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For twelve-year old Andy Washburn, it seems his family has been going on the same fishing vacation in Canada forever. Even though his best friend and cousin, CJ, vacations with him, it is a dreary trip where nothing exciting ever happens. So, naturally, he cannot share his parents’ excitement for the same trip this year, even when CJ, a computer aficionado, promises to bring the latest games. To break the monotony, the cousins and their sisters take a break from fishing on the second day of the trip and decide to explore the woods. There they stumble upon a massive poaching operation, where the poachers use airplanes to ferret scores of animals under cover of darkness.
Readers aware of Max Elliot Anderson’s books should now be familiar with his fast paced narrative where the action unfolds briskly, the dialog is crisp, and the twists and turns are ubiquitous. The current book should not disappoint Anderson’s fans. As Andy, CJ, and their sometimes reluctant sisters try to thwart the poachers, they veer from one excitement to another, often just a step away from the villains. CJ’s computer wizardry and Andy’s navigational skills come in handy and the gang thinks of a clever way to prevent the poachers from completing their nefarious deeds.
Anderson does a great job of keeping the action going at a fast pace, probably knowing fully well that the average young reader would rather be working the controls of a video game console than plough through printed text. At the end of each chapter, he typically introduces a twist or an exciting plot turn that makes this a one-sit read. The actions of the kids, while daring, do not defy credibility. This is a fine addition to the author’s list of books and a good introduction to the new reader.
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North Woods Poachers