Book Review: Across the Desert

 

Across the Desert

by Dusti Bowling

Pub Date 12 Oct 2021 

 Little, Brown Books for Young Readers 

 Children's Fiction

I am reviewing a copy of Across the Desert through Little Brown for Young Readers and NetGalley:

Jolene who is twelve spends every day she can at the library watching her favorite livestream: The Desert Aviator, where twelve-year-old “Addie Earhart”shares her adventures flying an ultralight plane over the desert.   Jolene can dream about what it’s like to fly with her, far away from her troubled home, where she must watch her Mother struggle with her addiction to narcotics.   And Addie is dealing with her own grief, over the loss of her Father who she misses terribly finds solace in her online conversations with Jolene, her biggest and only fan.

One day though it all goes wrong, Addie's engine abruptly stops, and Jolene watches in helpless horror as the ultralight plummets to the ground and the video goes dark.   Jolene knows that Addie won’t last long in the extreme summer heat, in the middle of a desert .  Without anyone to turn to for help and armed with only a hand-drawn map and a stolen cell phone, it's up to Jolene to find a way to save the Desert Aviator.

For young readers who enjoy adventure as well as stories of hope and resilience , as well as the strength within each of us, then Across the Desert is just the book.

I give Across the Desert five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!