A troubled teen goes along with a team looking for a crashed plane from World War II in Papua New Guinea. Dylan gets separated from his group and nearly dies in the wild - malaria, snake bite, thirst, hunger, you names it. Has a mystical encounter with a local who saves his life. Similar tropes to Mikaelsen's Touching Spirit Bear with a troubled teen and a chip on his shoulder who needs to nearly die in the wilderness to change his ways and appreciate his life and the people in it. ( )

Good book! Lots of adventure.

Some books aren't great books from a literary standpoint. Way too much happens in this book that would never happen; there are coincidences and a message-heavy wrap up, but even saying all that, Mikaelsen's book is one that kids would read and not want to put down. Dylan makes some pretty stupid decisions, and his mom ships him off for the summer to his strict uncle, with hopes that the ex-Marine will straighten him out . Dylan is anything but excited when he discovers his uncle is off to Papua New Guinea on an expedition to locate the wreck of the WWII plane of his grandfather. Between no cell phones, no comforts of home, and a irritating know-it-all teen companion, Dylan dreads every second of the trip. And he hasn't stopped making stupid decisions - and one decision may cost him his life. ( )