Review by Booklist Review
Gr. 4^-7. Prolific author Kehret has a well-deserved reputation for writing good, solid thrillers for middle-graders. Even if the premise is a bit shaky (would parents really leave their children alone on a remote island?) and the ending disappoints just a bit, her latest is no exception. It pits a resourceful 12-year-old against the elements and has him come out on top. Jonathan doesn't think that taking care of his disabled 6-year-old sister, Abby, while his father rushes his mother to a hospital for a broken ankle will be too problematic--until nature intervenes. An earthquake rocks the tiny island where the children are staying, destroying the bridge to the mainland as well as the family's supplies and Abby's walker. Even more frightening is Jonathan's discovery that the quake has caused a nearby river to change its course: water is now rapidly flooding the tiny island. It will be a rare thriller fan who won't want to see what happens. --Stephanie Zvirin
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 5-7-Jonathan and his family are the only campers on Magpie Island, and the deserted grounds make Jonathan ill at ease. Soon after they arrive, his mother slips and injures her ankle. Jonathan offers to stay at the campground with his six-year old physically handicapped sister so his parents can get to the hospital quickly. Just after they leave, a devastating earthquake strikes, destroying Abby's walker, the camper, and the only bridge off the island. The island quickly floods, and the children and their loyal dog are stranded without supplies. Throughout his ordeal, Jonathan displays the patience, courage, and tenacity of one far older than 12, facing each new crisis with resolve. Youngsters may find it hard to comprehend how the family could be so out of touch, but Peg Kehret wrote this story (Puffin, 1998) before cell phones became a necessity. How Jonathan manages to save himself and his nearly helpless sister is a tense tale, and the danger increases with each chapter. Charles Carroll's reading, although clear and precise, doesn't aptly convey the story's tone of suspense and danger. Still, fans of adventure novels will be delighted as the youngsters battle to stay alive.-MaryAnn Karre, West Middle School, Binghamton, NY (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Jonathan and his little sister, Abby, are left alone on a camping trip when their father seeks medical attention for their mother's broken ankle. An earthquake hits, flooding the island, flattening their camper, and stranding the children. Jonathan helps his sister, who uses a walker, make it to safety. The accessible, dramatic survival story explores themes of responsibility and bravery, and the fast pace will keep readers turning the pages. From HORN BOOK 1996, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Kehret (Danger at the Fair, p. 226, etc.) provides pulse- pounding suspense from beginning to end of an action novel that few readers will be able to put down. While Jonathan and his family are camping on an uninhabited island, Jonathan's mother breaks her ankle. His father takes her to a mainland hospital, leaving behind Jonathan, his handicapped sister, Abby, and their dog. Soon afterward an earthquake strikes, destroying their camper and the bridge to the mainland. With no way of knowing if his parents are alive or able to send help, and as the water rises to cover the island, Jonathan must find a way to keep his sister and himself alive. Although he is brave and resourceful, the earthquake is only the beginning of the trials and terrors that rapidly mount beyond even an adult's ability to cope. Abby's whining is too grating for her to be likable, and Jonathan is almost incredibly empathetic, but the rapid rush of events will involve even less-practiced readers. (Fiction. 10+)
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
