Zac Power: Extreme mission 1: Sand storm by H.I. Larry

Hardie Grant Egmont, 2009. ISBN 9781921564055.
(Ages 6-10) For children who enjoyed the Zac Power books there is a new series which has four titles, Sand storm, Dark Tower, Ice patrol and Water blaster. The first in the series, Sand storm, is an adventure filled story, with Zac Power being dragged off by his grandfather in the middle of the night on the hunt for a fabulous gadget called IRIS. Zac is thrilled to go on the mission, but he knows that his grandfather hasn't been entirely honest with him about the origins of IRIS, which has been broken up into four parts. Why has that happened? Will he be able to survive the desert and the tricks of Blackwood and Caz, who are also after IRIS?
Newly independent readers, especially boys, will be thrilled with this series. It has plenty of action to keep a young reader going, the gadgets are fascinating and Zac is an engaging hero.
Pat Pledger