"Into the Volcano" by Don Wood follows brothers Sumo and Duffy as they are taken suddenly from school and shipped off to an island to stay with an aunt they've never met while their mother is doing research in another country and their father is called away on business. What is supposed to be a "culturally rewarding experience" turns into a dangerous fight for their lives as the brothers battle nature, their family members who are not what they seem, and their own weaknesses and fears.
I didn't get this book. I didn't get the story, I didn't think it was very interesting, I didn't care for any of the characters, and the illustrations were not my taste. But I must be the exception because I only found very positive reviews, both for the story and the drawings. Although I didn't love the drawings, I was able to see how they might appeal to others; however, the story just plain didn't make sense at times. I kept thinking everything would be explained and it would be as awesome as everyone said it was, but the ending just confused me more. I was impressed with the idea of setting the adventure inside an erupting volcano and I think the volcanology terms and explanations were correct, so you could probably learn some interesting facts about volcanoes and the people that study them. However, these things didn't make it worth my while, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone, let alone a tween. You may find this video more interesting than the book.
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