(2) 4-6 On the morning of his thirteenth birthday, Henry Carter declines his father's invitation to go with him to the zoo where he works. While Dad is gone, Henry notices something odd: "It was like a lightning strike without the sound or the bolt, or brightening. Like God was snapping a photo using the flash of his celestial camera." Uncle Edgar suggests that it was an electromagnetic pulse of some sort. Then a plane falls from the sky, the power goes out, cars stop running, and Henry's new smartphone dies. A drive to the zoo in Uncle Edgar's old, pre-electronics Cadillac yields escaped gorillas, leopards, giraffes, and a rampaging elephant--but no father. Days and weeks pass, and life becomes a struggle for survival. The world outside grows desperate and chaotic, and Henry's family must build a wall of abandoned cars to protect their farm. Smith's gripping novel offers intricate world-building, a companionable protagonist in Henry, abundant action, plentiful dialogue, character-deepening journal entries, and a ghostly voice in Henry's head. Perhaps it's a sign of our times that a tale of near-doom seems perfectly believable.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2023

(2) YA In the fourth (and final) installment about Peak ­Marcello (beginning with Peak, rev. 5/07), the ­sixteen-year-old has survived an avalanche on Hkakabo Razi and descends into the Tibetan jungle, pursued by Captain Shek of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. Peak, his world-famous mountain-climbing father, and their longtime "mystery monk" friend Zopa hole up in a Buddhist monastery hidden away from the world in the Tsangpo River gorge. The fast pace of the adventure takes a meditative turn here, and the experience changes Peak. By story's end, he seems more interested in following Zopa's advice to "go out and do good things" than to continue scaling skyscrapers and mountains. This volume stands alone but is enriched by the prior entries, as Peak ponders a future seemingly without climbing: "The climbing itch was gone. I had left it somewhere on the slopes of the Land of Dawn-Lit Mountains."

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2021

(2) YA Peak Marcello Adventure series. Peak Marcello (Peak; The Edge) is in Myanmar to climb Hkakabo Razi and determine whether it's the highest peak in Southeast Asia. When Ethan is almost killed and Alessia has to get him to a hospital, only a small contingent is left to make the ascent. Suspense and political intrigue let new series readers dive in, while longtime readers join old friends for another intelligent, lively adventure.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2018

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Renée Graef. This entry in the publisher's familiar alphabet-book series is packed with random facts about time. Each letter page contains a clumsy and/or dull quatrain ("U is for Units. / How to measure / time going by / during work or pleasure") and a softly rendered illustration of the idea, from almanac to pendulum to X (Roman numeral ten); a border-sidebar contributes lengthier scientific information.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(4) 4-6 Patrick follows his daring older brother Coop into an underground (literally) conspiracy involving secret subterranean communities, decades-old radical plots, unsolved murders, and an enigmatic girl in sunglasses. The plot and backstory are solidly conceived but sketchily executed, with characters rather broadly developed and much of the action relegated to expository dialogue. Nevertheless, the terse, punchy writing style sustains tension.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross

(2) YA Fifteen-year-old Peak (Peak) agrees to participate in a Peace Climb--climbers assigned to mountains around the world for a television special. But once he arrives in war-torn Afghanistan to tackle the Pamirs, most of the party is kidnapped. An exciting tale ensues as Peak tracks down the kidnappers. Present-tense journal entries interspersed with the past-tense main narrative create an interesting dual story line.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2015

(4) 4-6 Cryptid Files series. Marty, Grace, and friends make their way to Brazil to continue their twofold quest: find Marty's missing parents and stop the evil Noah Blackwood from continuing his unethical genetic experiments. Action, adventure, and high-tech gadgetry all combine into an exciting but over-the-top story. Stunning revelations and other dramatic turns provide additional impetus to keep readers turning the pages.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) 4-6 Immediately following the events of Tentacles, this sequel centers on Marty and his friends' attempt to rescue Grace from the clutches of the malevolent Dr. Blackwood. Similar to the prior novel, the titular creature provides a backdrop for the story but plays only a brief role. Elements of action, science fiction, and adventure keep the plot moving, occasionally in absurd directions.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(3) 4-6 I, Q series. Q and Angela are united not only as step-siblings but also as covert agents working for the president of the United States. Here intrigue follows them to San Antonio, Texas, where they once again encounter a dangerous terrorist cell. A list of characters and a preface bring readers up to speed for this suspenseful and thrilling fourth book in the series.

