Crater Lake: Battle for Wizard Island - Steve Westover

Released March 2012

Steve Westover
Cedar Fort

Reviewed by Tracy Farnsworth

Ethan and Jordan's parents bring them to Uncle Bart's post at Crater Lake figuring the best way to stop their fighting is by leaving Ethan with his uncle for the summer. Other teens, Allie, Brady and Jacob happen to also be at Crater Lake hiking when anyone 16 and older vanishes, adults are all sucked into the earth presenting a substantial mystery. Banding together, the teens must figure out what happened to the adults, and if it's possible to save them.

Crater Lake: Battle for Wizard Island is the first book in a trilogy. The story grabbed me from the start. First, the setting is vivid. The author does a great job at capturing the beauty of Crater Lake. Second, the characters are all likable. Ethan and his sister fight like any pre-teen and teen siblings would. Brady and Jacob's knowledge thanks to their Boy Scout training really put everything they've learned to good use.

One of the things that really stood out for me was that nothing was sugarcoated. To save their parents, the teens face some deadly situations. Nothing is easy, but their love for the parents is the driving force. They bond together, despite differences of opinions, to work as a team to solve the mystery. I think there are great lessons to be learned from their bravery and perseverance. I can't wait to see what happens in Steve Westover's future books.