MVP

Twenty-four 12-year-olds take off on a million-dollar race around the world in this unlikely adventure. Adam Story, recruited by a mysterious stranger on his school playground, is only too happy to avoid going to soccer camp and take on the challenge of circling the globe in less than 40 days. Adam’s willingness to trust a stranger and deceive his mother is only the first unsettling (and improbable) detail in this deliberately madcap romp. Throne-less royalty, teenagers with blowguns, elaborate rules, well-appointed detention centers, and a parade of sketchily drawn traveling companions are all jumbled together as Adam catalogues the time zones he travels through. Shelley’s cartoon-style black-and-white illustrations highlight details but don’t add much appeal. Adam, in particular, looks younger than his years, making the action seem even more unbelievable. Evans works hard to create suspense but most readers guess the outcome—and aren’t likely to slog through the whole story to find out how Adam succeeds. Fast-paced, but not a real contender. (Fiction. 10-12)