A World Below by Wesley KingMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Wesley King, the author of the Edgar award-winning OCDaniel (great title!) has written an intriguing story that blends adventure with elements of historical fiction, fantasy and social issues. Mr. Baker is a middle school teacher who plans a field trip with his class to the Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico. Some students are excited, others not so much. But they mostly come prepared with snacks and walking shoes. This class group includes Eric and Silvia, two students who don't exactly stand out, but don't really fit in, either.
The suspense begins when an earthquake hits, and the cavern collapses, separating Mr. Baker, Eric and the rest of the group. Eric begins to search for a way out and things get really interesting when he discovers a colony of humans living in this bizarre underground ecosystem. Meanwhile, anxiety-ridden Silvia is trying to lead the other students as they forage through giant mushroom forests searching for the others. All of the trapped parties need to find out if the cave-dwellers are friends or foes and if they'll help them find a way to escape the caverns. A large variety of readers should enjoy this captivating story. For another "below the earth" adventure story, try the Newbery award-winning Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly.
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