Terror in Shadow Canyon (Monsterious, Book 3)

June 15, 2023
A group of intrepid young backpackers stumble into a living nightmare when their trail markers disappear. Twelve-year-old Tegan's mother was meant to help supervise his and his friends Marcus and Ning's backpacking trip. He tries to make the best of things when she has to work and his hapless, disengaged father steps in, but it isn't long until his dad's immaturity causes problems. Though athletic Ning and her mom, Yanay, are experienced hikers, they all lose their way in the unforgiving wilderness when the markers along their trail disappear. Strange stonelike objects, moving tree roots, and too many glowing eyes begin to coalesce into a terrifying adversary no one could have imagined, and it looks like the kids may have to save the adults. A strength of the series and this title in particular is the tight focus on plotting while characters also work through complex problems. Tegan learns to speak up about how his father's haphazard parenting and inattention make him feel, and his father makes clear efforts to discuss and correct his mistakes. McMann strikes a balance between suspenseful storytelling and strong characterization in another quick-moving, action-packed story with plenty of gore and terror. Tegan and Ed are cued White, while Marcus presents Black. Ning is cued as Chinese, while Yanay is described as tan-skinned. A creepy camping catastrophe that will give even the most stoic readers the shivers. (Fiction. 8-12)

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