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Library | Call Number | Status |
|---|---|---|
Searching... Sheridan Public Library | J King | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... Monmouth Public Library | J Fic King, W. 2018 | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... Salem Main Library | TEEN King, W. | Searching... Unknown |
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Summary
Summary
"A swift-paced survival tale that's a cool blend of Lord of the Flies and Journey to the Center of the Earth ." -- School Library Journal
"A sharp meditation on the seemingly universal difficulties of being young, smart, and uncertain." -- BCCB
"A multifaceted journey from darkness to light." -- Kirkus Reviews
Winner of the Red Maple Fiction Award
A class field trips turns into an underground quest for survival in the latest middle grade novel from the author of Edgar Award winner OCDaniel .
Mr. Baker's eighth grade class thought they were in for a normal field trip to Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico. But when an earthquake hits, their field trip takes a terrifying turn. The students are plunged into an underground lake...and their teacher goes missing.
They have no choice but to try and make their way back above ground, even though no one can agree on the best course of action. The darkness brings out everyone's true self. Supplies dwindle and tensions mount. Pretty and popular Silvia does everything she can to hide her panic attacks, even as she tries to step up and be a leader. But the longer she's underground, the more frequent and debilitating they become. Meanwhile, Eric has always been a social no one, preferring to sit at the back of the class and spend evenings alone. Now, he finds himself separated from his class, totally by himself underground. That is, until he meets an unexpected stranger.
Told from three different points of view, this fast-paced adventure novel explores how group dynamics change under dire circumstances. Do the students of Mr. Baker's class really know each other at all? Or do they just think they do? It turns out, it's hard to hide in the dark.
Author Notes
Wesley King is the author of over a dozen novels for young readers. His debut, OCDaniel , is an Edgar Award winner, a Canada Silver Birch Award winner, a Bank Street Best Book of the Year, and received a starred review from Booklist . The companion novel, Sara and the Search for Normal , received a starred review from School Library Journal and was the recipient of the Violet Downey Book Award and the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Award. King has also written The Incredible Space Raiders from Space! , A World Below , Butt Sandwich & Tree , and Kobe Bryant's New York Times bestselling Wizenard series. He lives in Newfoundland.
Reviews (3)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 5-8-When Mr. Baker shares with his eighth grade AP class that they will visit Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico instead of the two-night stay in Albuquerque that last year's class experienced, his students are not pleased. They reluctantly show up the day of the trip with snacks in tow and sensible shoes for all the walking they will be doing. What they did not prepare for is the earthquake that strikes suddenly and swallows the class deep into the earth. After their teacher disappears through a crack, the teens are forced to fight for their lives. One of the students, Eric, manages to pull himself out of the swift-moving water but is helpless to rescue the others as they frantically swirl past him. Eric is frightened but through persistence and determination manages to eventually reunite with his class. In the meantime, Silvia has panic attacks and receives therapy for it. She bravely leads her classmates through the winding and booby-trapped caverns. The students discover the deeper they progress in the caverns, the more bizarre underground life exists-including oversize bugs and spiders. They even discover a secret society underground but are sworn to secrecy about its existence. Standard character tropes are used-jocks, popular girls, loners. Protagonists are fairly well fleshed out. Readers will enjoy seeing Eric and Silvia emerge as leaders despite initially struggling with personal setbacks. The conclusion sets up for a forthcoming sequel. VERDICT A swift-paced survival tale that's a cool blend of Lord of the Flies and Journey to the Center of the Earth.-Julie Shatterly, W.A. Bess Elementary School, Gastonia, NC © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
King's (OCDaniel, 2017) latest sends readers tumbling belowground in a quest for survival.Brown-skinned, biracial Eric and Latina classmate Silvia each bring their own metaphorical baggage into the limestone caverns below the New Mexico desert, beyond their daypacks filled with water bottles and snacks. When an earthquake sends them and their classmates tumbling into the unexplored abyss below the famous Carlsbad Caverns, they not only face a challenge to survive, but must also do battle with their inner demons. Meanwhile, King Carlos, of the mysterious underworld Midnight Realm, fears he is facing literal demons as the student intruders encroach upon his kingdom. After four generations underground, he and his people have thoroughly internalized his Hispanic great-grandfather's warnings against the cruel race that lives above. Though oversized flora and fauna threaten at every turn, the true challenge for each of the three principal characters is to overcome their faulty beliefs about themselves and others. The narrative shifts focus among each as readers follow them through the subterranean landscape and on their own psychological journeys as well. For those both above- and belowground, healing from generations of exclusion and feelings of otherness is a consistent theme, which is, alas, quickly wrapped up and tied with a too-simple bow of forgiveness and inclusion. Careful readers will also wonder at both the paucity of Spanish surnames in this New Mexico school and the plot-driven choice of Carlos' ancestors to speak English rather than Spanish when they took up residence below. Nevertheless, the quick-paced adventure and positive message of setting aside past hurts are sure to appeal. A multifaceted journey from darkness to light. (Adventure. 8-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
A field trip to Carlsbad Caverns takes a turn for the worse when an earthquake plunges Mr. Baker's eighth-grade class into an icy underground river. Eric manages to crawl ashore quickly, but he's separated from the group. Silvia finds herself uncomfortably in the lead of the rest of the class, and she urges them on to find Eric, who's using the tips he learned from his favorite survival books to struggle through the caverns alone. Unbeknownst to the class, however, they've tumbled into a section of the caverns occupied by a community of people who took refuge in the caves generations ago and are so wary of surface dwellers, they'll kill the intruders on sight. King's at his best when describing the kids' survival efforts and the unusual fictional flora and fauna they discover while they're stranded. The plotline about the underground community is less successful, particularly the explanation of the origin of the kingdom, which is fairly clumsy. Still, readers who love survival thrillers might appreciate the kids' high-stakes adventure in a fascinating location.--Hunter, Sarah Copyright 2018 Booklist