The Starlight Claim

July 1, 2019
A teen journeys into the wilderness searching for a lost friend. It's been four months since Nate's pal Dodge disappeared in a terrible boating accident. Nate's been haunted by nightmares ever since, desperate for closure over his friend's demise. Armed with survivalist skills his father, Burl (the main character of the author's 1995 book, The Maestro), taught him from a young age, Nate travels to his family's secluded camp only to find it already occupied by some nefarious characters: a trio of felons who've escaped from a nearby prison. Trapped by a winter storm and joined by a mysterious ally, Nate is forced to use his smarts and unique skills to make it out alive. There's a lot going on here, and the disparate elements never effectively congeal. The beginning of the tale reads more like an equipment checklist and some smart survival tips strung along a simple adventure narrative, but when the story pivots toward an emotional, introspective tone, there's no foundation beneath it. Readers itching for an adventure story will be bored by the ponderous passages, and those uninterested in outdoorsy pursuits won't make it past the field-guide nature of the first 50 or so pages. The book assumes a white default. A misfire. (Survival fiction. 12-16)

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July 22, 2019
Twenty-four years after the publication of Wynne-Jones’s The Maestro, which traces 14-year-old Burl’s flight from his abusive father, comes this “intergenerational sequel,” an equally riveting survival tale featuring Burl’s teenage son, Nate. Nearly four months have passed since Nate’s friend Dodge disappeared from their families’ campsite in the Canadian wilderness. He is presumed dead, but his body hasn’t been found, and Nate is determined to search the site himself. His solo trek to Ghost Lake (Nate’s parents mistakenly think he’ll be accompanied by a friend) is hazardous enough in the winter, but the dangers increase when Nate finds that his family’s cabin is occupied by escaped convicts. With no cellphone service and a blizzard on its way, Nate holes up in a neighboring cabin and must rely on his knowledge, wits, and instincts to survive his ordeal. An action-packed adventure featuring snowmobile chases, violent encounters, and Nate’s courageous attempt to provide aid, the book is also a poignant coming-of-age story with Nate, haunted by memories of Dodge, gaining new insight into his friend and discovering new facets of his heritage. Heavy foreshadowing makes some of the plot predictable, but the book’s fast pace and frequent dramatic moments will hold the attention of even reluctant readers. Ages 14–up.

September 1, 2019

Gr 8 Up-This taut and twisty thriller follows teen protagonist Nate as he navigates difficult physical and psychological landscapes. Physically, Nate decides to take his first solo trip to Ghost Lake, battling a blizzard and the bitter cold alone, unbeknownst to his parents. When he arrives at his family's camp, he finds a group of strange men, who turn out the be escaped prisoners from a nearby maximum-security facility. Nate is forced to leave his supplies and hide out in his friends' deserted camp to keep safe. Luckily, Nate is no stranger to the wilderness, and this obstacle gives him an opportunity to prove himself against the elements. Nate also journeys through the psychological landscape of his grief at the passing of his best friend-the true reason for his solo journey-the threat of violence from the prisoners, and the uncovering of some incredible family secrets. Nate is able to put the painful memories of his best friend to rest while also coming to understand the long-standing feud between his father and grandfather. The conclusion of the novel includes intense moments of suspense and violence, and Nate must decide if he's the type of man to fend for himself or protect others, no matter the cost. Although this book was written as a companion to a much earlier Wynne-Jones novel, giving it a lackluster title that is never explained in the text, it can stand alone. The novel is a modern-day Hatchet with plenty of thrills for teen readers. VERDICT A suspenseful thriller about survival against the elements-both physical and mental.-Shannon O'Connor, Unami Middle School, Chalfont, PA

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from July 1, 2019
Grades 9-12 *Starred Review* When 16-year-old Nate's best friend Dodge dies in a boating accident on a remote lake in Northern Ontario, the boy's body isn't found. Four months pass and Nate determines to find his friend's body himself. And so, alone, he heads to the lake and the camps that both his and Dodge's families own on its shore. Intending to make his own camp his base, he is startled to discover that two men have occupied it. When he realizes that the men are escaped convicts, he hides at Dodge's camp but is discovered and threatened with death by one of the convicts. Things become even more complicated when a mysterious third man shows up, his identity hidden by the ski mask he wears. Who is he? Will Nate manage to escape his captors? Will any of them survive the blizzard that roars into the area? Wynne-Jones has done a superb job of verisimilitude and ratcheting up suspense in this page-turning mash-up of mystery and survival story. Rich in plot, the story is also notable for its complex, multidimensional characters, even that of Dodge, whom readers meet in flashbacks. Wynne-Jones doesn't strike a single false note in this beautifully written, compulsively readable adventure.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)