Voice of Youth Advocates

The Chance twins, Jade and Rich, return for their fourth adventure in First Strike. When a known arms dealer passes a coded message to the Chances and then is attacked, Jade and Rich are forced into action. The would-be assassin escapes, but the duo and their father soon discover the attack is tied to Chinese rebels, and those rebels have a more daring and dangerous plan than a single assassination. They are intent on stealing nuclear launch codes from the United States. The rebels and the Chances encounter each other again at the White House when Rich and Jade are there to meet the president as thanks for a previous mission. It is at the Capitol that the rebels and some American extremists take hold of the building and some hostages, including the president. The pair teams up with their father and the Secret Service to use their intelligence, cunning, and occasional force to thwart the attackers in an attempt to save the president and protect the launch codes.

Horn Book (Sun Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2010)

With Justin Richards. The Chance Twins, Rich and Jade, find themselves ensnared in another nonstop adventure as a terrorist group from China takes the White House hostage in an attempt to gain American nuclear launch codes. The breathless chase never lets up, giving spy-adventure fans the action they crave.

School Library Journal (Mon Feb 06 00:00:00 CST 2023)

FLANAGAN, John . Halt's Peril . Bk. 9. 320p. (Ranger's Apprentice Series). Philomel . Oct. 2010. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-399-25207-5 . LC number unavailable. Gr 5-9 GUTMAN, Dan . Roberto &; Me . 192p. (Baseball Card Adventure Series). HarperCollins . Apr. 2010. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-0-06-123484-2 ; PLB $16.89. ISBN 978-0-06-123485-9 . LC 2009014267. Gr 47 HIGGINS, Jack , with Justin Richards. First Strike . 240p. (The Chance Twins Series). Putnam . Jun. 2010. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-399-25240-2 . LC 2009027512. Gr 69 HUNTER, Erin . Battles of the Clans . illus. by Wayne McLoughlin. 159p. (Warriors Series). HarperCollins . Jun. 2010. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-06-170230-3 . LC 2009053391. Gr 5 Up JINKS, Catherine . The Genius Wars . 384p. (Genius Series.) Houghton Harcourt . Sept. 2010. Tr $17. ISBN 978-0-15-206619-2 . LC 2009049979. Gr 69 KESSLER, Liz . Philippa Fisher and the Fairy's Promise . 288p. Candlewick . Oct. 2010. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-5031-5 . LC number unavailable. Gr 57 LOREY, Dean . Monster War . Bk. 3. illus. by Brandon Dorman. 291p. (Nightmare Academy Series). HarperCollins . July 2010. pap. $6.99. ISBN 978-0-06-134050-5 . LC 2009039674. Gr 46 EAD, Richelle . Spirit Bound . Bk. 5. 489p. (Vampire Academy Series). Penguin / Razorbill . May 2010. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-59514-250-4 . LC number unavailable. Gr 9 Up MEYER, L. A. The Wake of the Lorelei Lee . 560p. (Bloody Jack Adventure Series). Houghton Harcourt . Sept. 2010. Tr $17. ISBN 978-0-547-32768-6 . LC number unavailable. Gr 7 Up NO&3;L, Alyson . Dark Flame . 336p. St. Martin's / Griffin . (The Immortals Series). Jun. 2010. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-312-59097-0 . LC number unavailable. Gr 9 Up OWEN, James A. The Dragon's Apprentice . Bk. 5. 376p. (The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica). S &; S . Oct. 2010. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-4169-5897-0 . LC number unavailable. Gr 8 Up PAVER, Michelle . Ghost Hunter . Bk. 6. illus. by Geoff Taylor. 285p. (Chronicles of Ancient Darkness Series). HarperCollins / Katherine Tegen Bks. Jun. 2010. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-06-072840-3 ; PLB $17.89. ISBN 978-0-06-072841-0 . LC 2009020616. Gr 59 PEACOCK, Shane . The Secret Fiend . Bk. 4. 244p. (The Boy Sherlock Holmes Series). Tundra . May 2010. Tr $19.95. ISBN 978-0-88776-853-8 . LC 2009929061. Gr 68 PEREZ, Marlene . Dead Is Just a Rumor . (Dead Is Series.) 216p. Houghton / Graphia . Aug. 2010. pap. $7.99. ISBN 978-0-547-34592-5 . LC 2009050010. Gr 7 Up RENNISON, Louise . Are These My Basoomas I See Before Me? Bk. 10. 307p. (Confessions of Georgia Nicholson Series). HarperTeen . Jun. 2010. pap. $8.99. ISBN 978-0-06-145937-5 . LC 2009025449. Gr 79 SCHREIBER, Ellen . Love Bites . Bk. 7. 181p. (Vampire Kisses). HarperCollins / Katherine Tegen Bks. Jun. 2010. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-06-168942-0 . LC number unavailable. Gr 7 Up SERVICE, Pamela F. Alien Contact . Bk. 5. illus. by Mike Gorman. 139p. (Alien Agent Series). Darby Creek , dist. by Lerner. Sept. 2010. PLB $16.95. ISBN 978-0-7613-5363-8 . LC 2009034766. Gr 46 SPRADLIN, Michael P. Orphan of Destiny . Bk. 3. 256p. (The Youngest Templar Series). Putnam . Oct. 2010. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-399-24765-1 . LC 2010002856. Gr 5–9 STEWART, Paul . The Immortals . illus. by Chris Riddell. 689p. (The Edge Chronicles). Random / David Fickling Bks. Sept. 2010. Tr $19.99. ISBN 978-0-375-83743-2 ; PLB $22.99. ISBN 978-0-375-93743-9 . LC number unavailable. Gr 5–8 TRINE, Greg . Invasion from Planet Dork . Bk. 8. illus. by Rhode Montijo. 138p. (Melvin Beederman, Superhero Series). Holt . Jun. 2010. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-8050-8165-7 . LC 2009019488. Gr 2–5 VERNON, Ursula . Dragonbreath: Curse of the Were-Wiener . Bk. 3. illus. by author. 204p. (Dragonbreath). Dial . Sept. 2010. Tr $12.99. ISBN 978-0-8037-3469-2 . LC 2009049358. Gr 2–4

ALA Booklist

In the latest installment of the series involving the British Chance twins and their secret-agent father, the family once again bonds as they duck bullets and fly through the book's nonstop action. Two sets of villains (Chinese rebels and American right-wing fanatics) infiltrate the White House during a reception in an effort to steal a box containing nuclear launch codes. Fortunately, the Brits are on hand to save the day. Fans of the twins' exploits will enjoy this thrill ride, which, like the series' other titles, is an obvious read-alike to the Alex Rider books by Anthony Horowitz.