harder so that Alfred can be more successful than he is when he grows up.   When his uncle  asks Alfred to help him with an opportunity that has come his way Alfred hesitates.  He feels there is something shady about the person offering his uncle so much money just to steal a sword that the man claims was stolen from him first.  His uncle threatens him with foster care, so he agrees to go along for the theft.  Things do not go as planned, however, and Alfred feels he is responsible for allowing a dangerous weapon get into the wrong hands.  As he begins his adventure to retrieve the item before it can destroy the world, he wonders if it is an accident that he became involved in the first place or if he is somehow connected to that magical sword.

This adventure story is full of mystery, suspense, and action.  Kropp’s discovery of his true identity and his involvement in a plot to take over the world is interesting and exciting.  The characters Kropp meets along the way are colorful and it is difficult to tell at times who is good and who is out to get him.  His personality fits that of an awkward teen who has become involved in an unexpected adventure.  Fans of the Percy Jackson series will be fans of this one as well, although there are fewer mythology references.

Night of the Howling Dogs by Graham Salisbury

Published March 24, 2009 Adventure , RAC , Realistic Fiction 8 Comments
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Genre:  Realistic Fiction/Adventure

Age Level:  14 and up

# of Pages:  191

RAC Book:  Yes

This book is based on a true story about a Boy Scout Troop who go into Halape, Hawaii for a weekend campout.  When an earthquake strikes unexpectedly and causes a tsunami, the boys’ survival skills are put to the test.  All of the boys are put in peril and although some of them do not get along, must work together in order to survive.

The fact that this story is based on fact makes it all the more exciting and adventuresome.  As the boys strive to survive this ordeal they come to learn a lot about themselves and each other and begin to appreciate each of their different backgrounds.  Readers who enjoy reading about true survival stories should not miss this one.  It is mainly catalogued as fiction because a few minor details have been changed, but the body of the story is based on fact.  Overall, this is an exciting and suspenseful journey.

Icecore by Matt Whyman

Published January 6, 2009 Adventure , RAC , Realistic Fiction 2 Comments
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Genre: Realistic Fiction

Age Level: 14 and up

# of Pages: 305 p.

RAC List: Yes

Carl Hobbes was mysteriously picked up on his way home from school and informed that he is being investigated for stealing gold bars from Fort Knox. He admits to taking a challenge issued to him by a chat room to find flaws in the security system, but denies having anything to do with the theft. He is taken to Icecore, a frozen detention center in the Arctic Circle for questioning. Carl is told that with his cooperation the United States won’t press charges, but after arriving in this place he quickly realizes that he may have been set up. The guards abuse the inmates, the inmates are kept in cages, and there are vicious dogs waiting to tear into them if they make a false move. As Carl begins to realize his dire situation, an unexpected even occurs in which he begins to worry more about his survival than his freedom.

For students who like to read spy type novels this book will keep their attention for the entire story. National security, detention centers, interrogation techniques, undercover spies, and even hardened criminals are all topics that are touched on in this exciting story. The middle lagged a bit and the ending may not please all readers, but it is still worth a read for fans of The Bourne Series or The Sleeper Code Series.

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Published May 27, 2008 Adventure , Award Winners , Fantasy , Mythology , RAC 10 Comments
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Genre: Fantasy

Age Level: 14 and up

# of Pages: 375

RAC Book: Yes

2008 Iowa Teen Award Winner

Percy Jackson has had lots of trouble in his life due to circumstances that seem to be out of his control. After getting kicked out of yet another school, Percy goes home expecting to upset his mom and unfortunate stepfather “smelly Gabe.” Instead, his mom surprises him with a camping trip. On the way she tells him he will probably have to go to a special summer camp where he can be protected. Percy doesn’t understand why he needs protection, but then remembers the numerous occasions in which strange creatures have tried to harm him.

At camp Half Blood Percy learns that his father was a god, but no one knows which. He is believed to have stolen something very valuable from Mt. Olympus and several people are trying to get it back. Percy’s life is in danger and he must go on a quest to save not only himself but the whole planet because if his quest fails the gods will declare war on each other and the entire world will be in jeopardy.

The mythology characters and elements woven through this story made it a fun read. If students do not know a lot about different gods and mythology characters they may not pick up on details as fast as others, but each character and his or her role in the mythology stories are explained well and integrated into this modern story. There is a lot of action and adventure as Percy tries to complete his quest which makes the story move quickly. This was a very successful modern day hero quest. Students who like super hero type stories or stories like Alfred Kropp will enjoy this well-written adventure.

Firestorm by David Klass

Published May 22, 2008 Adventure , Award Winners , Fantasy , RAC 12 Comments
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Genre: Fantasy

Age Level: 14 and up

# of Pages: 289 p.

RAC Book: Yes

2008 Iowa Teen Award Winner

Jack lives with his parents in a normal town, where he excels in football and other sports as well as academics. For Jack life comes pretty easy, which is why he can never understand why his parents never want him to shine like he knows he can. They are always encouraging him to let others win and try to blend in more. One night after a particularly great football performance, he notices a strange man following him. When he tells his parents his dad immediately takes him as far away as he can while explaining that they are not his real parents. He does not tell him why they have lied to him all these years or who his real parents are before they are ambushed and Jack is forced to flee for his life.

