Between Heaven and Earth (Seven Series)

by Eric Walters

Overview

DJ is David McLean's eldest grandson, so it stands to reason that he be the one to scatter his beloved grandfather's ashes. At least that's how DJ sees it. He's always been the best at everything—sports, school, looking after his fatherless family—so climbing Kilimanjaro is just another thing he'll accomplish almost effortlessly. Or so he thinks, until he arrives in Tanzania and everything starts to go wrong. He's detained at immigration, he gets robbed, his climbing group includes an old lady and he gets stuck with the first ever female porter. Forced to go polepole (slowly), DJ finds out the hard way that youth, fitness level and drive have nothing to do with success on the mountain—or in life.

DJ's adventures start in Jungle Land, part of The Seven Prequels and continue in Sleeper, part of The Seven Sequels.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781554699438
Publisher:	Orca Book Publishers
Publication date:	10/12/2012
Series:	Seven Series , #1
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	264
File size:	694 KB
Age Range:	10 - 17 Years

About the Author

Eric Walters is a Member of the Order of Canada and the author of over 125 books that have collectively won more than 100 awards including the Governor General’s Literary Award for The King of Jam Sandwiches. A former teacher, Eric began writing as a way to get his fifth-grade students interested in reading and writing. Eric is a tireless presenter, speaking to over 100,000 students per year in schools across the country. He lives in Guelph, Ontario.

Editorial Reviews

Canadian author Walters (Catboy) launches the ambitious, adventure-driven Seven series, aimed at teenage boys, with this coming-of-age story set in Tanzania. When David McLean dies, he leaves each of his seven grandsons a certain task to complete, representing a missed opportunity or other aspect of his checkered past. Each grandson gets his own installment in this series, which have been written by different Canadian authors (including Norah McClintock, John Wilson, and Shane Peacock) and are being released simultaneously with this story. Walters’s offering focuses on 17-year-old DJ, who is instructed to climb Mount Kilimanjaro and scatter his grandfather’s ashes at the summit. During the physically grueling trip, DJ confronts his own limitations and youthful arrogance, while coping with culture clash and the very real prospect of failure. While DJ’s overconfidence makes it hard to root for him at first, his growth along the way soon transforms him into a more palatable hero. The biggest draw, though, is Walter’s keen attention to atmosphere, detail, and setting—Mount Kilimanjaro is a character unto itself. Ages 10–up. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

"Walters' style is, as usual, quick and catchy, but smooth and engaging at the same time. His characters are well-developed, focusing mainly on three people, DJ, Sarah, and Doris, as they struggle to make their way toward the summit and deposit DJ's grandfather's ashes....Walters' has written a fantastic story that will capture the attention of young readers and keep them engaged until the last page...Highly Recommended."

CM Magazine

"Strikingly realistic...It really made me want to experience the climb for myself."

YALSA YA Galley Teen Review

"[The] adventures are exciting and readers will be anxious to pick up the next book in the series. Great for middle grade boys who want realistic fiction with action and suspense."

NJ Youth Services

"Excellent resource for middle schools. Boys will love it."

TriState YA Book Review Committee

"Walters is known for action-adventure novels that appeal to boys, and his latest project, Seven (The Series), is no exception...A solid outdoor adventure story."

Quill & Quire

"I enjoyed how DJ was able to relate to the Tanzanians and how the characters helped each other in their climb up the mountain. I recommend it as a fast, fun read."

San Francisco Book Review Teen reviewer

"An amazing book…Between Heaven and Earth will leave readers wanting to read the rest of the series!"

YALSA YA Galley Teen Review - Rachel C.

"I would highly recommend this for any collection needing a fast paced quick read including a boy and an adventure. The story was well written and the characterization was well thought out. This would be a great story even for reluctant readers."

Southwest Ohio and Neighboring Libraries (SWON)

Seventeen-year-old DJ attempts to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in fulfillment of his grandfather's final wish to have his ashes spread at the summit. Accustomed to succeeding at everything he does, DJ mistakenly believes that he can travel to Africa, climb the mountain and be home in a matter of days. Tricked into taking on the first female porter, he finds himself set to climb with a 67-year-old woman; nevertheless, DJ believes that his fitness and youth will be enough to get him to the top. However, if pride comes before the fall, then perhaps humility comes before the ascent. He learns that to travel quickly, one must travel alone, but to travel far, one must go with others. The rich setting and the thrilling details of the climb will make readers yearn for their own adventure. However, graphic descriptions of altitude sickness and stomach-twisting trail food leave no false illusions that the journey will be an easy one. This exciting adventure is only slightly marred by obvious foreshadowing and a predictable ending. DJ's tale is the first of seven books in this series, all publishing simultaneously. Each, written by a different author, will focus on one of the six other grandsons following their grandfather's will. Richly detailed and satisfying. (Adventure. 10-16)

Kirkus Reviews