Between Heaven and Earth
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
DJ is David McLean's eldest grandson, so it stands to reason that he be the one to scatter his beloved grandfather's ashes. At least that's how DJ sees it. He's always been the best at everything—sports, school, looking after his fatherless family—so climbing Kilimanjaro is just another thing he'll accomplish almost effortlessly. Or so he thinks, until he arrives in Tanzania and everything starts to go wrong. He's detained at immigration, he gets robbed, his climbing group includes an old lady and he gets stuck with the first ever female porter. Forced to go polepole (slowly), DJ finds out the hard way that youth, fitness level and drive have nothing to do with success on the mountain—or in life.
DJ's adventures start in Jungle Land, part of The Seven Prequels and continue in Sleeper, part of The Seven Sequels.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Canadian author Walters (Catboy) launches the ambitious, adventure-driven Seven series, aimed at teenage boys, with this coming-of-age story set in Tanzania. When David McLean dies, he leaves each of his seven grandsons a certain task to complete, representing a missed opportunity or other aspect of his checkered past. Each grandson gets his own installment in this series, which have been written by different Canadian authors (including Norah McClintock, John Wilson, and Shane Peacock) and are being released simultaneously with this story. Walters's offering focuses on 17-year-old DJ, who is instructed to climb Mount Kilimanjaro and scatter his grandfather's ashes at the summit. During the physically grueling trip, DJ confronts his own limitations and youthful arrogance, while coping with culture clash and the very real prospect of failure. While DJ's overconfidence makes it hard to root for him at first, his growth along the way soon transforms him into a more palatable hero. The biggest draw, though, is Walter's keen attention to atmosphere, detail, and setting Mount Kilimanjaro is a character unto itself. Ages 10 up.
