Count Me In

August 1, 2011

When 12-year-old Tabitha is forced by her parents to go backpacking with her two cousins and recently widowed Aunt Tess, she ends up with more of an adventure than any of them planned.

Both of Tabitha's somewhat older cousins, Cedar and Ashley, are confident, experienced hikers, but nothing can fully prepare them for the series of misadventures that occurs after they climb to a mountaintop hut in British Columbia. Rain falls relentlessly. The dog, Max, wanders off when Tabitha is walking him. Ashley, even after she's badly injured in a careless fall, uses every opportunity to express her hatred—never fully explained—for Tabitha, including deceitfully blaming her for the accident. After their attempt to hike out is thwarted by a flooded river, they begin to have problems with a very persistent bear, leading to many more issues. As the problems mount, Tabitha bravely responds, believably moving from her earlier self-pity to more appropriate responses, even coming to recognize that what she's learning may help her with bullying problems she's been having at school. The setting is well realized, and the authentic action sustains interest. If some of the dynamics between the characters are insufficiently developed, and a somewhat improbable conclusion seems forced, the suspense helps mitigate the issues.

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

November 1, 2011

Gr 4-6-After having difficulties at school, Tabitha is sent on a hiking trip with her aunt and two cousins to spread her uncle's ashes. The trip gets off to a bad start, as her cousins seem to hate her. When Ashley breaks her jaw while showing off, the group tries to head back down the mountain. The river, however, has risen well above a crossable level and the group finds itself stranded with little food, the tension among the three cousins rising, and a storm that seems to go on forever. To make matters worse, a bear attacks and takes all of the food, and the family's dog, Max, goes missing. At this point, Tabitha's cousins quit speaking to her. Can she survive the storm and their wrath? Will she ever be able to find Max? Will they ever escape? The characters and their motivations are well developed. The plot is simple, but entertaining, and the survival aspects of the story are realistic and suspenseful. Chapter transitions are smooth and easy to follow. Fans, including reluctant readers, of Gary Paulsen, Will Hobbs, and other writers of survival fiction will enjoy this book.-Kira Moody, Whitmore Public Library, Salt Lake City, UT

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.