Stranded (Stranded #1)

When a five-day boat expedition off Hawaii hits an unexpected storm, new stepsiblings Vanessa (13), eleven-year-olds Buzz and Carter, and Jane (9) struggle to stay on course. When they are forced to abandon ship, the kids' uncle and the boat's first mate get aboard the life raft, but the boat is torn away with the four children still inside. They end up stranded on an uncharted island and have to learn to work together. The narration shifts between the perspectives of each of the kids as the true nature of their circumstances become clear and tasks like finding water turn into a struggle for survival. Each character brings a different strength to the table; some are obvious like Carter's knowledge of the outdoors, while others, like the tips couch potato Buzz has gleaned from reality TV (a nod to Survivor, the show hosted by Probst), are revealed with more subtlety. Little distinguishes the voice of one character from another, but the high stakes and novel environment should ensure rapid page-turning. A sequel, Trial by Fire, is due in June. Ages 8-up. (Feb.)

Gr 4-7--In this exciting survival novel, four kids from a recently blended family are sent sailing to get to know one another better. When a sudden storm front moves in, the boat runs into a rocky shoal and starts taking on water. The children's uncle, the captain, prepares a life raft with his first mate, but the two of them and the raft disappear before the kids can get on. The ship runs aground on an unknown island. Now stranded in the South Pacific, the children must find a way to contact the coast guard and survive. During their adventure, they learn to cross deadly cliffs, go spelunking, and try to keep from being swept out to sea in raging water. The nautical terms and descriptions with little contextual clues are confusing for the first part of the book, but once the children get stranded on the island, the story begins to move at an exceedingly fast and exciting pace. While the plot delivers, the character development is lacking. The youngsters represent different stereotypes and rarely step outside their roles: the thinker, the technology guru, the stubborn athlete, and the problem-solving geek with untapped leadership potential. Readers should be able to identify with at least one character, but the lack of dynamic growth limits the audience to fans of adventure/survival books.--Devin Burritt, Wells Public Library, ME