The Final Mission: Scorpia Rising

Scorpia Rising by Anthony Horowitz. Philomel, 2011
(Review copy provided by publisher)

Saying goodbye to a much loved book character is such a bittersweet experience.  I find myself thinking of Harry, Hermione and Ron sometimes and wondering how they are and what they are doing.  Alex Rider is another character who has grown dear to my heart over the course of his adventures.  The series has gained strength with each book.  It was book #3-Skeleton Key, where Horowitz raised the stakes for the young spy and took the story to a new level.  I have been an unstinting fan ever since.
After the Percy Jackson series, these are the books that I end up in discussions with guys about, most often, at the different schools I visit.

When Alex was recruited by MI-6 for a unique mission, in the wake of his Uncle Ian's death, (#1-Stormbreaker) he could not have imagined what the next year would bring.  Single-handedly responsible for thwarting the plans of the horrific Scorpia crime syndicate, Alex believes he is finally free of MI-6 and the world of spies and danger. He is living in London with his guardian, Jack, and enjoying a return to normal life as a teenager. Jack herself is contemplating a change, hoping to return to her own family in the USA.  Still, Alex cannot ignore his instincts and training which detect the presence of a sniper, pointing a gun into his school classroom. He pursues the man and in doing so, joins the game again. 

Ingenious gadgets and disguises are part of the mix here again. His assignment takes Jack and Alex to Alexandria, Egypt. What he does not know is that this time, Alex himself is the target and old enemies have joined forces against him.  This is by far the darkest of the novels.  Alex has been through too much emotionally and physically.  There are things that occur that may give the reader pause but Horowitz has put a great deal of thought into this finale. He offers Alex a sort of expository reflection to explain his actions at one point.  It will be up to the reader to decide if the ending is wholly satisfying.  There is a part of Alex that loves the spy business.  I think Horowitz wanted to resolve his future once and for all.  Of course, once these characters arrive in the reader's imagination, they take on a life of their own.  I, for one, will continue to think about Alex and wonder what he is doing.

It has been a grand ride.

Magic Tree House Essay Contest

I am sharing this information  in honor of  ALL the Magic Tree House books that were checked out to students starting the TAKS test tomorrow.   If they finish early, they will have Jack and Annie's adventures to look forward too.  

Mary Pope Osborne's series continues to hold a special place in the hearts of the children in my school district.

 

Random House Children’s Books and Kids Crooked House Team Up

to Host Magic Tree House Essay Contest

 

Grand-Prize Winner Receives Custom Designed Kids Crooked House Playhouse

Inspired by Mary Pope Osborne’s bestselling Magic Tree House Book Series

 

NEW YORK, NY – April 26, 2010 - Random House Children’s Books and Kids Crooked House are kicking off an essay contest for kids to promote adventure, imagination, and creativity: themes that are all reflected in Mary Pope Osborne’s bestselling Magic Tree House series. The grand-prize winner will be awarded their own Magic Tree House: a custom designed playhouse by Kids Crooked House, creators of the most whimsical playhouses for children. Ten runner-up winners will receive a Magic Tree House book autographed by Mary Pope Osborne, beloved author of the wildly popular New York Times bestselling series that has now sold nearly 70 million copies.

 

The Magic Tree House series, first published in 1992, follows brother and sister duo Jack and Annie as they journey back in time via a magic tree house, traveling to exotic places and meeting famous historical figures. Children interested in entering the essay contest must submit a response to this question: Write about an adventure you would like to have in the Magic Tree House. Where would you go and what would you do? Mary Pope Osborne will review the submissions and choose the winner.

 

Essay entry forms are available for download at MagicTreeHouse.com and must be mailed to Random House offices at 1745 Broadway New York, NY 10019. Entries will be accepted from April 27 through October 31, 2010. The winners will be announced in mid December 2010.

 

“There is nothing more exciting than a child using their imagination and this essay contest is a great outlet. No one knows boundless imagination better than Mary Pope Osborne, a truly creative and artistic author. Kids Crooked House is honored to work with Ms. Osborne and a partner like Random House to help make this an exciting endeavor for many children,” said Glen Halliday, creative director and CEO for Kids Crooked House.

 

Kids Crooked House is inspired by, and infused with, Maine and its natural wonders. Glen and his cousin, Jeff Leighton, built their first crooked house because they loved being outside and wanted their kids to love it, too. Glen and Jeff’s goal is to encourage children to use their imaginations as wildly as possible, and with the diverse range of playhouses Kids Crooked House offers, it isn’t very hard to do.

 

“I’m so excited about this contest, knowing it will inspire an adventure and allow children to be as creative as they dare. I can’t wait to read their ideas, and learn about where they would like to go! This essay contest touches on my main goal in writing the Magic Tree House books: to encourage children to go on adventures using their own imaginations,” said Mary Pope Osborne.

 

About Random House Children’s Books and the MAGIC TREE HOUSE Series

 

Random House Children’s Books is the world’s largest English-language children's trade book publisher. Creating books for preschool children through young adult readers, in all formats from board books to activity books to picture books and novels, Random House Children’s Books brings together award-winning authors and illustrators, world-famous franchise characters, and multimillion-copy series.

 

It is the proud and longtime publisher of Mary Pope Osborne’s celebrated Magic Tree House series, which has now sold nearly 70 million copies and has been translated into 28 different languages in 31 countries since it was first published in 1992. The series is widely regarded among children, teachers, and parents alike for its power to instill a passion for reading. Teachers and kids can experience even more Magic Tree House fun on the interactive Web site www.magictreehouse.com, which features games and activities for children and teaching tools and materials for educators.

 

Random House Books for Young Readers is an imprint of the Random House Children’s Books division of Random House, Inc., whose parent company is Bertelsmann AG. Visit us on the Web at www.randomhouse.com/kids.

 

About Kids Crooked House

 

Based in Windham , Maine , Kids Crooked House was founded by fun-loving dads Glen Halliday and Jeff Leighton, who couldn’t find a unique, affordable, and imaginative playhouse for their young kids. They looked in all the big home centers and scoured dozens of Web sites. The products either looked like a tool shed for lawnmowers or like a small city with a price to match. For the graphic designer and carpenter-electrician, the answer was simple: Build one of their own. The entire neighborhood was soon hanging out in Glen’s backyard. So FUNky was his kid’s new crooked house, the rest is (becoming) history. For more information about Kids Crooked House, visit www.kidscrooked house.com