STEEL TRAPP: THE ACADEMY
by
Ridley Pearson
Disney-Hyperion
ISBN: 9781423115328
Ages 10-up
416 pages
Steven Trapp’s photographic memory earned him the nickname of Steel because anything and everything he sees gets locked down in his brain like a steel trap. And while his talent comes in handy when trying to impress teachers or distract his mom, he doesn’t feel it’s enough to make him intelligent. But that’s where Steel is wrong because he is incredibly smart --- ingenious even --- and definitely brainy enough to have competed in the National Science Challenge held in Washington, D.C. last year. That’s where he met his new friend, Kaileigh, and where they somehow landed in a life and death international espionage adventure with the FBI.
Someone has taken notice of Steel and Kaileigh, inviting both of them to enroll at Wynncliff Academy, an exclusive east coast boarding school. Steel promises his parents he’ll give it a chance --- at least until Thanksgiving --- and settles into the rigid routine of the demanding school. He doesn’t have much trouble with the studies part of the program; like always, he reads something once and it’s committed to memory. But the food definitely isn’t worth writing home about. Steel was also hoping to keep his amazing memory to himself, knowing it jams a barrier between him and others, especially when he’s trying to make friends. However, this is not something he can keep a secret. And soon he is asked to try out for a fast-paced Wynncliff team sport called ga-ga, in which his unique memory aids in his ability to play.
Despite his busy schedule, Steel can’t help but notice some strange stuff sneaking around the academy. It doesn’t take him and Kaileigh long to uncover secret passageways, mysterious meetings and the fact that every student seems to possess a unique talent or ability; it’s as if they are being recruited, like a special task force in the military. And then Steel digs too deep, falling head over heels into the heart of the academy --- where students are trained to be real spies. And Wynncliff has a special assignment just for Steel and Kaileigh.
STEEL TRAPP: THE ACADEMY is an action-packed thrill ride, filled with surprise twists, unexpected turns and nonstop excitement. Steel is a very likable individual whom readers would like to call a friend. Other characters are distinct and dynamic, each adding just the right ingredients to form balanced roles. Ridley Pearson has a unique talent for description, involving all of the senses and bringing the scenery alive in an exciting way that boosts the action instead of slowing it down:
“A chilly mist hovered above the soccer field like a veil of gauze, masking any view of the gymnasium and natatorium beyond. A murder of crows flew in and out of the smoky layers, their caws piercing the still, mud-scented morning air and echoing off the dormitory’s ivy-covered brick walls. As Steel crossed the adjacent field, the mist swirled around him, looking sometimes like long fingers attempting to grab him, or animal faces, or, at last, like a gray stone archway leading directly to the ga-ga pit and the silhouetted figure that awaited him there.”
Intertwined with Steel’s tale is a parallel story about a group of homeless teens and the woman who leads them in hotel heists. Both stories accelerate and expand before crashing into one another in the final chapters. This exciting series promises many amazing adventures for all involved, and I can’t wait for the third installment.
--- Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman, author of FINDING MY LIGHT
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