Content: G (mild danger)
BUYING ADVISORY: MS - OPTIONAL
APPEALS TO: SOME
Ever since his mother succumbed to her cancer, 12yo Atlas has been homeschooled by his father, as they climb mountain peaks all over the world. This year, 1939, they have joined an expedition to Mount Everest - sure that their group can be the first proven to hit the summit. Tension between the group, the unpredictable weather on the mountain, and hazardous climbing conditions - danger abounds on the mountain and within Atlas’s own feelings.
The weakest of Niesen’s books to date. Since it isn’t recounting a real historic climb of Everest, it doesn't fit into her normal retellings of actual events. Atlas is so unreliable - scatter-brained and angry - I don’t believe he would have survived any of the camps along the route, let alone be able to pull off the heroics he purportedly does. Nielsen’s author’s note of this being a metaphor doesn’t make things better. I probably won’t buy this unless it comes out in paperback.
Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment