Tag Archives: Action and Adventure

YA – Isles of the Gods

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Kaufman, Amie. Isles of the Gods. Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2023. 978-0-593-47928-5. $19.99. 464 p. Grades 9-12.

Selly is a sailor and always has been. Although she has instructions from her father to stay where she is, she decides to board a ship to join him on the open seas. When her ship is commandeered by Prince Leander, she discovers he must complete a ritual and sacrifice on the Isles of the Gods to prevent one of two ancient sleeping Gods from awaking and starting a war. While Selly reluctantly agrees to help Leander along with his former schoolmate, Keegan, who was a stowaway aboard, they embark on a dangerous journey across the sea so the Prince can fulfill his task. There are some, however, who want to see Leander fail. Laskia is on a mission to find the Prince to prevent his sacrifice. Some, like her older sister Ruby, want to start a war, and with the help of Jude, a fighter and former acquaintance of the Prince, they set off after him. Prince Leander has one advantage: he’s an extremely powerful magician, and when he teaches Selly to harness her powers as well, they do their best to outrun their enemies in a thrilling and dangerous race against time.

THOUGHTS: Isles of the Gods is the first book I have read by Amie Kaufman, and I found this story to be wonderfully adventurous. I’d recommend this one to readers looking for action and peril with just a touch of romance. Told from multiple points of view, Kaufman creates an original mythology which adds to the mystery and magic on the high seas within this thrilling novel.

Fantasy

Elem./MG – Thirst

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Bajaj, Varsha. Thirst. Nancy Paulsen Books, 2022. 978-0-593-35439-1. 179 p. $17.99. Grades 4-7. 

In poor Mumbai neighborhoods, accessing fresh water is a constant struggle. Each day, people wait for a turn to collect water from communal taps, but sometimes the water runs out before everyone gets a fair share, and sometimes the water that is available is not safe to drink without boiling. In this story, Minni and her family deal with water-borne illnesses, long lines that prevent people from going to work or school, and even water “bandits” that monopolize water access by controlling who can access community water sources. Minni even sees how wealthy people treat poorer people when she must take over her sick mother’s cleaning job.  Minni’s brother, Sanjay, and Minni’s friend, Faiza support her and keep her grounded to the important things in life, and Minni experiences the support of her community in order to overcome her personal challenges as she works to create a more equitable life for everyone she knows.

THOUGHTS: This book is a thoughtful look at the inequalities that people experience around the world when it comes to accessing clean water. Tough issues are presented  in an approachable way that upper-elementary and middle school students can understand, and ultimately Minni’s family comes through their struggles and can move forward in life stronger and more closely-knit, making the ending feel hopeful and inspiring readers to seek positive change.

Realistic Fiction          Erin Faulkner, Cumberland Valley SD

MG – Ghostlight

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Oppel, Kenneth. Ghostlight. Alfred A. Knopf Book for Young Readers, 2022. 978-0-593-48793-8. 400 p. $17.99. Grades 4-6

Ghostlight begins with Rebecca Strand and her father who are keepers of the Gibraltar Point Lighthouse, and their death in 1839. Gabe tells the story of Rebecca and her father to every tour, embellishing the story and trying to make it sound scarier. Gabe doesn’t believe in ghosts and has no reason to, until he ends up meeting Rebecca. The true story of her death is stranger and more scary than anything that Gabe could have dreamed up, and Rebecca asks him to help her. It turns out that Rebecca and her father were members of an order whose job was to protect the local community from ghosts, and when they died it caused a ghost named Viker to cause havoc. It is now up to Gabe and his friends with the help of Rebecca to fight Viker and save the local community.

THOUGHTS: This was a unique middle grade mystery with relatable characters and a unique plot. Highly recommend this for any middle grade collection.

Mystery          Mary McEndree, Lehigh Valley Regional Charter Academy

YA – The Ivory Key

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Raman, Akshaya. The Ivory Key. Clarion Books, 2022. 978-0-358-46833-2. $18.99. 384 p. Grades 7-12.

Magic in Ashoka is running out. Vira, the young maharani, is desperate to keep this secret from the rest of the country. Her only hope is to find the Ivory Key and live up to her mother’s legacy. Legend says the key will lead to a new source of magic. However, Vira cannot find the key on her own, and she isn’t the only one who is after it. Vira’s siblings, Ronak, Kaleb, and Riya, embark on this adventure with her, but the siblings have their own plans for the key. For Kalab, his knowledge of the key freed him from his prison cell, and his involvement isn’t so much as a choice as it is a path to freedom. For Ronak, he sees it as his escape from his royal duties and knows others who would pay handsomely for it, and although Riya has returned to her siblings, she believes that all of the people of Ashoka deserve this magic and longs to return to her new family of thieves fighting against the royal family. Four siblings, and one key. If they find it, will this new magic be enough to save both their country and their family?

