Curtis Parkinson

I received this book as a giveaway. When the package first got here, my 11-year-old son stole it out of my hands, saying, "Finally, a book for me!" He disappeared for half a day, and when he emerged he made me order Curtis Parkinson's older books so he could read those as well. I also enjoyed this young adult book - it was fast-paced, full of dilemma, mystery, and a wee bit of romance - just right for a boy of a certain age. The combination of ships, Nazis, kidnapping, and a diabolical plan were spot on. Is he an author I would read more? No. But for my boys, he is the kind of writer that I will direct them toward.… (meer)

Storm-blast by Curtis Parkinson is a children’s story of a life and death incident that happens to three teens as a day of snorkelling in the Grenadines turns to horror as a sudden storm whisks them out to sea. Their motor doesn’t work and the storm carries them for miles. All the kids have is one jug of water to share between them. Over the course of their adventure they experience rogue waves and sharks along with intense thirst and hunger.

Their dinghy is slowing losing air and sinking lower and lower into the water. To lighten the load they try to drop the useless outboard motor over the side but two of them end up injured. Regan, his sister, Carol and their cousin Matt are on vacation with their families, sailing around St. Vincent and the Grenadines, but now these three who aren’t the best of friends, must work together to survive until rescue can come.

Aimed at kids around the age of 10 - 12, the author delivers a taunt, exciting story that shows how each of the three kids had their own strengths and weaknesses and how working together enabled them to survive. While a little light for an adult, I can see this would be an exciting reading for younger readers.… (meer)

An excellent action-packed adventure novel, great for middle-grade boys who like a story to start right off with the action, no waiting around for slow character or setting-building. Right off the bat we are on a ship cruising the rapids of the St. Lawrence River, and someone is about to fall overboard, and our hero, Scott, 16, a deckhand on the ship, is afraid to reveal that he knows there is a Nazi spy on board! Whew! And away we go! The book is long on action--spies, double agents, kidnapping, thugs, and some nautical adventures--and short on character development for any of the side characters (Scott's girlfriend Lindsay is nice, but you know nothing about her; his best friend Adam, also 16 and a waiter on the ship, falls in love with a French girl who is given a name and helpful nature but not much else). But that's okay, it's a lot of fun, a story about a little-seen aspect of World War II, with a Canadian twist as the action takes place in Canadian towns along the northern border of the river. I would recommend it for boys in 4th-6th grades or older low-level high interest readers.… (meer)