WILD RIVER

Ryan would be the first to tell you that he didn’t want to go at all. When teenage Tanner convinces Ryan, his video-game–obsessed 12-year-old brother, to join him on an exciting camping trip, neither of them has a clue what’s in store. A fun kayak down the Boulder River starts out well enough, but when an unexpected accident leads to Tanner’s being injured, it’s up to Ryan to get help. The problem? They’re stuck at the bottom of a ravine with no way of contacting the outside world. Racing against the clock, Ryan must fail repeatedly before hitting on the right solution that will save his brother’s life. Coming in at a svelte 128 pages, Petersen’s novel packs a wallop. The thrills are nail-biting and the tension is ratcheted up to an enjoyable high. For kids who have only just graduated into chapter books, this title acts as an excellent starter survival tale. Particularly recommended for those readers not quite ready for Gary Paulsen’s The River (1991) but still eager for realistic thrills. (Fiction. 8-12)