As Jack tries to figure out why he is special and what his task is, he comes across many different types of characters. Some are more helpful than others at helping him find his destiny. He soon learns that he was sent back from the future in order to stop the world from making terrible environmental mistakes that humans will pay for dearly in the future. Those who come to help him tell him he must find the firestorm in order to preserve the earth from the evils of humans, but he has no idea what firestorm is and no matter how hard he tries there is always someone trying to hurt him.

The idea of a young man being chosen for something great without him knowing it has been used many times in young adult books, but the idea of Jack having to save the world from humans destroying it through different types of pollution is a new twist. Obviously, it’s hard to understand how he can possibly save the world from all humans, but it is obvious that this is one of a trilogy so he will have many battles to fight in order to save the earth. There is a lot of action and fighting sequences that fans of action movies will enjoy. Most of the story is well-described, but the ending happens pretty fast so readers will have to read very closely in order to find out how everything is resolved for the time being. The ending is a little unsatisfying, but part of that is probably due to the fact that there are two more in the series.

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson

Published May 20, 2008 Adventure , Award Winners , Fantasy , RAC Leave a Comment
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Genre: Fantasy

Age Level: 12 and up

# of Pages: 422 p.

RAC Book: Yes

Iowa High School Award Winner 2008

Max is one of many human experiments from a place called the School. Her and five others escaped four years ago and have been living alone ever since. There was a “white coat” named Jeb who helped them to escape, but has been missing for two years and they all think he is dead. The six kids are 98% human and 2% bird. In other words, they can fly which makes it difficult to blend into regular society. At the beginning of this story, the youngest, Angel, is kidnapped by men who have been genetically altered to be part-wolf. The remaining five kids must decide how to go back to the place that abused them and still gives them nightmares in order to save one of their own.

James Patterson is a very good storyteller. Although, this book is not what his fans usually expect it is well-written with a lot of action and exciting twists in the story. The journey Max has to take to protect the other five kids is difficult and exciting at the same time. They all have a chance to see things they could never have imagined in the past, but at the same time they are chased everywhere they go. Young fantasy readers will love the unique characteristics of the mutant characters as well as trying to figure out why the School suddenly wants them back after four years. A good fantasy read.

Flying Boats and Spies: a Nick Grant Adventure by Jamie Dodson

Published May 13, 2008 Adventure , Historical Fiction , RAC 23 Comments
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Early Review

Genre: Historical Fiction/Adventure

Age Level: 14 and up

# of Pages: 240

RAC Book: Yes

Nick Grant is living in 1935 during a very difficult time in U.S. history. His father’s business has been so drastically hurt by the depression that he has had to leave town to look for work. Nick is sixteen and desperate to help his mother pay the mortgage. When he hears about a boat hiring men to help build Pan American Airways, a series of places across the Pacific for planes to use in order to cross the Pacific, he jumps at the chance and leaves without telling his mother. Of course, Nick doesn’t tell them his real age or they would never have hired him.

During his travels he experiences espionage, storms, and even a chance to fly with Pan Am pilots. He works harder than he could have ever imagined he could and enjoys every minute. The entire time he is running from an unknown enemy who seems to anticipate his every move. He fears telling anyone about the man following him for fear that he is being paranoid.

This adventure story is fun and packed with drama, suspense, and even historical knowledge. Real people and places make appearances in the book to help set the scene in a way that young readers will be able to see what it was like in the Pacific in 1935. Any adventure readers will enjoy the retro writing style, but boys especially will enjoy the adventure and will be able to identify with Nick Grant as he struggles through adolescence.

Sleeper Agenda by Tom Sniegoski

Published November 29, 2007 Adventure , Mystery , RAC , Science Fiction Leave a Comment

Genre:  Action/Mystery/Science Fiction

Age Level:  14 and up

# of Pages:  308

Sequel to The Sleeper Code

RAC:  Yes

In the first book in this series, The Sleeper Code, Tom learns that he has been programmed into having two personalities.  Tom is the normal teenager who is there most of the time, but then Tyler can be called up at any time.  Tyler is a trained assasin that is called when Tom is put into a coma like state.  During the first book, Tom learns the truth about his so called narcolepsy, but in this book he learns more about Tyler and how they both came into existence.  While Tom is trying to figure out how to cope with learning that his entire life has been a lie, he is also fighting Tyler’s persona who is fighting to take complete control of the body they share.  Meanwhile, Madison’s parents are attacked and she is almost killed because the enemy wants Tyler back. (Madison was the girl who helped him uncover the truth about himself in the first book.)

Tom learns a lot about himself and the people who created him in this book, but parts of it tend to drag a little as he and Tyler battle for control.  The explanation of how they came to inhabit the same body seems a little confusing at times and many details are glossed over.  The ending is satisfying, but a little rushed as the enemy is apprehended during an added-on  ending chapter.  The action in this book is as good as the first, but there isn’t as much of it,which is what fans will be looking for.  Not as thrilling as the first installment, but it’s nice to know what happens to Madison and Tom once he learns the truth about himself.

 

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