“When The Lights Go Out” is a middle grade adventure / mystery that will help kids appreciate what happened on 9 /11 so we never forget.
Unfortunately, the original publisher closed recently so the book is only currently available used. A new publisher had picked it up and new copies will become available soon.
Synopsis_________________________________
When the Lights go Out
Author: Max Elliot Anderson
Audience: 8 – 12; especially boys
Words: About 36,500
Peyton Aldrich has just moved to a new army base with his parents and younger sister. He doesn’t understand why his father has been sent to such a rundown place in the middle of nowhere. After all, his father was a colonel, with top security clearance, who completed the elite Ranger school. And his training had been in Army Intelligence. Yet, here they were.
Peyton was never allowed to ask his father anything about what he did in the army. Nor was he allowed to ever get in the way. There were many secrets that his dad couldn’t even tell his own family.
Peyton idolized his father. One day, he hoped to grow up to be just like him. His father had told him that the army may not be for everyone, but after what happened on 9/11, somebody had to help keep the country safe.
Peyton finds two friends. Gill is the son of the base’s motor pool sergeant, and Dave’s father is the base chaplain. Together they decide to train like Rangers, and search for some kind of mission they could do. Little did they know that a mission was about to put the boys right in the crosshairs of a dangerous terrorist plot, when a secret weapon would be delivered to the base on its way across the country.
There was no way Peyton could tell his father what he knew. After all, it could cost him his job. Peyton, Gill, and Dave have to take matters into their own hands, and they do.
Will the terrorists find out who is trying to expose their evil plan? Will the boys be able to stop them? And what will happen to Peyton’s father when the general finds out what the boys did?
“When the Lights go Out.” A story for kids, and their parents, so we never forget 9/11.
REVIEWS
As a 6th grade teacher, I am always on the look out for good books for my boys who are reluctant readers. They went nuts over this one. Exciting, quick-paced, with good lessons - Anderson has written a book that middle school boys will gobble up in a night or two! What's even better is he's written even more books, and now my boys are seeking them out. Parents and teachers, if you have a boy who doesn't enjoy reading, try this book out on him. It might ignite a new passion for the written word!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book - and all of Mr. Anderson's books, as has my son. Thanks to Mr. Anderson, my son went from being a very reluctant reader, but when he read the first book he was hooked, and has read every one of his books to date. He still reads Mr. Anderson's books, even though he's now in college. (He also reads Ted Dekker, so that says something about the excitement level of these books!)
If you are looking for a book for your reluctant reader then WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT or any of Mr. Anderson's books will be excellent to pick up. Highly recommended.