Outback

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"Well-written and intriguing, I read Outback in one sitting. The characters are very well-developed for such a short novel, and I found myself rooting for them at every turn...A fast-paced and enjoyable read for all, but I would definitely recommend this novel for reluctant readers or low level readers."

CM Magazine

"Compliments to Stevenson who has succeeded in giving readers a vivid picture...A successful, fast-paced adventure story. Recommended."

The Horn Book Guide

"There's...drama and excitement [in this] survival tale."

Tri-State YA Book Review Committee

"This fast-paced story gives enough descriptive detail to the give the reader a real feel for the scenery Reluctant readers will gobble it up."

Puget Sound Council for Reviewing Children's Media

"Though short and straightforwardly told, the characters and plot are engaging and it should be a hit with the Hi/Low audience."

Children's Literature - Kathie M. Josephs

Jayden is a high school student who has more absences than attendance. His mother is very concerned about his depression and lack of interest school, so when Jayden's eccentric uncle shows up and explains how he wants Jayden to accompany him on a research expedition, she readily agrees and talks Jayden in going on the trip. Jayden has mixed feelings at first, but decides he has absolutely nothing to lose and agrees to go. Once in Australia, he learns that his Uncle is determined to find the first species of a particular lizard. That was all well and good, but what he didn't expect was meeting and working with a girl named Natalie to whom he took an immediate dislike. While on the expedition, Mel takes a side trip and the Jeep catches fire. He accuses Natalie of sabotaging the jeep and states that it was because she was working for another company and was spying. As the story goes on, Mel dies and the two of them are left alone in this forsaken place. How will the two of them find a way out? Is Natalie really a spy? The reader is hooked from the first page of this book. It is well written, moves along smoothly, and is good for both girls and boys. Reviewer: Kathie M. Josephs

VOYA - Sherry Rampey

Jayden, in Outback, has just been through a difficult break-up with his girlfriend of two years. He is down on his luck and even ponders suicide, but he has been offered a chance to spend time with his uncle in the Outback. When Jayden arrives, everything is not what it seems, and his uncle Mel appears a bit disturbed. When Natalie, Uncle Mel's assistant, gives Jayden the 411 about why Uncle Mel is acting strange, things get a bit more complicated. Riding through the Outback promises to be a huge adventure, but when carelessness and suspicion hitch a ride, things get crazy, unstable, and dangerous. The tone and pace of this story were slow, and it does not pick up until chapter eight, when the jeep explodes. Descriptions overshadowed plot, and made the title seem more of a descriptive itinerary for the Outback than a story. This would be a good book to pair up with a study on Australia, but this reviewer does not foresee many reluctant readers picking up this book without a little push. (Orca Soundings) Reviewer: Sherry Rampey

School Library Journal

Gr 6–10—Jayden is down and depressed after his girlfriend dumps him, and when a chance comes to go to Australia to visit strange Uncle Mel, he figures, why not? He discovers that his biologist uncle wants to go into the Outback to find a new species of lizards, and the mission seems almost suicidal. Accompanying them is Mel's research assistant, pierced and surly Natalie. All signs point to disaster, and the ultimate happens: the truck catches fire with most of their supplies and belongings in it and leaves them stranded at least 10 days away from civilization with no hope of anyone driving, walking, or flying by. Unfortunately, the plot wraps up a little too neatly and easily, and there's no real romance, drama, or survival smarts happening in the meantime.—Amy Cheney, Alameda County Library, Oakland, CA