Common Sense Media Review
Hardly a classic, but still a riveting adventure.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 11+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 3 parent reviews
Based on 10 kid reviews
Kids say the book is an intense and thrilling read, but it contains significant violence and mature themes, making it more suitable for older teen readers. Many reviews highlight mixed feelings about character development and some scenes, particularly a plane crash that occurs in a girl's yard, causing emotional turmoil for her, while others praise its captivating storyline despite the gruesomeness.
- intense themes
- character issues
- suitable for teens
- mixed reviews
- captivating storyline
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Heidi is sixteen, living on a huge estate. She can't get better than C's, can't make many friends, and doesn't think much of herself. Patrick is seventeen, from a working family, and lives to be a volunteer emergency worker.
While Heidi's parents are away, a 747 crashes into her estate. She makes her uncertain way toward the passengers, leaving her insecurities behind, simply to act. Patrick arrives first to wade through the carnage, while Darienne, a passenger, walks away unhurt.
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Hundreds of workers arrive and the book follows several of them, always focusing on the three teenagers: Heidi, Patrick, and the beautiful but incredibly selfish Darienne.
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Daniel, a fifteen-year old trapped in the wreckage, feels his anger toward his parents dissolve as he wonders if he'll walk again, or even live. But everyone forgets little five-year-old Teddie. Will she survive? Heidi and Patrick find unknown strengths within themselves as the suspense blazes forward.
Is It Any Good?
An entertaining melodrama, this adventure novel is a good choice for reluctant readers. It doesn't have much literary merit, but it is terrific entertainment with a good message. The characters must all let go of some ingrained ideas they have about themselves, and in giving up these falsehoods, they mature. The story features both male and female leading characters, so both boys and girls will be able to identify with at least one of them and imagine themselves stumbling through the wet forest, frantically trying to save injured passengers.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the characters in the story. How do the backgrounds of the characters affect how they respond to this emergency? How do you think you would respond?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Contemporary Fiction
- Book type : Fiction
- Publication date : January 1, 1992
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 12 - 17
- Number of pages : 201
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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