Deadweather and Sunrise: The Chronicles of Egg, book 1 by Geoff Rodkey - ADVISABLE

Rodkey, Geoff.  Deadweather and Sunrise: The Chronicles of Egg, book 1, 296 pgs. G. P. Putnam’s Sons (Penguin), 2012.  $16.99.  Sexual Content: G; Language: G (2 swears and a couple of made up ones); Violence: PG.  If it isn’t bad enough to have a name like Egbert, thirteen-year-old Egg is stuck with the two meanest siblings ever: Adonis and Venus.  His mother is dead and is father owns a fruit plantation on Deadweather Island, a desolate place full of pirates.  They go on a trip to the island of Sunrise and his dad makes a secret appointment with a lawyer.  After the whole family meets the wealthy Mr. Pembroke and his daughter Millicent, who takes them to his mansion and gives them a ride on his balloon.  Egg leaves the balloon the last minute and the family flies away and is lost.  Egg stays with the Pembroke’s and learns that there is something sinister behind their kindness—Pembroke is looking for a treasure.  Someone tries to throw Egg off a cliff, so he stows away on a ship only to be caught by pirates.  His adventures continue with a one-handed cabin boy and none other than Millicent.  Their courage and cunning will be put to the test to save not only their lives but the treasure from Pembroke and pirates.  This is a great adventure book for boys.  The pirates are real enough to be interesting, but not too scary.  There is plenty of fighting, but not too much blood.  The plot has several twists and turns and Egg is an engaging narrator. EL, MS – ADVISABLE.  Samantha Hastings, MA, MLS.