Shipwreck (Island, Book 1) [Paperback]

Being on a sailboat in the warm waters of the Pacific with a bunch of kids the same age could sound like a vacation dream come true. However, when this month-long trip is part of a strict program called Charting a New Course, and each participant--or inmate--is there for disciplinary problems, things don't look quite as rosy. And then, of course, when a big storm strikes, and the captain and first mate disappear, and the boat seems to be sinking... the whole idea becomes less and less appealing. Still, for Luke, Will, Lyssa, J.J., Ian, and Charla, this is the way the cards have been dealt, and whatever problems they may have with each other, however much they don't want to be there, it's time to start working together to save their own lives.

The first book of Gordon Korman's exciting new trilogy introduces readers to the six troubled kids who will become unwitting partners in their desperate bid for survival. A steely captain and a gruff first mate who calls every boy "Archie" and every girl "Veronica" keep order and attempt to turn their charges into young sailors--an effort that may pay off more than any of them ever anticipate. A hint of menace permeates Shipwreck, along with humor, angst, and mystery. Readers won't want to miss the continuation of the riveting saga in books 2 and 3, Survival and Escape. (Ages 9 to 13) --Emilie Coulter

Grade 5–7—Six young teens with discipline problems are sent on a sea journey sponsored by a group called Charting a New Course, an organization designed to help troubled youths straighten out their lives. With only the captain and first mate to guide them, the teens work as the crew of the sailboat. When a terrible storm hits, the captain is lost at sea and the first mate abandons the kids once he realizes the ship is slowly sinking. The teens must work together to survive the storm and a shipwreck in the first book (Scholastic, pap. 2001) in Gordon Korman's trilogy. Holter Graham's suspenseful narration successfully portrays the tension between the characters and keeps the action moving. Listeners will want to read the next two books in this hi-lo series—Survival and Escape (both Scholastic, 2001)—or wait for them to be released on CD.—Karen T. Bilton, Mary Jacobs Memorial Library, Rocky Hill, NJ
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Luke, J.J. Will, Lyssa, Charla, and Ian. They did'nt want to be on the boat in the first place. They didn't want to be stuck at sea with a bunch of strangers. But when you're in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, there's no easy way out. And when a terrifying storm hits, there's no way to fully prepare. It's all about survival.

Gordon Korman is the award-winning writer of more than 40 books for middle-grade and young adult readers, including the popular Macdonald Hall series and the recent best-selling trilogy Everest.