Book: Kalahari

Kalahari

by Jessica Khoury

Length: 384

Format: Paperback
Price: Barnes & Noble says $8.25. I ordered it from Scholastic with class points.

How I heard about it: I saw it on Scholastic and was intrigued by the cover. I had two girls take it home and bring it back the next day. I decided it would be my first official summer read.

Basic Premise: American Sarah Carmichael has spent her life in Asia and Africa with her zoologist parents. When funds are low they agree to host a group of five American teenagers for a two-week safari in the bush. But when disaster strikes, Sarah finds herself alone with five teenagers in the most dangerous place on the planet.

My Take: 6.5 out of 10 (scale here)

I love Africa, lions, and YAL, so this book and I seemed like a match made in heaven. And we sort of were. It was good and interesting. The author had either done her research or had an upbringing similar to Sarah's. The main issue I had with the book is that things were simply too outrageous. I was hoping for something that might actually happen, but there is no stinking way these kids could all survive all the creature attacks and dehydration and lack of transportation. There was also a weird sci-fi element which I didn't see coming and didn't think it quite fit. We honestly didn't need any more drama, so I felt like the story could have done without that particular bit. But I did love the setting and the protagonists love and passion for her homeland. Definitely a a book I can recommend to kids, and I haven't read one of those in awhile, so I'm happy!