 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Stormbreaker (Alex Rider Adventures, Book 1)
- By Anthony Horowitz
- Genre: Adventure
Common Sense Media says
British teen spy saves England in thriller!
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this has all of the violence, though none of the sex, of a James Bond movie.
What's the story?
Alex Rider has lived with his uncle Ian since his parents were killed in an accident when he was an infant. Now Ian has died in an accident as well, but as Alex looks deeper he finds that everything he knew about his uncle was a lie. He wasn't a banker, he was a spy for Britain's MI6, and his death was no accident. Now MI6 wants Alex to spy for them as well, and they won't take no for an answer. Though he is only 14, he discovers that his uncle was training him for spying his whole life.
Billionaire Herod Sayle is donating his state-of-the-art computers to every school in England. But MI6 is suspicious of his motives, and Ian was killed while investigating him. Now they want to send Alex in to find out what is going on behind the guarded fences of Sayle Enterprises.
Is it any good?
Doing a serious review of something like this verges on the ridiculous. This is like a Bond movie for kids -- just for fun. Full of action, suspense, thrill-a-minute adventure, gadgets, and a massively competent kid who saves the world through brains, guts, and martial arts, it keeps young readers enthralled. For what it means to be it is very well done, and is especially good for reluctant readers.
Don't look here for literary value, clever dialogue, character development, logic, or sense. Don't bother with suspending disbelief: You have to stick it in a bag filled with concrete and sink it in the nearest river (or perhaps put it in a tank with a giant poisonous jellyfish, as is done to Alex at one point). But the target audience won't have any trouble suspending disbelief -- they'll eat up every second and beg for more.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about how Alex is used and mistreated by the supposed good guys, the reasons for the villain's madness, or which parts are more or less realistic.
Or you could just compare which parts you thought were coolest.
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AGE
STORMBREAKER
i think alex is going to find out what happen to his uncle im only on chapter 11 right know
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AGE
I think you should read it ages 10 - 14
I think it's a great book, but the violence is pretty extreme! I would love it even more if less people we shot and the violence was put to a limit. After all i'm only 11 but LOVE to read! I think the book is great, but parents might need to read it first for less advanced readers.
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AGE
Fanatic Readers!
I love the book, its action packed and keeps you on your seat.
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AGE
Alex Rider: a book to consider.
I think that this book is one of the best books written in 2000. I would recomend this book to any one. Sometimes (if you read the other book) when you read the other books you find that they start to get a bit samey. But if you want to try an Alex Rider book...this is the one to try.
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AGE
good, but the series is a bit repetitive.
The series is a bit repetitive for my liking, and it's a cliche when it comes to this kind of writing, but good. i wish that this series was told from first person tho. Just to make it so that readers find a connection in the writing. Also at the beginning, i didnt really like it because his uncle dies. but on the other hand that's better than those other books where you get attached to the character and then, boom, just like that, they're dead. The plot in general and the kid-spy mood is good, too. the gory description is good too, altho i'd say that it limits the writer's possible audience. but really, if you want a series where the plot is different in each book, try something like percy jackson and the olympians. also some of the details might not appeal to little kids, and they might not understand what anthony horowitz is saying.
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AGE
This is one of the best books i have ever read. I recomend this book to any one who likes to read.
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AGE
good for kids who dont like to read
its a good book for kids who normally dont like to read my best friend really hates reading but she loves this series! i think that this is more for a middle school kids because some younger kids might not understand all of it (and just to say i actually forgot it had cussing in it, its just a book)
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AGE
perfect for all ages
This book is jam packed full of action and exitement, is compltely age apropriate for nearly any age, and has just the right amount of anything
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Kid, 12 years old
July 28, 2011
AGE
Alex Rider=Tons of awesomeness
This is a marvelous book. Horowitz outdid himself in this thriller. I'm a slow reader, but I finished this one in three days. It's addicting, but not World of Warcraft addicting. It make a guy who HATES reading in the library every week for the next book. It does involve murder, killing, etc. as well as cursing. So if you have/are the kid who generally repeats new "vocabulary words" they learned that day, this is not the book for you. Otherwise, enjoy the ride.
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AGE
Great book, just a bit violent. I was actually surprised how violent it was, but it turns out it wasn't the worst in the series. This book is the most mild in the whole series, nothing bad about really. If it was a videogame, it would be a different story, but it's a nice book.
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| Author: | Anthony Horowitz |
| Book type: | Fiction |
| Genre: | Adventure |
| Publisher: | Penguin Group |
| Publication date: | September 5, 2005 |
| Number of pages: | 192 |
| Hardcover price: | $17.99 |
| Paperback price: | $2.99 |
| Publisher's recommended age(s): | 10 - 14 |
| Read aloud: | 9 |
| Read alone: | 10 |
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