The Girl Who Was Supposed To Die

By April Henry

     Another dark and thought provoking tale by April Henry.  This one is a new twist, still in the Portland Oregon area, but a whole new cast of heroes.  Meet Katie (Cady) who comes to and does not know anything, not even her name.  She quickly comes to the realization that she is being held against her wishes and the gentlemen who have her want her gone.  One of her captors leave and one large man is supposed to dispose of her.  But Katie, moving on instinct evades and injures her guard.  She returns to the cabin, to seek clues as to her identity and grab supplies.  She leaves in the unknown mans car, just hoping to get away from the cabin.  Will she be able to figure out who she is, why they want her dead or just what is going on?  

     What follows is a daring escapade, where Cady, with help from a new friend, discovers her identity.  But dare she believe all of the news stories is she a crazed drug addict who wants to end her own life?  That is the image that the internet is putting out there.  Even when all fingers are pointing at Cady for killing Officer Dillow, Ty sticks by her side, just knowing that she is lost and is in desperate need of help.  Ty sticks by her side even when another adult appears to want to help Cady.  He wants to finish what he began and make sure that Cady is safe and no longer in danger.  The surprising twists in this book will keep you guessing and turning the page!  

     This is a fairly quick and entertaining read, with a lot of cliff hangers and interesting plot twists.  It really highlights how much dependence we put on the internet and how tenuous our health could be.  We always hear about possible epidemics or pandemics, but when you are the one that can stop it would you be able to step up and save the day, especially with out your memory?  I am giving this book a 4 out of 5, it is a little mature and dark, and would say it is appropriate for ages eighth grade and up.  

Links

Author - April Henry

CDC

Hantairus

Virologist

 

Beneath

By Roland Smith 

     This is a fast and fantastic read. This is a very interesting tale of two brothers with an incredible bond.  Would you go to the ends of the Earth if you thought your sibling was in danger, would you be able to face your biggest fears?  This story illustrates what extreme lengths people will go to in order to protect or save someone they love.  

     Meet Pat, a young man that is missing his older brother, Coop.  Their home has fractured and Coop has left Pat to his own defenses.  Their parents seem disinterested and have moved beyond their relationship, into what they think they want in a family.  Pat is struggling in this new reality, that is until he receives a communication from his quirky brother.  What follows is a string of recorder conversations, that end abruptly.  When Pat does not hear from Coop, he begins to panic and finally decides to follow Coops clues and help his brother.  Since his parents are inattentive, he just has to wait for an opportunity to get to New York.  

     As Christmas break approaches, Pat heads to New York, to find his brother who has gone under.  To an individual who has claustrophobia, going under seems terrifying.  The only definitive clue he has is a PO Box, which he keeps under surveillance.  He quickly discovers that someone is emptying the PO Box that is not Coop.  Pat has to follow him and convince him to help him find his brother.  The man is Posty, and he lives a double life:  one a banker, the other is a member of the community.  The Community is a group of individuals that live under the streets, by their own rules.  Coop has been there, but has gone farther under the city into the Deep.  Does Pat dare to follow him into the depth of New York underground?  Does he need to be saved?  Will they come out alive after meeting the LOD, and venturing into the POD?  The only way to find out is to read the book.  

     This was a very interesting book, I am going to give it a four out of five stars.  Just because it is a little unbelievable, at least out of the realm of what I believe is plausible.  I do believe that anybody in fourth grade up through eighth grade would find this a very enjoyable book.  It has a little bitter of everything!  

Links 

Author - Roland Smith

Beneath New York City

In the Shadow of the Sun

By Anne Sibley O'Brien 

     This book grabbed my attention from the very first sentence.  It is a very intriguing and thought provoking tale.  The author does a remarkable job of transporting the reader into a different time, culture and environment.  Really, makes one wonder what would they do if it was them, would you be able to survive and stay ahead of the soldiers.  Would you be a Mia, Simon or their father?  

     Mark Andrews takes his two children with him on a trip into North Korea.  They are forewarned and given a long list of rules.  Mr. Andrews has traveled here before as a food relief worker and somehow embroils himself in a faction power struggle.  Unknown to them they are about to embark on the journey of a lifetime.  Mark is arrested as Mia and Simon find incriminating images on a gifted cell phone.  They know that the only way to help their dad is to get the images out of the country.  They endeavor to allude the North Koreans on a harrowing escape across the country towards China.  This proves to be very difficult since Simon is a tall blond American while Mia, who is adopted, is from South Korea.  With little knowledge of the language, next to no money, no food how are they supposed to travel the distance to safety without being seen and captured?  It takes some luck, ingenuity and a lot of courage plus a little bit of help from surprise sources.  

     This was an excellent story, I loved the information given at the beginning of the book, very helpful in reading the tale.  Giving the background knowledge led to more understanding and a better appreciation of the dangers.  What I did not get 100% was some of the North Korean view point, it did not always connect to Simon and Mia.  I am giving this book a 4.5 out of 5, just for the disconnect.  I did really enjoy this book, it made me question what happened to some of the supporting characters.  This book is good for 5th grade students and up and encourage anybody to buy their copy today.  

links

Author - Anne Sibley O'Brien

Current guidelines to travel into North Korea

History of North Korea