Ryan Quinn and the Rebel's Escape

Gr 5–8—McGee's debut novel offers readers a plot-driven and action-packed whirlwind tour around the world. Ryan Quinn and his family finally settle down in New York, when someone shady starts following him. Then his mother gets kidnapped and his dad goes missing (he was supposed to be in Thailand on business). Ryan soon finds out that his parents both work for the Emergency Rescue Committee, an organization that saves rebels around the world from certain death. And they have been training Ryan for this dangerous work his whole life. Ryan wants nothing to do with it, but he feels compelled to take action to find his dad and save his mom. Readers will root for Ryan and feel sympathy for him because of his situation. Secondary characters are mostly formulaic. The writing seems more like a screenplay, with many play-by-play action scenes. Despite the beautiful settings in which Ryan finds himself, there isn't much in the way of description, making this best suited for kids looking for a fast read with an emphasis on plot over character development.