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Book Review

Publisher's Note:

What begins as a training run with sled dogs turns into a race against time for Tatum and her new friend, a Siberian Yupik boy named Cole. When a freak blizzard hits this remote island off the coast of Alaska, the duo seeks shelter overnight in a dilapidated hunting cabin. Their harrowing ordeal goes from bad to worse when wind-driven snow forces them to risk an alternate route. Stranded in the untamed wilderness, they must rely on each other—as well as their faithful huskies—to survive sub-zero temperatures and bone-numbing exhaustion. Worse still, their food supply is dangerously low. The most daunting decision comes when the strongest dog runs away. One person must go for help, while one must stay behind. Either way, they'll both be alone in the wild for an uncertain amount of time…

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Ice Island

by Sherry Shahan

Reviewer: Cindy B
Genre: Action/Adventure, Fiction, Suspense
Recommended Age: 12+

Overall Book Review:

As fast-paced and chilling as the Alaskan ice itself, Ice Island is a gripping, hard-to-put-down story of adventure and danger perfect for fans of Gary Paulsen or Jean Craighead George. I enjoyed the vivid descriptions of small-town Alaska and the deft portraits of the cultural conflicts there. Although I found myself wishing there had been a little more character development, Ice Island was a quick, fun read and highly recommended for young adults 12 and up.

This book was sent to Compass Book Ratings for review by Random House


Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language: One mild obscenity.

Violence/Gore: A girl breaks through the ice and is in danger from the freezing water. Several stories are told about Iditarod racers with frostbite or other injuries. Characters fall from sleds. A young teen butchers a game animal (the scene is about a page long and fairly graphic). A character is menaced by a dog. Several dangerous scenarios come about as a result of inclement weather.

Sex/Nudity:  ***

Mature Subject Matter:

Life-threatening conditions, cultural/ethnic differences.

Alcohol / Drug Use:

***

Overall Book Rating
Profanity/Language
Rating:
1
10
Violence/Gore
Rating:
4
10
Sex/Nudity
Rating:
0
10

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About the Reviewer

Cindy B
As a kid, I used to tell people that I wanted to be a “professional book reviewer” when I grew up (along with writer/ballerina/figure skater/mom). I thought that any profession that involved the full-time reading of books was my idea of heaven. Getting the chance to review books is a little dream come true!

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