ONE WRONG STEP by Jennifer Nielsen

One Wrong Step by Jennifer Nielsen

Mountain Climbing, Survival, Adventure, Grief

324 pages; 2025

Description

Publishers Weekly (December 16, 2024)

Twelve-year-old Atlas Wade has been climbing mountains for years, but after being forced to stay behind as his father joins a team of Mount Everest climbers, he sees an avalanche trapping his father's expedition, then--along with their Sherpa Chodak and an American girl, Maddie--Atlas begins a perilous journey to rescue the team.

Publishers Weekly (December 16, 2024)

Just before WWII’s start in 1939-when no one had yet reached Mt. Everest’s summit-14-year-old white-cued Atlas Wade accompanies his father on a hazardous expedition to stand "at the top of the world." During the excursion, the group learns that Nazis are attempting their own climb. Despite Atlas’s eagerness to finish the trek-born from his desire to escape grief surrounding his mother’s death three years ago-his father forbids him from making the final climb to the summit. While waiting at Advanced Base Camp at 21,300 feet, Atlas spies an avalanche around where the expedition should’ve been. Together with the daughter of another explorer and an injured adult Sherpa, Atlas determines to rescue them, using all the hiking skills his father taught him to survive. Employing her extensive mountain climbing experience-as outlined in an endnote-Nielsen (Uprising) details the activity’s pitfalls, hazards, and potential disasters with authenticity. The result is a gripping adventure tale that provides a new perspective through which to view the history of the era. An explanation of specific climbing terms begins each chapter; maps depicting Atlas’s progress scaling Everest feature throughout. Ages 8-12. Agent: Ammi-Joan Paquette, Erin Murphy Literary. (Mar.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

My Comments

Another gripping adventure. Highly recommended. Read other Nielsen books!

TAXI GHOST by Sophie Escabase

 

Taxi Ghost by Sophie Escabase

Graphic Novel, Ghosts, Girls Coming-of-Age, Family

211 pages; 2024

Description

Publishers Weekly (June 10, 2024)

Escabasse (the Witches of Brooklyn series) suffuses this graphic novel tale of typical tween angst with a magical realism twist. Young Adèle is overwhelmed enough dealing with acne, awkwardness, and the start of her first period. But with her maturation comes an additional wrinkle: Adèle can now see ghosts. Over winter break, which she had hoped would be quiet and uneventful, Adèle meets a ghost hacker and persistent gentleman, whom she dubs Mustache Ghost. Her new acquaintance reveals that he belongs to a spectral club aiming to protect Montreal against ruthless developers- a principle that Adèle’s living grandmother also champions-and embroils Adèle in his plight. Adèle’s sarcastic yet kindhearted narration renders her struggles to balance her new abilities and the everyday challenges of growing up with perceptive relatability. Ghost characters are easily distinguishable in Escabasse’s expressive artwork, which depicts them in a soft palette of pinks and greens and adds a touch of surreality to the grounded metropolitan setting. In this empowering and fanciful ghost story, the creator tackles issues such as gentrification, the afterlife, and cultural traditions surrounding menstruation. Ages 8-12. (Sept.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

My Comments

Early teen girls may like this. The plot is a bit forced for me, but the artwork is expressive and fits the storyline. Cute.

LAST DAY ON MARS by Kevin Emerson

 

Last Day on Mars by Kevin Emerson

Science Fiction, Adventure, Survival

337 pages; 2017

Description

Booklist starred (January 1, 2017 (Vol. 113, No. 9))

Grades 5-8. Earth’s sun is steadily expanding, and by the year 2213, the little blue marble has already been charred to a crisp. Luckily, humans have found a temporary home on Mars, where they’re building massive ships and terraforming technology in preparation for a 150-year journey to a more habitable planet far away from the soon-to-supernova sun. Liam and Phoebe are the last kids left on the Red Planet, and they’re waiting for their parents to perfect one last project before they get in their starliner and begin their journey to the new world. But as the kids do one last round of exploring their Martian colony—the only home they’ve ever known—they’re waylaid by a huge obstacle: sabotage. As Liam and Phoebe try to catch up to their starliner and warn them before they’re left behind, they make an even bigger discovery: unbeknownst to humans, there are other beings in the universe. Emerson has clearly done his research and includes lots of actual Mars features and space science into the more imaginative sci-fi elements, such as a time-traveling watch salvaged from a mysterious alien ship, which helps Liam see the future of potential choices. With high-stakes tension, propulsive action, multidimensional characters, and vivid scenes, this well-wrought and thrilling series starter is perfect for middle-graders who prefer their sci-fi to be grounded in the realm of the possible.

My Comments

A thrilling adventure. Perfect for middle school. I can't wait to read the sequel, but it's currently checked out. Highly recommend!