by Josh McCall
Penguin Group, 2006
Genre: Mystery, Science Fiction
Honors:
- Booklist 07/01/06
- School Library Journal 07/01/06
Review: Monica, BB, and Kev1n are planning a breakout--breaking out of summer camp, that is. Their plans are nearly cemented when BB's tutor from school Newt Lizzard, sends him a vague SOS text. The gang follows the clues from his call back to his family's mansion, and from there a mystery blackout takes down the power of all of New York City, leaving chaos in the streets. With a frail attempt at suspense, McCall draws readers down the path of Monica, BB, and Kev1n--who call themselves the Blackout Gang--as they navigate the city in search of the source--or person--responsible for the blackout. The mystery thickens just slightly as the gang learns that their parents have been kidnapped in connection with the blackout and that they must risk their lives in order to stop a maniacal kid genius from taking over the world and creating a computer playmate using a surrogate body.
Opinion: This book is short and witty, and the plot is fully revealed fairly quickly. There is not a lot of guesswork to be done. This may be a nice read for those who do not want a lot of complexity or a lengthy cast of characters--there are shifts throughout the narrative between the kids from the Blackout Gang, Newt Lizzard, and his nanny, and only one or two other faces make a brief appearance. I was not very impressed with the book, but I think many 9-to-10-year-olds, especially those into computers and gaming, might like this as it has short chapters, making it feel like an easy read, and it has a simple mystery plot to resolve.
Ideas: Mysteries can be fun to reenact as a play or acting exercise. Another way this book could be used is in a book club, where members of the book agree to read a few chapters at a time and meet periodically to predict what is going to happen next or who might turn out to be the villain.
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