High Risk. (Zac Power). H. I. Larry. Illustrated by Andy Hook. Toronto, ON: Scholastic Canada, 2012. 91 pp., pbk., $5.99. ISBN 978-1-4431-1909-2. Grades 3-5 / Ages 8-10. Review by Kate Hachborn. ***½/4

excerpt:

Zac glided toward the light. As he got closer, he saw a hot-air balloon up ahead. It was hovering above the forest. There was someone in the basket underneath, waving to him.

Riiiip!

But just then the Dragonfly’s damaged wings tore wide open. Zac was so close, but he wasn’t going to make it!

He unzipped his body cover and dived desperately toward the balloon’s basket.

But Zac was too far away, and he plummeted toward the ground!

Zac Power, a 12-year-old spy for the Government Investigation Bureau (GIB), is a typical boy on his way to school when he is recruited for yet another mission. The prince of the Hidden Kingdom has been kidnapped, and it is Zac Power’s job to rescue him – with one catch! The Hidden Kingdom does not permit any electronic gadgets within their borders. How can Zac save the day when his favourite tools are beyond reach?

     High Risk is one of 11 titles in the “Zac Power” series, a fast-paced series that caters to tech-savvy, action-loving readers. The plot is linear and moves quickly while chapters are kept short but full of action. Though the plot is not always believable, it is typical of the spy genre, where characters have superhuman abilities and exceptional luck. Pictures and diagrams of spy gear, enemy bios, and timers are interspersed with the text and pair well with the spy theme.

      While there is a subtle commentary on the importance of, and dependence on, technology, readers will enjoy Zac Power’s inventive alternatives. High Risk would be great for reluctant readers, particularly male readers, and would also appeal to those who enjoy video games.

      Eventually the nanurluk escapes the icy chasm, but it is so badly wounded that it stumbles across the ice, not even noticing the hunter. The bear collapses on the land, with the hunter trailing behind to collect the meat for food. Because of the hunter’s ingenuity and bravery, his family grew and prospered.

Highly Recommended.

Kate Hachborn is a Library Technician at the W. Ross Macdonald School in Brantford, ON.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

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Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

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