Combine a strenuous hike in an unfamiliar wilderness park, lost kids, a dangerous hermit, a rogue mountain lion, a faithful dog, and a savvy female ranger and you have the gist of Preller's exciting thriller. Grace, 14, and Carter, 11, have agreed to a day hike up Blood Mountain with their father, though their dog, Sitka, is the only one who seems excited at the prospect. The siblings soon leave their slow, out-of-shape father behind, zipping up to the breathtaking outlook. What they don't realize is that their father has had a heart attack and collapsed, and a PTSD-plagued Marine, who resides on the mountain, is stalking them. Lost, hungry, and alone, Grace and Carter encounter dangers from the wilderness and the Marine. Sectioned into six parts of a day each, this tale of survival is relayed in short chapters that cycle through the various characters' perspectives. Preller combines brave characters with vivid descriptions of the perilous mountain, grasping readers' emotions in the same way as Gary Paulsen's Hatchet series.

Set over six days, this harrowing survival story follows two siblings as they struggle to stay alive in the wilderness. Responsible and level-headed, 13-year-old Grace Taylor is easily frustrated by her 11-year-old brother, Carter, who is impulsive and headstrong. When the two set off on a day hike up Blood Mountain with their father and their dog, they grow impatient with their dad-s slow pace and set off on their own, but they quickly lose their way in the rugged landscape. After Grace survives a dramatic fall, which leaves her immobile, Carter is determined to prove that he is capable of saving them both. What neither of them knows is that a man who seems to have PTSD and has been living off the grid is tracking them. Chock-full of suspense and real-life danger, the story moves quickly, despite a somewhat intrusive narrative voice that delves into lengthy ruminations from each character. The siblings- grit and resilience is compelling, though, and Preller (the Jigsaw Jones series) deftly maintains the question of their survival. Younger readers may find some scenes graphic (about a squirrel, -he cracks the soft breastplate, slices up to the head-), but fans of Gary Paulsen-s books will likely be hooked from page one. Ages 9-12. Agent: Rosemary Stimola, Stimola Literary Studio. (Oct.)