Middleworld

Gr 5—9—Max, 14, has had enough! His archaeologist parents have always been annoyingly obsessed with everything Mayan. But now they have canceled the family vacation to go on a dig in Central America, leaving him behind. Max is furious, moping around and avoiding the chores left to him by his father. One day, the housekeeper mysteriously turns up with a ticket for Max to San Xavier where he is supposed to meet up with his parents. From the time his plane touches down, nothing goes as planned. First, Max is met at the airport by a stranger and sent on a wild bus ride to find an uncle he has only heard bad things about. Then, he discovers that his parents have vanished into the jungle. To top it off, he gets lost in the rainforest and teams up with a strong-willed Mayan girl named Lola. Together they embark on a quest to find Max's parents and uncover the ancient secrets that are placing the entire world at risk of destruction. Scott Brick does a nice job of capturing the breathless action of the story and Max's varied and changing emotions. He provides convincingly unique voices for all the major characters. With a winning combination of appealing characters, a solid story, and excellent narration, this audiobook will appeal to fans of fantasy and high adventure.—Deanna Romriell, Salt Lake City Public Library, UT