Grizzly Peak

December 15, 2016
An adventure trip in British Columbia's Cariboo Mountains may be the best chance for a father and son to reconnect. After being expelled from school for carrying a pocket knife, eighth-grader Aaron strikes a deal with his parents. Rather than attending a camp in Montana for juvenile delinquents, Aaron agrees to a kayak trip with his father. The only problem is he and his dad can barely stand to be in the same room together. How are they going to survive two weeks alone in the wilderness? From the start, the trip becomes a contest of wills, each loath to allow the other to take the lead. The sound of their kayak paddles clacking together is a constant reminder of just how out of sync they have become. But when a life-threatening accident incapacitates his father, Aaron is forced to find the very qualities that his father was demanding all along. The richly realized setting makes the familiar story of a headstrong white teen squaring off against his father fresh. Aaron moves from arrogance to humility and a calm assurance. But his father also grows, realizing Aaron is yearning for the same respect and freedom that he craved from his own father. Pencil illustrations accompany the text. Nail-biting journey with a heart. (Adventure. 8-11)

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January 1, 2017

Gr 4-6-Brief on character development but brisk on pacing and action, this is an adventure/survival novel set in the Cariboo Mountains in Central British Columbia. Aaron and his dad set off for two weeks of canoeing through a series of lakes after Aaron's expulsion from school. Aaron has had previous wilderness experiences, and while he doesn't relish the time spent entirely alone with his father, he is excited for the outdoor adventure aspect of the trip. The expedition is fraught with typical, but exciting, perils of nature, from white-water rapids to grizzly bears. Along the way, father and son attempt to reconcile, but the path is not smooth. Both characters must rely on each other, and the climax of the story is intense and dramatic. This is a fast-paced novel that is not overwhelming in terms of length or depth and will be enjoyed by fans of Gary Paulsen and Will Hobbs. Knowledge of the previous titles in the series might be helpful in relation to some secondary characters mentioned but is not a prerequisite for this episode. VERDICT A thrilling wilderness quest with typical father/son interactions that don't get in the way of the dangers of the journey. More than one reader will be looking at the map and trying to convince a grown-up to take them to Bowron Lake Provincial Park.-John Scott, Friends School of Baltimore

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