Arrival (Phoenix Files)

Chris Morphew

Still reeling from his parents’ divorce, Luke resents moving to the Australian outback for his mother’s latest high-powered job. While the town of Phoenix seems shiny and idyllic, Luke cannot adjust to the lack of cars, roads, Internet, or cell-phone coverage. The biggest incongruity in this seemingly perfect, invite-only community is Crazy Bill, a homeless man. He sends a coded message to Luke and his friends, Jordan and Peter, leading them to a now-abandoned airport and providing clues to a hidden map. Despite their reluctance to believe Crazy Bill’s strange ramblings, the friends find themselves on a dangerous quest to uncover the truth about Phoenix and save the world from its scheduled destruction in 100 days. The story is fast paced and punctuated with dry humor. Luke makes a compelling narrator, balancing tense drama with realistic moments of self-doubt, friendship dynamics, and a budding attraction to Jordan. Adventure fans will thoroughly enjoy this Australian import and anxiously await the next three books in the series. Grades 6-9. --Suzanne Harold