Oasis

by Jim Harrison

Twelve-year-old Josh and his father arrive in the very small, run-down town of Oasis, Arizona for the summer — Josh’s father for work and Josh for fun. But Oasis is poorly named. It’s hot, dry, and certainly not much fun. As Josh explores the dusty little town, he uncovers a heartbreaking story that has paralyzed the entire community — the previous summer, in hopes of finding a long lost shipment of gold, three kids set out across the desert never to return.
Amidst this gloomy place Josh discovers a few kindred outcasts who are also willing to resist the dreary routine. When this secluded group stumbles upon a map of their own, they do the unthinkable — they go after the treasure themselves.
With an inept search party on their trail, and plagued by storms, crooks, and the land itself, they slowly make their way to the heart of the desert. Will they find the lost gold, meet the same fate as the missing kids, or discover something completely unexpected?

327 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2018

About the author

Jim Harrison grew up and lives in the suburbs of Toronto, Canada. He graduated from York University with a degree in Environmental Studies. As a writer he has incorporated his love of nature into his first book, Oasis.

Reviews

[W T · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a teenager, I really enjoyed this adventure book, as it had all of the necessary elements to become an instant classic. I don't wanna give anything away for all of you future readers but it was an easy five stars for me, and I know it will be for you too!

[Lisa T · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book for all ages. It would be especially compelling for kids in grades 4 to 8. I really enjoyed this exciting page turner that follows its main character, Josh, as he pursues adventure across the desert. Josh and his friends exemplify perseverance in the face of adversity. United by their desire to put their lives into focus, this group of friends agrees to follow a path that sets in motion events that will change their lives forever. I love the way this story uses the landscape and the weather to parallel the emotions of the characters. The rich imagery is well written. I like the theme of loss versus freedom and the notion that we are all shaped by our families and our shared experiences.

[Tricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thoughtful and well written book. There were great descriptions and imagery of the desert landscape. While the beginning of the book started a little slowly for me, I found that once I was into the story I became curious to see how everything would unfold.
A book well worth reading for middle school children.

[Arianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, I thought this book was very okay. The adventure part was fun to read about, but I wasn't impressed with the writing or the way in which the plot unfolded.
As other reviews mentioned, many of the characters seem flat, with each having a single go-to attitude or action that eventually began seeming predictable. Also, when there were moments of delving deeper into a character, the narration seemed heavy on telling instead of showing, for example, explaining that because one brother was younger than another, he had gotten used to being perceived as younger and so acted more childish (Perhaps, in children's books this lack of subtlety in descriptions is fine, but I found it unenjoyable).
Likely because the characters were (seemingly) underdeveloped, none of them really grabbed me and made me feel connected to them. Because of the treasure-hunting-in-a-desert plot, I was reminded of "Holes," which to my mind had characters that were much more charming.
Overall, not actually a bad book, and younger readers would likely enjoy the twists and turns of the dangerous journey through the desert. Although, the level of danger the characters faced in this book surprised me and at times the stakes seemed a little intense for the age level I would have assumed the book was targeted towards. For example, the main character's father, who has always been distant, is hurt and stranded in the desert after going in search of his son and fears that he will once again let down his son, this time permanently.

[Mike Briley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an amusing, albeit a little far-fetched tale. The desert descriptions are quite evocative and some of the characters are well described. Most of them however are just cardboard cut-outs!
A book that is fine for passing the time in a plane or on a beach.

[JoAnne Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful old fashioned middle grade adventure. A group of kids search for lost gold in the unforgiving desert. Along the way they must overcome a host of challenges, both physical and otherwise.
Many worthy lessons and lots of fun and excitement!

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read to my 11 year old boy and 13 year old girl, both of whom loved it. Wonderful adventure which also deals with growth and finding one's place in the world. Would highly recommend.