On the Run (Series)--Gordon Korman
This is the first book.
*RA
Genre: Action/Adventure
Summary: Aidan and Meg Falconer were part of a perfectly happy family. This all changed when their parents were suddenly arrested, and they were put into a juvenile detention facility. The two siblings manage to escape, and they have one purpose in mind--save their parents and prove their innocence. But it won't be easy, with the police dogging their every step and a mysterious stranger lurking, and they will have to use all their wits to complete their mission.
Other: This is a fast-paced, wild ride. I really enjoyed it, although it was a bit intense sometimes. Aidan and Meg are great characters, and their resourcefulness makes for a great read. (Ages 9+) ~Amy
Genre: Action/Adventure
Summary: Aidan and Meg Falconer were part of a perfectly happy family. This all changed when their parents were suddenly arrested, and they were put into a juvenile detention facility. The two siblings manage to escape, and they have one purpose in mind--save their parents and prove their innocence. But it won't be easy, with the police dogging their every step and a mysterious stranger lurking, and they will have to use all their wits to complete their mission.
Other: This is a fast-paced, wild ride. I really enjoyed it, although it was a bit intense sometimes. Aidan and Meg are great characters, and their resourcefulness makes for a great read. (Ages 9+) ~Amy
Kidnapped (Trilogy)--Gordon Korman
The Abduction is the first book.
*RA
Genre: Action/Adventure
Summary: After proving their parents' innocence, Aidan and Meg Falconer thought everything would be great again. But when Meg gets kidnapped and held for a ridiculous ransom, it is clear that the ride isn't over yet. Aidan must figure out how to rescue his sister, and Meg is definitely not going to make herself an easy prisoner. Can she be rescued in time?
Other: The siblings' resourcefulness shines again in this trilogy that comes after On the Run. This is a fast-paced, fun series. I highly recommend it. (Ages 9+) ~Amy
The Ranger's Apprentice (Series)--John Flanagan
The Ruins of Gorlan is the first book.
*RA
Genre: Action/Adventure
Summary: Rangers--they are shadowy, mysterious figures that people see only when the Rangers want to be seen. These village protectors are uncannily silent, can camouflage extremely well, and are deadly accurate with their longbows, a dangerous combination. Will was an orphan with no last name. He grew up with four other wards in Castle Redmont, and when he was almost 15, the time to be chosen as an apprentice came. He wasn't big enough to be a knight or to train battle horses, but he was fast, nimble, and clever. He caught the eye of Halt, the legendary Ranger of Redmont Feif, and from then on, Halt trains him to be a Ranger. Being one isn't easy, but Will is a born Ranger. His struggles as an apprentice and his battles as a young Ranger are recounted in this amazing adventure series.
Other: My family and I spent a whole two weeks reading this series non-stop. We would stay up until 3 AM to finish the last little bit (it's a good thing that I found this series during summer vacation). I ended up actually buying the last one because we couldn't wait for the library's copy. The action is great, the brilliant plans and military tactics are even better, and the characters are incredibly entertaining, ranging from cool to flamboyant to charmingly naive. Flanagan writes with good humor that enhances the story a lot. In 11 books, he has only let us down in one-half of the fifth book, which is pretty good, considering the length of most of his books. There are battles to be aware of, but my sister was ten when we read this and she was fine. We also enjoy his new series, The Brotherband Chronicles. (Ages 10+) ~Amy
Check out the website: http://www.rangersapprentice.com/
Genre: Action/Adventure
Summary: Rangers--they are shadowy, mysterious figures that people see only when the Rangers want to be seen. These village protectors are uncannily silent, can camouflage extremely well, and are deadly accurate with their longbows, a dangerous combination. Will was an orphan with no last name. He grew up with four other wards in Castle Redmont, and when he was almost 15, the time to be chosen as an apprentice came. He wasn't big enough to be a knight or to train battle horses, but he was fast, nimble, and clever. He caught the eye of Halt, the legendary Ranger of Redmont Feif, and from then on, Halt trains him to be a Ranger. Being one isn't easy, but Will is a born Ranger. His struggles as an apprentice and his battles as a young Ranger are recounted in this amazing adventure series.
Other: My family and I spent a whole two weeks reading this series non-stop. We would stay up until 3 AM to finish the last little bit (it's a good thing that I found this series during summer vacation). I ended up actually buying the last one because we couldn't wait for the library's copy. The action is great, the brilliant plans and military tactics are even better, and the characters are incredibly entertaining, ranging from cool to flamboyant to charmingly naive. Flanagan writes with good humor that enhances the story a lot. In 11 books, he has only let us down in one-half of the fifth book, which is pretty good, considering the length of most of his books. There are battles to be aware of, but my sister was ten when we read this and she was fine. We also enjoy his new series, The Brotherband Chronicles. (Ages 10+) ~Amy
Check out the website: http://www.rangersapprentice.com/
Brotherband Chronicles (Trilogy)--John Flanagan
The Outcasts is the first book.
