Peak, by Roland Smith

Peak hasn't seen his famous mountain climbing dad in seven years, but he seems to be following in his footsteps.  He loves mountain climbing but there are not many mountains in New York City to climb, so he climbs the next best thing, skyscrapers.  When he is arrested for scaling the Woolworth building, he has two options; 18 months in juvenile detention, or leave the country and live with his dad in Shanghai.  Of course, he chooses to go with his dad, but soon discovers that his dad is not taking him to Shanghai. They are heading for Tibet, and he is about to have his first encounter with the greatest climbing challenge of them all, Everest.

I read this book because I met a 13 year old girl who said she had asked for the book for her birthday.  I have read other of Roland Smith's stuff, and enjoyed it.  I enjoyed this one, too.  Smith definitely did his research on what it is like to attempt to summit Everest.  His descriptions put the reader right in the experience, and he manages not to let the copious detail slow down the narrative. Peak is a likeable and believably flawed 14 year old.  My only problem with the book is that I personally can't understand why anyone would suffer cold, frost bite, and oxygen deprivation, and even risk their life just for the opportunity to say, "I climbed Everest."   That is just the old, risk adverse lady in me.  I am sure adventurous kids, even girls, (apparently) would love this one. (2007, 246 p.)