Dawn Patrol

Gr 5–Up—When Kevin's parents die in a plane crash in Panama, everything turns upside down. One day, the teen disappears without warning, leaving only a cryptic note for his friends Luca and Esme. Determined to find him, they head to Panama to try and talk some sense into him. While catching waves and trying to locate him, Luca is nearly killed by Jose, a local surfer. As he's pulled from the water by another surfer, he swears he sees Kevin with Jose. As the clues about Kevin's family's past and his parents' deaths unfold, Luca can't help but wonder if his near-death encounter might be related to something more sinister. This suspenseful story has a lot of appeal for reluctant readers. The characters are well developed, and the plot is complex and intriguing, and has a good mix of humor, mystery, and adventure. Chapters are short, move fairly quickly, and are easy to follow. Readers who like sports, mystery, and adventure will enjoy this book.—Erik Carlson, White Plains Public Library, NY