Peak

This was my first Roland Smith novel and I was worried that it would be light on detail and excitement. The opposite proved true.

Reader reviewed by Mari

Peak Marcellos future looks bleak when the 14-year-old is arrested for climbing New York City skyscrapers. The judge is ready to make an example of him by sentencing him to Juvenile Detention. Out of the blue, Peaks estranged father, renowned mountain climber Joshua Wood, offers to take his son to live with him in Thailand, where he owns a climbing company. But before the pair arrives in Thailand, they have one stop to make - Mt. Everest. Excited by the opportunity to climb, Peak is also painfully aware that his father has ulterior motives for taking him in.

 

I was not familiar with Roland Smiths work before reading Peak. I realized quickly that I had overlooked a fantastic author! The story was intelligent, engaging, suspenseful, and well researched. The characters were multi-dimensional and real. Smith did such a tremendous job of describing the setting and the challenges Peak faced in his attempt to summit Everest that when I finished the novel, I almost felt as if I had been there to witness Peaks struggles.

Reader reviewed by Mason

This book is about a boy named Peak. After getting arrested for climbing skyscrapers in New York City, Peak is sent to live with his dad. Peak's dad runs a business in Tibet where he helps people get to the summit of Mount Everest. Peak gets an offer to climb Mount Everest with his dad. If he makes it to the top before he is fifteen, he will be the youngest person to summit Everest.

I enjoyed reading about Peak's experiences as he attempted to climb Everest. I also liked how the book was a journal that he wrote explaining his experiences. This book reminds me of My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George because they are both about teenagers who must survive the harsh elements of a mountain. Both books are also written as the main character's journal. I would recommend this book to anyone in middle school who likes books about the great outdoors and nature.

Reader reviewed by Mrs. C

Peak is a great exploration of an adolescent boy's discovery of what he considers important in his life. The main character, Peak, is sent to spend some time with his dad, a mountain climber, in Nepal. While there, he is given the opportunity of a lifetime: to become the youngest climber ever to summit Everest. The journey to the top of the world, as it turns out, is the ultimate journey within.

The novel additionally includes an interesting peek into Nepalese culture, as well as the lifestyle of a professional mountain climber. A theme of "all is not what it seems" runs throughout, as well as the virtue of forgiveness.

Great high-interest book for male reluctant readers.