Jeff Probst

A family vacation turns into a high-stakes survival test when step-siblings Vanessa (13), Buzz (11), Carter (11), and Jane (9) are washed ashore on a deserted South Pacific island after a sudden storm. Stranded without adults, they must learn to cooperate—finding shelter, water, and rescue. The shifting perspectives give each character a chance to shine, and Jeff Probst’s Survivor-style suspense combines with Chris Tebbetts’ middle-grade-friendly voice to create a fast-paced, engaging show more read. Short chapters and realistic dialogue keep readers hooked—perfect for fans of action, adventure, and family stories. show less

I had no idea who Jeff Probst was, I just saw this and thought "survival adventure!" and "it's short!" and grabbed it at an ALA conference. Um....several years ago. Yes, I am just now digging into my backlog of middle grade fiction.

Four kids are sailing in the middle of nowhere with their uncle and his friend. Vanessa is the oldest, her younger brother Buzz would rather be anywhere else (preferably somewhere with a tv and no seasickness) and they can't imagine ever being a family with their show more new siblings, arrogant, athletic Carter and his super-smart little sister Jane.

Then their boat wrecks, the adults are swept away on their only lifeboat, and the four kids are stranded on a tiny island. Will they learn to work together to survive, or will risky decisions, arguments, and the natural dangers that surround them take them down one by one?

This isn't great literature. The characters are one-dimensional, identified mostly by a single characteristic (Vanessa - bossy; Buzz - tv/games obsessed; Carter - athletic; Jane - child prodigy) and there are several info dumps and passages about mechanics of things (fixing a solar panel) that I found boring. The writing is rather bland.

It will check out like crazy. Is the writing as good as, say, Gordon Korman's adventure stories? No. But it's exciting, kids like the informational spots, and it's got enough family drama to keep those not interested in survival stories reading.

Verdict: Great literature? Nope. A fun, fast-paced story that will appeal to a wide range of readers? Yes. Bonus, it's less than 200 pages (you can purchase the first three volumes in one book, but I think that kind of defeats the purpose). If you have all Gordon Korman's adventure series and need more - and who doesn't? I recommend this series.

ISBN: 9780142424247; Published 2013 by Penguin; ARC provided by publisher at ALA; Added to the library's order list show less

I think this is a great book for elementary/middle grade. I didn't feel like the book was outrageous that it isn't believable. I loved the characters and the way they interacted. They really do act like what 9, 11, and 13 year olds would act like.

Plants are diverse organisms living all around the globe. Lots of plants have special adaptations that help them survive and spread their seeds. For example, the “TNT tree” has fruit that literally explodes to send its seeds shooting at speeds up to 160 miles per hour. The “Corpse Lilly” has a scent reported to smell like a dead body, and it even emits heat to attract flies and pollinators. Plants like the Venus Flytrap can capture and digest flies in its own leaves for food. Lilly show more pads in the Amazon river can grow up to 8 feet wide and be sturdy enough to lay on! Plants can be truly remarkable and amazing!
This book was really good! Though it is a nonfiction book, which, to me, can be really boring, this book was very interesting and was full of facts I actually cared to know. The author also occasionally included a trivia question, which made the book a little more interesting. It wasn’t too technical in terms of scientific language, and was easy to understand. There were also many pictures that helped me understand what the plant actually looked like, along with descriptions. This was a great book. show less