Pursued

January 16, 2017
When two children wind up in possession of teleportation devices after the inventors—their parents—are murdered, they become the targets of a worldwide manhunt, courtesy of Dr. Lennon Hatch, a ruthless billionaire determined to gain control of the technology. After being relentlessly pursued for a year, 13-year-olds Axel Jack and Daisha Tandala are separated, cast to distant parts of the world, and unable to reunite until their GeoPorts recharge in 72 hours. As Hatch’s people get closer to capturing them, Axel and Daisha’s only hope is to decipher their parents’ last clue and destroy the GeoPorts once and for all. In this fast-paced, globe-hopping adventure, Urey (the Super Schnoz series) delivers a gripping tale full of surprises, starring memorable protagonists set against almost overwhelming odds. There’s a certain tongue-in-cheek aspect to the story as well, with Urey giving ample attention to his egotistical, amoral antagonist (“He would give the people the ability to travel anywhere instantaneously. The Doctor would be King, and everyone else in Silicon Valley his court jesters”). A cliff-hanger ending leaves many questions unanswered for future books. Ages 9–12. Agent: Jill Corcoran, Jill Corcoran Literary.

December 1, 2016
With a background in theater, Urey presents an action-packed tale that keeps its protagonists one step ahead of the criminals who want their high-tech transporters.Axel and Daisha are more than just friends; they saw their parents murdered and have been on the run from the killer for over a year. Their parents invented the GeoPort, a device that allows them to instantly travel anywhere in the world, as long as they know the latitude and longitude. This discovery will revolutionize society, and whoever owns the technology can own the future. Pursued from one place to the next by evil henchmen, Axel and Daisha have to rely on their intelligence and each other to stay one step ahead while searching for a solution. While it's refreshing to see two characters from diverse backgrounds (she's black, with Jamaican and Kenyan heritage, while he's white) interacting with respect and affection for each other, it would have been more interesting if they had more diversity in their characters. Likewise, it is unfortunate that the villain goes by the nickname Dr. Stain, due to a facial birthmark. Dialogue is too often clunky and expository, including a cringe-inducingly painful scene in which Lucy calmly explains her dreadlocks to an ignorant white boy who says her hair looks unwashed. Still, Urey writes a solid adventure, with engaging protagonists, a neat gimmick, and a cliffhanger ending; here's hoping the sequel irons out the bumps. (Science fiction. 10-14)

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January 1, 2017

Gr 5-8-Daisha Tandala and Axel Jack have been on the run ever since both of their parents were shot in front of them a year ago. The older Tandala and Jack were physicists who invented the GeoPort, a device that allows users to travel anywhere on Earth in seconds. Dr. Stain is determined to steal and market the GeoPorts. There are a lot of well-worn tropes here: the parents' cryptic last words, a disfigured megalomaniacal billionaire, and cruel Eastern European henchmen. The breathless pace is designed to entice reluctant readers, but it gets bogged down in places by technobabble. Some readers will be uncomfortable with the level of violence and sexual harassment depicted. The children's parents are shot in front of them, and both children inflict brutal beatings on their pursuers. Daisha witnesses Dr. Stain make a series of unwanted advances on her mother, and he later implies that he wants the girl kept alive for his amorous purposes. Another character flirts with the villain, letting him put his hands on her thigh in an attempt to gain his trust. The conclusion takes a sharp veer to the mystical with the confusing and sudden appearance of a Hindu god.VERDICTDespite the book's reluctant reader appeal, narrative flaws and gratuitous violence make it a poor choice.-Rachel Anne Mencke, St. Matthew's Parish School, Pacific Palisades, CA

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2016
Grades 5-8 Axel and Daisha have grown up together while their genius parents worked on a device that would change the world: the GeoPort, a device allowing users to transport themselves instantly via the Warp to whatever coordinates they choose. This draws the attention of Doctor Lennon Hatch, a corrupt man posing as a prospective backer. When the kids' parents get wise, Hatch violently disposes of them. Axel and Daisha flee with the GeoPorts as transportation, using the last partial coordinates and fractured messages as clues to their parents' last wishes. The bond between Axel and Daisha often seems fragmented since speed of the plot rarely stalls, but this continuous action will draw readers of sf and mystery. Will Axel and Daisha be able to win this classic battle of good versus evil? Warn your readers: they'll be left with a few questions, which very well might signal a sequel. A science-fiction plot that travels at warp speed, rarely slowing down until its conclusion.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)