*RA
Genre: Adventure
Summary: Hal has always been shunned by most people in his country of Skandia. His father was a great Skandian warrior; his mother was a beautiful Araluen slave who his father set free and married. When Hal was four, his father died on a raid, and his mother and his father's best friend raise him. Now he is a brilliant, inventive teenager, with one good friend--Stig, another boy people tend to go around. Hal is the proud owner of his revolutionary boat, the Heron, and Brotherband training starts soon. When it starts, he gets stuck with the rest of the outcasts of the teenage group. In order to survive, Hal will have to lead with ingenuity and courage, and the group must band together and become a real team in order to win the ultimate competition.
Other: My family loved The Outcasts, the first book in Flanagan's new series. It is very different from The Ranger's Apprentice, and that does it good. We couldn't compare the two because they are so different. It was fun, exciting, and well-written, and the characters were very varied and well-drawn. They are definitely the highlight of the book. We can't wait for the next one. (Ages 10+) ~Amy
Genre: Adventure
Summary: Hal has always been shunned by most people in his country of Skandia. His father was a great Skandian warrior; his mother was a beautiful Araluen slave who his father set free and married. When Hal was four, his father died on a raid, and his mother and his father's best friend raise him. Now he is a brilliant, inventive teenager, with one good friend--Stig, another boy people tend to go around. Hal is the proud owner of his revolutionary boat, the Heron, and Brotherband training starts soon. When it starts, he gets stuck with the rest of the outcasts of the teenage group. In order to survive, Hal will have to lead with ingenuity and courage, and the group must band together and become a real team in order to win the ultimate competition.
Other: My family loved The Outcasts, the first book in Flanagan's new series. It is very different from The Ranger's Apprentice, and that does it good. We couldn't compare the two because they are so different. It was fun, exciting, and well-written, and the characters were very varied and well-drawn. They are definitely the highlight of the book. We can't wait for the next one. (Ages 10+) ~Amy
Pirate Adventures: Isle of Swords/Isle of Fire--Wayne Thomas Batson
Isle of Swords is the first book.
Genre: Action/Adventure
Summary: A lost treasure, an evil pirate, swordfights, brilliant plans, and memorable characters combine to make two entertaining and engrossing books. In the Isle of Swords, Captain Declan Ross is a successful pirate--but only because he needs to be. His wife died, and his daughter wants nothing more than to be a part of his crew. Then he hears about a lost treasure that could provide for his whole crew and make pirating a thing of the past. But the most dangerous pirate of the seas, Captain Blackthorne, is also after it, and he will stop at nothing to make sure nobody gets it first.
In the Isle of Fire, Captain Declan Ross and crew are up against Blackthorne once again, as they try to save a whole country from complete, burning destruction and not get killed in the process.
Other: I love these books. The characters are really well developed and fun (cool, flamboyant, smart, stoic, or, of course, slightly unwashed in a very pirate fashion), and the action is almost non-stop. Bible verses and Biblical standards are scattered throughout and give some meaning to this already great story. I enjoyed the first book more than the sequel, but they were both good. Highly recommended for teens who like battles, danger, and adventure. (Ages 13/14+) ~Amy
Summary: A lost treasure, an evil pirate, swordfights, brilliant plans, and memorable characters combine to make two entertaining and engrossing books. In the Isle of Swords, Captain Declan Ross is a successful pirate--but only because he needs to be. His wife died, and his daughter wants nothing more than to be a part of his crew. Then he hears about a lost treasure that could provide for his whole crew and make pirating a thing of the past. But the most dangerous pirate of the seas, Captain Blackthorne, is also after it, and he will stop at nothing to make sure nobody gets it first.
In the Isle of Fire, Captain Declan Ross and crew are up against Blackthorne once again, as they try to save a whole country from complete, burning destruction and not get killed in the process.
Other: I love these books. The characters are really well developed and fun (cool, flamboyant, smart, stoic, or, of course, slightly unwashed in a very pirate fashion), and the action is almost non-stop. Bible verses and Biblical standards are scattered throughout and give some meaning to this already great story. I enjoyed the first book more than the sequel, but they were both good. Highly recommended for teens who like battles, danger, and adventure. (Ages 13/14+) ~Amy