Originally posted Thursday, November 27, 2008
Reviewed on Facebook for Harper Collins
This book is Young Adult Fiction and I have rated it from that point of view.
Arthur Slade has given us a story about a 14-year old boy with a very unusual heritage. For over 200 years the Starker family have all been killed by lightning. Newton is the last male descendant and as such is extremely restricted in his lifestyle, something a lot of young people will relate to. His home is equivalent to living in a bunker.
I really enjoyed this book, and I’m sure it will appeal to this age-group. Every chapter is short, every episode is a chapter.
Aside from the constant fear of lightning, “always check the weather before going out”, when Newton enrolls in the Jerry Potts Academy of Higher Living and Survival in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, he learns about friendship, trust, overcoming fear, and above all patience, although it takes the whole book to teach him the last.
Newton’s Survival List is the filler and the glue that joins the chapters. The book is very easy to read, each short chapter a different part of his learning. There are some good survival tips for anyone in the book, as well. I would recommend this book for children and teens 8-14, but not exclusively. A fascinating, entirely different type of style and storyline to enjoy. 4 1/2 stars
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