Uncrashable Dakota by Andy Marino - ESSENTIAL

Marino, Andy Uncrashable Dakota, 309 p. Hemry Holt, 2013. $18.  

Violence: PG (murder, not graphic); Language: PG (2 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G.  

Hollis Dakota is on the maiden voyage of his father’s life long dream – the largest, the supposedly uncrashable airship.  With his mother, stepfather and stepbrother and a ship full of rich passengers, the ship falls to a long plotted mutiny, a mix of mercernaries, beetle cults, treachery and betrayal.  Only the children of the ship have the knowledge, the skills and the bravery to foil the plot.  But it will come with a cost – is it one they are willing to pay?  

Marino’s entry into the steampunk genre is rollickiny fun, with plenty of danger and excitement.  It feels like Alex Rider of another era.  

EL, MS – ESSENTIAL.  Cindy, Library Teacher