It’s a bit of a gimmick, much like the television show 24, but teens will love this new series. On New Year’s Eve, 15-year-old Cal Ormond discovers that his life has changed forever. He has one year, twelve months, 365 days to save himself and everyone he loves from the people who killed his father. Prior to his death, Cal’s father left an encrypted letter and mysterious drawings but Cal can’t figure out what they mean. The book is written in the format of a diary with date and time stamps that add to the whirlwind action. In traditional serial style, January ends with a cliffhanger that will compel the reader to continue as each book is released. Can Cal elude the bad guys and solve the case? Even reluctant readers will want to find out.
Jeanette Larson: Books Editor, teaches children’s literature for the School of Library & Information Studies at Texas Woman’s University
