NEW PHENOMENON

BY

CHRIS RAABE

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Every teenager wants to fit in, and Christian Pearson is no different. He is a phenomenon on the athletic field and in the classroom, but a terrifying accident on a fishing trip with his grandfather changes Christian's life forever. As he enters his freshman year of high school, Christian hides a secret that he plans to take to his grave. When the Pearson family moved from the city to the sleepy town of Red Oak, Iowa, before his freshman year of high school, Christian hoped for a smooth transition to small town life. Being the new kid in school has been a blessing and a curse. Most of the boys in Christian's class view him as a threat, so Christian struggles to fit it, but as an outcast, his secret is safe. When three freshmen, all from the same family, start school a week late, Christian senses something different about these new students. He reaches out to "The Three" seeking some semblance of friendship in his new hometown. When "The Three" confront Christian about the secret he hides, Christian is faced with a huge problem. Will this secret cost Christian his friends, his family, his freedom, and even his life?

MY REVIEW:

Amazing! This book literally started with a bang, or a tornado, and just kept getting better. Yes, it begins with a tornado chasing after the main character. He has just finished a fishing trip with a cousin and his grandpa. A tornado destroys the truck they are in. Christian ends up at the bottom of a lake inside the truck and guess what, he can breathe under water... This all happens in New Mexico, yup, the land of UFO's. This is not a story about UFO's but rather about phenomenon children. Confused? Don't be, just sit back, read and enjoy the ride. 

Chris Raabe does a great job with character development. Christian is a down to earth kid, not a smart mouth or a jerk. His friends are equally pleasant. Don't get me wrong, they are normal kids. There is a deep family connection in this book. I am looking forward to the sequel that is sure to come. 

Genre: middle school age kids