Deadweather and Sunrise

Read this aloud to my nine-year-old daughter, who, every time I announced that I was done reading for the night, told me that I must read more or she would kill me. The story concerns young Egbert (who prefers to be called Egg) who lives on the island of Deadweather with his father and two older mean siblings. When the family travels to the neighboring island of Sunrise (which is much nicer and not so infested with pirates), events take a dramatic turn for Egg. He's soon pining away for the spunky Millicent (about his age, 13, and much richer) and then on the run for his life. This story grabbed me from the get-go and I enjoyed reading it to my daughter who would often chuckle at some of the developments. This is fun yarn with pirates and young kids in trouble. We'll be reading part two of this trilogy next.

Deadweather and Sunrise I'll admit that when I was first seduced by the cover of Deadweather and Sunrise. After all, it's hard not to expect adventure when there are pirates involved. Better yet, I knew that our young hero was one Egbert, a boy whose life was filled with mishap and adventure. If there is one thing I love, it's a male protagonist. So off I went, falling page by page deeper in love with Geoff Rodkey's written world.
 
Young Egbert's story is very similar to many other protagonists out there. Well, at least it is at the beginning. Downtrodden and misunderstood, Egg (as he prefers to be called) has a life that not many of us would envy. His family is just terrible. The island he lives on smells and is filled with pirates, but not the type of cool pirates we would all envision mind you. Worst of all, it seems to Egg that no adventure will ever make its way into his life. He should be careful what he wishes for.
 
I was a huge fan of every character who made their way into this book. Each and every one fits perfectly into the story, and yet they all have such stunning personalities. If I had to choose a favorite, I do believe Miss Millicent gets my vote. The perfect combination of daring and demure, here is a girl that is worthy of Egg's affection. I was a bit saddened that there weren't sparks flying just yet, but I have hope for the next book. Suffice it to say that the entire cast surrounding Egg make this a book that you just can't stop reading.In terms of adventure, there's plenty. I noticed that this book is a little slower to start out, but again Geoff Rodkey really works hard to build the world for the reader. Deadweather Island comes to life, and stands out in stark contrast to Sunrise Island. I can't wait to see more of the world as they travel, and I know there is much more to come in the next book.
 
So, as you can probably discern, I really enjoyed Deadweather and Sunrise. As usual I could probably ramble on and on, but I'll leave it to you to decide whether or not this is something for you. A quick heads up to parents looking at this for your children: there is violence. I wouldn't say it's over the top, but it is there. I mean, there are pirates involved after all. Pick this up, the series is just getting started!