The Lick and Sniff Reviews: Getting lost on Everest

Wow, it's been a while since I've posted. You know these summer months are tough to keep up with the demands of my owner's reading habits and the nice weather outside. I like stretching out in the sun and letting feeling that warmth on my belly...aahhhhh, just the thought is relaxing. Especially since my owner read the book, Peak by Roland Smith, to me.
The story is about a 14 year old, Peak Marcello, who has a fascination with climbing things until he gets in trouble for scaling a New York skyscraper. His estranged father (a famous mountain climber) takes him to Everest with he and his climbing company. Their goal: to get Peak to the top of Everest making him the youngest to reach the peak. Will he make it?
The story is told as a journal written by Peak himself, so the perspective is unique and colorful. The interesting thing about the story is the detailed accounts of the various climbing expeditions and the struggles and thoughts they had during each one.
The one thing that I got confused about was the time each event occurred. The number of trips up and down the mountain to prepare for their climb to the peak, seemed to take hours when in reality they probably took several days. The action takes place over the course of a summer, but the number of climbs and descents was confusing. Thank goodness for the map in the front of the book that marked the checkpoints and places the characters set up camp or I'd be totally lost. I had to nose the pages to the front when my owner was finished reading so I could grasp what just happened and where it took place.
As far as the book itself is concerned, it was a very captivating story and one that I think middle school and even some high school students would like to read. The character, Peak's, voice in his writing as he is keeping a journal of his experiences is great, and enjoyable. The book is definitely NOT boring. I liked it so much I'm giving it:

I would recommend this to anyone who wants a book that contains non stop action and adventure or to anyone who is interested in mountain climbing and the determination it takes to do it. Lastly, I'm going to give this book my stamp of approval.