Wildfire Run

Young Reader Reaction: My daughter read this in 5th grade and pulled it from the shelf to read again in 7th grade. She loved the suspense and pace of the story.

Adult Reader Reaction: A bit unrealistic, but a thrilling ride. Luke, Callie, and Theo are well-developed characters, though I have to admit I didn't like Callie much at first. The story left me curious to learn more about Camp David and the rules (are kittens really forbidden?). Wildfire Run is a book I'd recommend for readers who like action-packed stories. The author does an exceptional job helping the reader visualize events and scenes so that it plays out like a movie in your mind.

Pros: Nonstop action keeps readers on the edge of their seat waiting. The story has lots of show more visual detail that can help readers who need or prefer being able to "see" the story as they read.

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Overall, it was an interesting, adventurous story for middle grade readers. But, kind of scary, especially the kids witnessing a mid-air helicopter collision, knowing people died in it trying to rescue them. The kids were constantly bickering and saying "that won't work" -- that got annoying.

Read aloud to 7 y.o. and it was the most intense thing we've read. Very suspenseful, great problem solving by the kids and one death of minor character (Secret Service Agent) but otherwise positive ending.

Reviewed by Jennifer Rummel for TeensReadToo.com

Luke's dad is the President of the United States. They awake one morning at Camp David to an earthquake ripple. Immediately, the President heads to Washington to uncover more details about the destruction and to figure out how to best help the people.

Luke remains at Camp David with his friend, Theodore. They plan to build a robot with the help of his dog. They're in the middle of working on the project when Luke's used-to-be friend, Callie, appears. She's carrying a kitten. When the canine frightens the feline, both animals take off into the woods.

Luke and Callie run to catch them, but they're not allowed into the woods. Meanwhile, the Secret Service agents get word of a fast-moving forest show more fire. They must evacuate the camp immediately. They wait for a few minutes to see if Luke can call back his dog. When he doesn't appear, they jump into SUVs and head for the main gate.

As they try to exit, catastrophe ensues. Following a car crash that leaves the extraction team separated and hurt, the three tweens need to figure out how to get away from Camp David. Unfortunately, the security measures used in keeping out terrorists are also keeping them from escaping.

WILDFIRE RUN is a fast-paced read bursting with action and danger. Luke, Callie, and Theo must learn to put their differences aside and work together as a team. They come up with crazy ideas to outsmart the system, which creates a great novel for tweens and reluctant readers. show less

This was a fun survival/adventure book for middle grades and tweens. It was a quick, fun read, and I really liked it a lot. The only problem was a few of the characters were a bit irritating.

Fine for elementary school age kids but I had a hard time with it... Like A Series of Unfortunate Events where one thing after another goes wrong.

4th-6th grade