THOUGHTS: In this Indian inspired fantasy, readers will enjoy the adventure that the four conflicting siblings embark on together as well as the mystery, traps, and puzzles surrounding the ivory key. The surprise ending should leave readers impatiently waiting for the final book in this duology. 

Fantasy          Emily Hoffman, Conestoga Valley SD

YA – Rise of the Snake Goddess

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Elder Moke, Jenny. Rise of the Snake Goddess (Samantha Knox #2). Disney-Hyperion, 2022. 978-1-368-06727-0. 320 p. $17.99. Grades 7 & up.

Desperate to be a part of the prestigious archaeology program at the University of Chicago, Sam Knox embarks on an impulsive trip to the island of Crete. The clues she deciphers lead her to the legendary girdle of the Snake Goddess. Triumphant with her find, Sam plans to use this find as proof she deserves to be admitted to what has always been a “boys club.” However, before she can show her misogynist professor her find, the girdle is stolen and a series of catastrophic earthquakes suddenly begin to hit the island. Sam and friends Joana and Bennet Steeling must find the thief and return the girdle to its rightful place before the magic of the Snake Goddess is fully released upon the island and the world. As the chase brings them deeper into Cretian and Minoan mythology, deadly encounters with legendary creatures abound, including the infamous Minotaur.

THOUGHTS: This is a fantastic follow up to the first Samantha Knox title, Curse of the Specter Queen. Readers will enjoy the friendships, light romance, and adventures that mark popular YA fiction. A quickly-paced novel paying homage to Indiana Jones and The Mummy movie series, Snake Goddess takes readers through the legends of Knossos and Crete while infusing the story with a touch of magic. Knox herself is tempted by the magic of the Snake Goddess, but the story takes readers on an adventure through archaeological digs, swanky boat parties, and the legendary labyrinth.

Adventure          Natasha Lewis, Whitehall-Coplay SD
Historical Fiction
Fantasy

MG – The Supernatural Society

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Ogle, Rex. The Supernatural Society. Inkyard Press, 2022. 978-1-335-42487-7. 281 p. $16.99. Grades 4-7.

Will moves with his mom and his dog, Fitz, from New York City to a new school in East Emerson because his parents have recently divorced, and he is not pleased. Will deals with quite a bit of culture shock as he acclimates to small-town life and realizes that East Emerson isn’t just a sleepy, boring town; his new home is also overrun with monsters! Eventually, though, he befriends Linus and Ivy, two siblings from his neighborhood who help him deal with the monsters and make him feel as though he has found a “tribe” among all the upheaval and heartbreak in his life.

THOUGHTS: Good for students who want more scary stories, those who are fans of Stranger Things and groups of smart, multicultural kids finding monsters and solving mysteries. Linus is unapologetically smart, Ivy is strong, and Will is the glue that holds the band together. Students will be waiting with excitement for future books as well! This story will also serve as an unusual but interesting way to lead students to Free Lunch, Rex Ogle’s gritty and fascinating memoir.

Mystery Fiction          Erin Faulkner, Cumberland Valley SD
Supernatural Fiction

YA – At the End of Everything

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Nijkamp, Marieke. At the End of Everything. Sourcebooks Fire, 2022. 978-1-492-67315-6. $18.99. 400 p. Grades 9-12.

Hope Juvenile Treatment Center is a misnomer; there is no hope in this juvenile detention center. When the guards start acting odd and then its residents wake up to no supervision, the teens feel a little celebratory. Though they’ve grown accustomed to living by strict schedules and demands, now they get to make all of the decisions. And one of the first choices is do we leave to find out what’s going on, or do we stay with what we know? The answer splits Hope’s residents in half, only to have the group who leaves discover that a deadly, highly contagious disease is spreading outside of the boundary fence. Armed guards, in fact, are stationed at the gate to keep them in, and they have no words of advice or comfort. When illness breaks out at Hope, the teens must join together to survive. But getting close to and helping others goes against everything they’re used to and puts them at a greater risk of becoming sick. As more people become ill and supplies dwindle, leaders step up to help. But with no rescue or aid in sight, will these teens make it out alive or will the infectious disease take over?

THOUGHTS: Written during the COVID-19 Pandemic, Nijkamp will captivate readers with this sci-fi thriller. Narrated by a diverse group of teens, readers will root for their survival and be amazed at what limits they push themselves to in order to make it out alive. Recommended for high school collections.

Science Fiction          Maryalice Bond, South Middleton SD

MG – Dark Waters

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Arden, Katherine. Dark Waters. G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 2021. 978-0-593-10915-1. $16.99. 198 p. Grades 4-7.

