Boy X

Summed up in three words by the publishers as 'Action', Survival, Terror', I'd have to agree. I read this book in one sitting, I just had to find out what would happen to Ash before I put it down. The book opens with Ash McCarthy, returning home after his dad's funeral, before he wakes up in a strange, white room with no memory of how he got there. The only familiar thing he finds when he wakes up, are his dad's identity discs on the table next to his bed. These and the mantra his dad taught him 'I am Ash McCarthy. I am strong. I can do this', are all he needs to find the strength to look for his mum and a way out. Wandering through the corridors, he works out that he is in a Biomesa facility (the company his mum works for) in a jungle. He also finds out that his senses have gone into overdrive; he can see, hear and smell things that he has never noticed before. Ash meets Isabel and she helps him to piece together how and when he got to the island of Isla Negra, near Costa Rica. For the rest of the story Ash has to find out why he is on the island. That turns out to be the key to saving himself, his mum and the rest of the world from a group bent on wiping everyone off the face of the planet. This would be great for older reluctant readers, being short with loads of action and adventure. I would also recommend it for more able readers who want a quick read. 352 pages / Ages 10+ / Reviewed by Kerra Dagley, school librarian.

Suggested Reading Age 9+