Novice actor Stefan is excited to be starring in a science-fiction movie on location in Slovakia. When a blizzard hits the site, Stefan must save himself and three costars--a famous teen actress, a young asthmatic, and an aging star--from avalanches, illness, and vicious wolves; his survival instincts prove strong. The exciting adventure is well paced, and the characters ring true.

Gr 5-8 An old ski resort in Slovakia is the film location for a sci-fi movie in which three children are the first humans to return to a frozen postapocalyptic Earth. Fourteen-year-old Stefan, thirteen-year-old Raine, and nine-year-old-old Jeremy play siblings who have left their parents to come back to a forsaken world with only pet wolves for protection. On an evening when much of the crew, the director, and their tutor have gone to town, a snowstorm triggers an avalanche and buries the lodge with snow. Caught outside, the three youngsters scramble to locate one another. Raine, once a spoiled diva who rubbed everyone the wrong way, saves Stefan's life and displays the moxie needed to survive in the cold. They uncover Jeremy and a badly injured adult actor and seek shelter in the prop and costume trailers. Pet wolves Boris and Phoebe play a role in keeping wild wolves at bay while Stefan and Raine make an unsuccessful trek to seek help. Resourceful use of mechanical prop sleds eventually leads to a rescue for an upbeat ending. While the plot seems linear and the characters are underdeveloped, the story contains realistic elements of survival knowledge and a bit of foreshadowing involving menacing wolves that will keep middle-grade readers invested in the adventure. Vicki Reutter, Cazenovia High School, NY