Reviewer: April Mazza

(3) 4-6 In this third Storm Runners book, Chase and Nicole's adventures continue as they head south to Mexico. They've got the hazardous task of tracking down the animals from Nicole's family circus after a massive earthquake hits. As a result of the earthquake, they're now in danger from a volcanic eruption. This adventure reads at full tilt in a way reluctant readers will respond to.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(3) 4-6 I, Q series. In the third adventure starring Q, a.k.a. Quest (Independence Hall; The White House), the president's daughter has been kidnapped by terrorists. Fast-paced action is coupled with a surprise hurricane propelling Q and his stepsister, Angela, into a suspenseful game of cat and mouse with the dangerous criminals. This lightweight, exciting volume is sure to satisfy series fans.

Reviewer: April Mazza

(4) 4-6 39 Clues: Cahills vs. Vespers series. In this fourth installment of the interactive series, siblings Amy, sixteen, and Dan, thirteen, continue to track down priceless treasures to ensure the safety of their family members being held hostage by the Vespers. The stakes are raised when one of the hostages is separated from the pack, but multiple side stories and characters cause the plot to lose focus.

Reviewer: Lana Barnes

(3) 4-6 Chase Masters and his father roam the country tracking hurricanes, tornadoes, and other severe weather; they're also trying to fill the void left by the death of Chase's mother and sister. They end up in Florida, separated and fighting for their own lives during a hurricane. The story's nonstop action and break-neck pacing keep pages turning; a cliffhanger ending promises another installment.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(3) 4-6 In this second Storm Runners book, Chase, Nicole, and Rashawn have found shelter at Nicole's family farm, winter home of a circus. But they're not safe yet: now they must find a way to survive both a surging flood and a hungry circus leopard that's on the loose. Fast pacing and weather and animal-behavior facts combine in a satisfyingly entertaining way.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen. Random facts about the Smithsonian are presented through awkward, content-lite poems ("F is for First Ladies / wearing a special dress, / celebrating at a ball / their husbands' success") and more useful sidebars. Textured paintings effectively illustrate the information.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(3) 4-6 I, Q series. In this sequel to Independence Hall, stepsiblings Angela and Q team up with Angela's mother, a former secret service agent now working undercover in a terrorist cell, to unearth a mole in the White House. The story's action is broken up with humor and some realistic family themes. The cliffhanger ending will have fans of the series clamoring for book three.

Reviewer: April Mazza

(4) 4-6 Marty and Grace (Cryptid Hunters) are back adventuring with Dr. Wolfe. While on an expedition to track a giant squid, Grace's grandfather Dr. Blackwood plots to capture her and destroy Dr. Wolfe's career. Though some of the sci-fi elements are absurd, a combination of action, pseudo-science, and adventure pushes the book to its cliffhanger ending.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) YA Nick is sent to live with his father in Burma to escape the 1941 London bombings. Instead of safety, Nick finds himself separated from his father in the midst of the Japanese invasion. Accompanied by new friend Mya and her beloved elephants, he plots a rescue. Appealing characters and fascinating historical context drive this adventure to a disappointingly tidy conclusion.

Reviewer: Juliet S. King

(2) 4-6 Peak is a natural-born climber. After being apprehended atop the Woolworth Building, he's rescued from juvie by his estranged father, who pushes Peak to be the youngest to summit Everest. Smith takes classic plot elements--kid in trouble, physical challenge, overly ambitious parent--and plays them perfectly. The gripping story pulls no punches about the toll Everest exacts on body and psyche.

Reviewer: Vicky Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2007

(4) 4-6 After their parents' disappearance, twins Marty and Grace are claimed by a previously unknown uncle, join in his search for cryptids (legendary creatures like Bigfoot and Nessie; here a dinosaur hidden in the Congo), and run afoul of the despicable collector Blackwood. Stylistically clumsy, this high-interest story exploits adventure conventions (exotic locations, fancy gizmos) to good effect.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam