ALA Booklist (Mon Jun 01 00:00:00 CDT 2009)

Both of Paul's parents have been deployed to the Middle East, leaving Paul in the care of Grampa Peter for at least the next year. A wise elder of the Abenaki tribe, Grampa communicates a lot without saying much at all skill that comes in especially handy when they spend two days fighting for their lives. The threat comes from Darby Field, the nefarious producer/host of TV's "Forbidden Mysteries," who is dead-set on persuading Grampa to lead his crew of cameramen/thugs to the treasure of the mythic winged beast, Pmola. When Grampa refuses, both he and Paul are forced to head up the mountain at gunpoint, and only their wits and nearly psychic relationship will save them from the bad guys t to mention Pmola himself, who may or may not be more than just legend. Bruchac's fast-moving tale is steeped in Indian lore that injects this otherwise straightforward thriller with a sense of meaning and even spirituality. A perfect book to gobble up in a single, sweaty sitting.

Horn Book (Thu Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2010)

A devious TV host and his cronies kidnap Paul and his grandfather. They want to use Grampa Peter's knowledge of Abenaki lore to lead them to Pmola, the legendary (and dangerous) winged creature of the White Mountains. With a sure hand, Bruchac layers fast-paced adventure with modern Native American culture.

Kirkus Reviews

Bruchac's not at his best in this weak, predictable tale. When both of his parents are deployed to Iraq, 13-year-old Paul moves in with his Grampa Peter, an Abenaki wilderness guide living in an isolated trailer near Mount Washington. One night the two are seized by Darby Field, the ruthless host of an In Search of Ancient Mysteries style TV series, who has set his sights on a supposed cultural treasure being guarded (according to local legend) by Pmola, a giant winged creature. After a show of reluctance Grampa Peter agrees to lead Field and his crew of thugs up the mountain to the treasure—a journey that quickly leads into a different reality, where the predatory monster is waiting for them. The author brings Abenaki ways of life and thought in the modern world into sharp focus here, but the villains are so far-fetched and stereotyped that even uncritical readers will have trouble keying into the labored suspense. An off-kilter effort from the author of Bearwalker (2007), Skeleton Man (2001) and other more effective terror tales. (Fantasy. 11-13)

School Library Journal (Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 CDT 2009)

Gr 5-8 Thirteen-year-old Paul Fortune, an Abenaki with a long line of military service in his family, goes to live with his stoic veteran grandfather while his parents are serving in the Middle East. Paul and Grampa Peter have subtle, nonverbal ways of communicating with one another, which comes in handy when bad guys arrive, kidnap them, and force them to search for mythical treasure on a journey up Mount Washington, one of the coldest and most dangerous spots in the northeast. Darby Field, the ringmaster of the group and the sinister host of TVs Forbidden Mysteries , has specifically sought out Grampa Peter, who is known for his scouting skills and expert knowledge of Native legends, including Pmolas treasure. Although scenes of the large, dark, birdlike Pmola menacing the group are frightening, the real scare here is actually the evil and occasionally violent Mr. Field and his cohorts, who have pillaged cultural treasures around the world. Using Pauls keen birdlike sense of smell and sight, and employing military tactics and strategy, Paul and Grampa ultimately prevail over the villains. The intriguing Native lore, the realistic teen narrative, and cliff-hanger sentences that build suspense at the end of each chapter are signature Bruchac and will captivate readers. Madeline J. Bryant, Los Angeles Public Library