Extreme Edge.

Deborah Dowson is a Canaadian children’s librarian in North Wales,
Pennsylvania.

Although Jay is an experienced and accomplished rock climber and an extreme sport enthusiast, he regrets agreeing to partner on this ice climb with his friend Brad. Things start to go badly, and if it weren’t for a couple of more competent ice climbers who help to rescue them, it would have been disastrous. Jay loves a thrill but is careful to judge his limits and assess the risks of his rock-climbing exploits, and he knows that the potential for danger is always present. Jay’s most aggressive climbing attempt is an amazing success. Unfortunately, Brad is envious of Jay’s accomplishment and Jay cannot dissuade him from attempting a ski-jumping stunt that is far too risky.

You don’t have to be an extreme sports enthusiast to be thrilled by this action-packed story. The writer does a marvellous job of creating believable characters and realistic situations that engage the reader from start to finish. The simple, direct style, natural-sounding dialogue, and use of climbing terms and jargon add to the overall sense of realism. The first-person narrator has a wonderful combination of daring and rebelliousness tempered with expert skill and good sense. Following Jay’s adventures moment by moment offers an exciting foray into the world of rock climbing. Although there is an obvious message to enthusiasts of this sport to be careful, it is tactfully presented in the words and actions of one of their own. Highly recommended.