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amy_mark's review against another edition
4.0
Imie IV and I really enjoyed this book. We will be looking to read the next in the series!
pandacat42's review against another edition
(I am reviewing an advanced copy of this work)
I would have liked
a. The story to be more believable
>The quest for a power source isn't very believable
b. To not feel like I'm ping-ponging from character to character
>Focus the perspective on the point of view of two characters between scenes, preferably Anna and Dash.
c. A little more description in some of the scenes
>Though, this can be a double-edged sword when wanting to keep the story shorter for elementary readers.
I felt like Anna and Dash are really the focal characters. Anna has a lot of potential for growth, given she needs to learn some sympathetic personality traits. I think the story is set up for Dash and Anna to have to depend on each other at some point because they are such opposite personalities.
I would have liked
a. The story to be more believable
>The quest for a power source isn't very believable
b. To not feel like I'm ping-ponging from character to character
>Focus the perspective on the point of view of two characters between scenes, preferably Anna and Dash.
c. A little more description in some of the scenes
>Though, this can be a double-edged sword when wanting to keep the story shorter for elementary readers.
I felt like Anna and Dash are really the focal characters. Anna has a lot of potential for growth, given she needs to learn some sympathetic personality traits. I think the story is set up for Dash and Anna to have to depend on each other at some point because they are such opposite personalities.
froggylibrarian1's review against another edition
5.0
The Earth is running out of energy. In fact, it has gotten so bad that there is a mandatory lights out every night. But - there is hope from the Source. At the beginning of the book 8 kids are entering the final phases of Project Alpha. 4 will be chosen to travel to deep space and retrieve the necessary ingredient to create the Source and solve the world's energy issues.
The 8 kids (age 12) train and fight and finally 4 are chosen. But that is just the beginning. Soon after they leave they discover that there is more to the mission than they were told. And what about the 4 who didn't make it???
I really enjoyed this book. Good interaction between the characters, some good mystery. The remaining 5 books are supposed to be coming out in rapid succession.
The 8 kids (age 12) train and fight and finally 4 are chosen. But that is just the beginning. Soon after they leave they discover that there is more to the mission than they were told. And what about the 4 who didn't make it???
I really enjoyed this book. Good interaction between the characters, some good mystery. The remaining 5 books are supposed to be coming out in rapid succession.
natycuac's review against another edition
3.0
Un libro muy entretenido, dinámico e ideal para los jóvenes de hoy en día, logra capturar la aventura y, aunque sin muchas explicaciones, tiene buenos tintes de ciencia ficción. Ya veremos que tal sigue.
yapha's review against another edition
3.0
I can see this becoming a very popular series, especially when the online game component goes live. Recommended for grades 3-5.
ARC provided by publisher.
ARC provided by publisher.
the_fabric_of_words's review against another edition
5.0
This is a fun sci-fi / space opera series for younger middle grade readers, featuring a contest to get into space, a team of four winners, and simulations that prepare them for the challenges they'll face on a two-year mission. I know it's a bit older, but given the weight many of these authors carry in kid-lit circles, I felt it worth reading and recommending for the holiday season.
The set up is that the Earth has depleted all fossil energy sources and is experiencing wide-spread electricity blackouts. Enter Project Alpha, ostensibly judged by Commander Shawn Phillips, but actually conceived and controlled behind the scenes by Chris, a boy-genius who supposedly designed the technology to go into space and find the elements that will form the Source, an unlimited power source for Earth. (I'm not entirely convinced Chris is human, but I'll have to read more to find out.)
Project Alpha starts as a nationwide competition and is winnowed down to eight finalists, who make up the bulk of the story. Only four kids are chosen, but don't count the losers out of the competition.
They're chosen after facing simulation challenges presenting situations they'll encounter while on the two-year mission in space. One is against a Raptogon, a sort of Tyranno-Velociraptor hybrid on a jungle-like planet. Another is a yeti-like being in a frozen tundra. Another is a bunch of sneaky, intelligent robots in an entirely engineered structure with moving floor tiles (kinda like a video game).
The twelve year olds are chosen because anyone over the age of 14 can be harmed by the space travel technology utilized on the Cloud Leopard. Except for Chris.
The Alpha teen captain, Dash, is older than anticipated and has to take drugs to delay the onset of puberty, and if he doesn't take his meds on time, every day, he could die before coming home from the mission. That's a tall order for any 12-year-old to adhere to. The other three winners are Gabriel, who wants to be a pilot; Carly and Piper, who uses a cool hovercraft insted of a wheelchair.
The first planet the kids go to is the Raptogon planet, and the challenge is to extract a tooth from one of the huge hulking beasts. I won't spoil how it ends, just know they have to come together as a team to accomplish their mission.
It sets it up nicely for book 2. This was a quick, easy read, fun for middle grade readers interested in science fiction and space travel who still haven't quite given up their fascination of dinosaurs. Enjoy!
Looking for more book suggestions for your 7th/8th grade classroom and students?
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
The set up is that the Earth has depleted all fossil energy sources and is experiencing wide-spread electricity blackouts. Enter Project Alpha, ostensibly judged by Commander Shawn Phillips, but actually conceived and controlled behind the scenes by Chris, a boy-genius who supposedly designed the technology to go into space and find the elements that will form the Source, an unlimited power source for Earth. (I'm not entirely convinced Chris is human, but I'll have to read more to find out.)
Project Alpha starts as a nationwide competition and is winnowed down to eight finalists, who make up the bulk of the story. Only four kids are chosen, but don't count the losers out of the competition.
They're chosen after facing simulation challenges presenting situations they'll encounter while on the two-year mission in space. One is against a Raptogon, a sort of Tyranno-Velociraptor hybrid on a jungle-like planet. Another is a yeti-like being in a frozen tundra. Another is a bunch of sneaky, intelligent robots in an entirely engineered structure with moving floor tiles (kinda like a video game).
The twelve year olds are chosen because anyone over the age of 14 can be harmed by the space travel technology utilized on the Cloud Leopard. Except for Chris.
The Alpha teen captain, Dash, is older than anticipated and has to take drugs to delay the onset of puberty, and if he doesn't take his meds on time, every day, he could die before coming home from the mission. That's a tall order for any 12-year-old to adhere to. The other three winners are Gabriel, who wants to be a pilot; Carly and Piper, who uses a cool hovercraft insted of a wheelchair.
The first planet the kids go to is the Raptogon planet, and the challenge is to extract a tooth from one of the huge hulking beasts. I won't spoil how it ends, just know they have to come together as a team to accomplish their mission.
It sets it up nicely for book 2. This was a quick, easy read, fun for middle grade readers interested in science fiction and space travel who still haven't quite given up their fascination of dinosaurs. Enjoy!
Looking for more book suggestions for your 7th/8th grade classroom and students?
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
jbrooxd's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this! The first part focused on the 8 project candidates. Once it was down to 4, the action amped up as the project kicked into gear. There seem to be plenty of secrets to still be addressed. I had only planned to read book one to get a feel of the series for students, but I am grabbing book two right now! (Thanks to ILA and the publisher for providing ARCs for books 1&2)