In this unputdownable, spine-tingling adventure of a lifetime called “a winner at every level,”* fourteen-year-old Peak Marcello attempts to be the youngest climber to summit Mount Everest.
After Peak Marcello is arrested for scaling a New York City skyscraper, he's left with two choices: wither away in juvenile detention or go live with his long-lost father, who runs an overseas climbing company.
But Peak quickly learns that his father's renewed interest in him has strings attached. Big strings. As owner of Peak Expeditions, he wants his son to be the youngest person to reach the Everest summit—and his motives are selfish at best. Even so, for a climbing addict like Peak, tackling Everest is the challenge of a lifetime. It's also one that could cost him his life.
This thrilling teen climbing adventure is "the perfect antidote for kids who think books are boring" (Publishers Weekly starred review).
Roland Smith's Peak Marcello's Adventures are:
- Peak
- The Edge
- Ascent
- Descent
*Booklist, starred review
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"Great read! At the Torino Olympics, Bodie Miller had an interview where he talked about the competitiveness of sport. He thinks it is crazy that we weed people out of sports, so that only the strongest and fastest compete after the age of 20 or so. I think Peak's decision to not reach the summit was in this same vein of thinking. In 21st century America, we are always looking to see who is the best. We have phrases in our popular culture like, "Nobody remembers 2nd place!" The U.S. started allowing professional athletes into the Olympics in 1992 after not getting the gold in Men's Basketball at the Seoul Olympics. Maybe you have heard this phrase as well, "Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing!" It is pathetic that this is the way the majority of our society thinks. Bravo, Peak!"
—
Owen (4 out of 5 stars)