Saturday, April 9, 2011

No Passengers Beyond This Point

By Gennifer Choldenko
Rated: 4 1/4 stars

The Tompkins family are in dire straits.  They are losing their house and their mother is sending teenager India, Finn, and young Mouse off to live with their Uncle Red in Colorado while she finishes off teaching for the year.  The kids are all in shock and quite unhappy with the situation, but they dutifully board the plane for Fort Baker.  But when they arrive, they are picked up by Chuck, who seems suspiciously like a boy.  And he takes them not to Fort Baker but a place called Falling Bird where they are welcomed by people all knowing their names and into what would be their dream houses with all their favorite things.  But then Finn, the worrier, has to ask the question: What is going on?  And that sets him and his sisters on a journey to try to escape Falling Bird and save themselves, but first they have to find the black box and a tunnel dog...whatever that means!  Part science fiction, part fantasy, part adventure, part realistic, this story takes a twist at the end that no one will expect.  A fast-paced story that will fascinate many a reader.