Wired

Sylvia Pantaleo is an associate professor of education at the University
of Victoria. She is the co-author of Learning with Literature in the
Canadian Elementary Classroom.

Fifteen-year-old Keegan Bishop is an accomplished downhill skier. He is
also fearful, and lies to his parents about the dangers of his sport
(for reasons revealed later in the book). While participating in timed
trials for the race team at Big Bear resort in Kimberly, B.C., Keegan
encounters a wire on the slope and crashes. Luckily he is unharmed, but
before he can remove the wire, another skier, Cassie, flies down the
slope and hits it. Initially accusatory, Cassie realizes Keegan’s
innocence and assists him in gathering some evidence at the scene about
the identity of the perpetrator. Keegan’s suspicions about the wire
are heightened because the previous week a fellow team member had a
horrific fall and broke his legs.

Keegan’s investigation of the case takes him to the snowboard area at
the resort. He sees Cassie with Sid Halloway, a talented but arrogant
snowboarder, and his observations lead him to believe that Sid and
Cassie are stealing snowboards. Further sleuthing involving some
reckless snowboarding on Keegan’s part results in the identification
and capture of those guilty of the crimes. Keegan learns that Cassie’s
father is a detective and that she has actually been assisting her
father in solving the thefts. Further secrecy involves Keegan’s guilt
surrounding the accidental death of his younger brother.

Wired’s fast-paced plot and element of mystery will appeal to
readers. Recommended.