Best friends Brian, Ollie and Coco are back in this third book of Katherine Arden’s spooky Small Spaces series. This time, the three friends, Ollie’s dad, Coco’s mom, and school acquaintance Phil are on a quest to find Champ, the legendary monster that supposedly lives in Lake Champlain. The group sets sail on the tour boat Cassandra with Phil’s uncle, Dane Dimmonds, so that Coco’s mom can write an article about Champ for the local paper, but the trip quickly turns deadly when a real lake monster sinks the boat, kills a member of the tour group, and strands the survivors on a remote island on Lake Champlain. Brian recognizes similarities in their plight to a story he read about a smuggler’s ship that disappeared over 200 years ago on the same lake, and he also worries that The Smiling Man that tried to trap the friends during previous adventures is involved in this newest disaster as well. Phil, Ollie, Coco, and Brian must work together with their knowledge of the Smiling Man and his evil tricks if they want to get off the island alive!

THOUGHTS: This book would appeal to a wide range of middle school readers; it combines ghost stories, paranormal activities, adventure, and survival into one thrilling story! The dynamics of this friend group are realistic and engaging, and the chilling presence of The Smiling Man provides a consistent thread throughout this series that will keep readers coming back for many future adventures.

Horror Fiction          Erin Faulkner, Cumberland Valley SD

MG – Playing a Dangerous Game

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Ochieng, Patrick. Playing a Dangerous Game. Norton Young Readers, 2021. 978-1-324-01913-8. $17.95 186 p. Grades 5-8.

A coming-of-age young adult novel by a skilled Kenyan author, this book offers a glimpse into the life of Kenyan boys in the 1970s.  Lumush and his family are doing quite well after his father gets a promotion at his job, but the teenager is understandably worried about changing schools and still being able to relate to his long-time neighborhood friends. As Lumush and his friends hang around after school each day, talking and playing small pranks and games, they eventually work up the nerve to explore a nearby abandoned house that many people think is haunted. What the group find during their explorations is more than they bargained for, and they are caught in the middle of a dangerous, and perhaps murderous, illegal smuggling operation. 

THOUGHTS: Mystery, adventure, friendship and personal growth are all major elements of this unique novel. Lumush’s life, including his family, his friends, and his school troubles, are described in rich detail. This book offers a fascinating peek into the lives of Kenyans during the 1970s; although politics and economics are mostly mentioned in passing by adults in Lumush’s life, students with an interest in Kenyan history could use this novel as a way to contextualize the facts found in traditional history books. 

Mystery           Erin Faulkner, Cumberland Valley SD

Elem./MG – Northwind

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Paulsen, Gary. Northwind. Farrar, Straus, Giroux Books for Young Readers, 2022. 246 p. 978-0-374-31420-0. Grades 4-6. $17.99.

In his final book, Paulsen, the master craftsman of adventure fiction, has created another engaging survival story. Set along an unnamed northern coastline, this novel is reminiscent of Hatchet, but set hundreds of years earlier. Leif is a twelve year old orphan boy pressed into service as a mate on a seal hunting ship. Before the ship heads further north to find more seals, Leif and five others are left behind at a fish camp to catch and smoke salmon for the return voyage. Instead of their own ship, a vessel full of men dying from cholera appears and contaminates the camp, leaving Leif as the sole survivor of the deadly illness. Remembering the words of his deceased mentor, Old Carl, the boy heads north in a canoe and his first task is to find a burial site for Little Carl, another child from the ship. After nearly being ambushed by a bear, Leif quickly learns that he needs to develop skills in order to survive. After honing his abilities catching fish, making fires, and cooking, he begins to carve a storyboard that tells the story of his many adventures, which draws him closer to the mother he never knew. Leif observes a pod of orcas hunting for salmon, which leads to a frenzied battle between the ravens and eagles for leftovers. He is amazed by the beauty of the glaciers and the whale feeding dance in the bay. The boy nearly drowns in a whirlpool, but later is able to overcome strong waves by observing some dolphins. Soon Leif realizes that he is no longer the orphan boy that he was. His world, once confined to the bowels of a ship, has enlarged and he feels joy about exploring it more before returning to the world of man. In the author’s note, Paulsen explains that the novel’s coastline is based on his own experiences sailing up the California coast as well as in the fjords of Norway.

THOUGHTS: The detailed descriptions of the setting and Leif’s actions put readers into an immersive experience of the sights and sounds of a whales’ feeding frenzy, a menacing whirlpool, calving glaciers, friendly dolphins, and more. This page turner will appeal to fans of Gary Paulsen and to any reader who enjoys a book with a lot of action. This is an essential purchase for all elementary and middle school libraries.

Adventure Fiction          Denise Medwick, Retired, PSLA Member