If your middle schooler loves adventure books, they’ll love just about anything by Anthony Horowitz.  Last week I listened to a lively discussion by a group of middle-schoolers sitting around my kitchen table.  General consensus:  Anthony Horowitz books are AWESOME!  Two days later, I heard another group of teens debating which of Horowitz’s books was best.

In Stormbreaker, Alex Rider isn’t your average fourteen year old.  An orphan living with his uncle, Alex suspects foul play when his uncle is killed in a car accident.  Alex invesigates and discovers that his uncle  was really a secret agent who was murdered during a top-secret mission.  Soon Britain’s elite M-16 force (like our CIA or FBI) has enlisted Alex to help uncover the evil plot.

Luckily for Alex, his uncle has prepared him well.  Experience with karate, rappelling, scuba diving, and moto-cross racing all come in handy as Alex enters the villain’s lair and uncovers the dastardly plot.  James Bond meets Harry Potter in Alex Rider, the reluctant orphan hero who has greatness foisted upon him. 

Sure the protagonist is fourteen, but other than that (plus no sex and no swearing), Stormbreaker could have been written for adults.  With one intense adventure after another, Stormbreaker is a page turner both kids and adults can enjoy.  It makes a great summer read.