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Secret Doors: The Challenge
What if a girl who lost everything met a boy who had nothing? How might it change their lives? For Abby and Stevie it’s the start of their Thanksgiving break. Abby’s foster family has left her behind, locked in their home with nothing but TV dinners and the walls for company. She has a plan, though, and a friend in Stevie that will make the weekend an adventure. There ‘s more in store than she could possibly imagine. Life can be challenging, especially when you’re twelve. For Abby and Stevie, the true challenge waits behind a tiny door at the back of Mr. Kim’s store. When Stevie tries their secret knock (as a joke, because the door is only big enough for a mouse), they are magically taken to a strange place where a room full of kids await selection. The Challenge, which has taken place all over the world, every year for the last thousand, is for a special group of children. It‘s a test of team work, cleverness, and willingness to trust. For Abby, Stevie and their new friends, it is much more because there are those behind the scenes who are not playing fair. It will be a grand adventure that, if they survive, will change their lives forever.
198 pages, Paperback
First published July 25, 2013
4 people are currently reading
33 people want to read
About the author
Brian D. Meeks
23 books100 followersBrian D. Meeks is a graduate of Iowa State University with a degree in Economics. He is the author of the Henry Wood Detective Series, a satire series, Underwood, Scotch, and Wry, and has some stand alone YA, a science fiction series, and in 2019 is working on a 10 book Epic Fantasy series.
He lives on the Las Vegas strip.
And really loves people who post pictures of guinea pigs on Facebook.
They are adorable!
He lives on the Las Vegas strip.
And really loves people who post pictures of guinea pigs on Facebook.
They are adorable!
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 12, 2020
I chose to read this book after receiving a free e-copy from the author. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.
Abby and Stevie quickly become good friends when she moves in with her foster family. Her life is hard because they don’t treat her well, and Stevie lives at an orphanage. Abby misses her parents, of course, but Stevie’s friendship and positive attitude help a lot.
One day they stumble on a tiny door and decide to give it a try. Not only do they make it through the door but they embark upon an adventure that will change their lives.
They’re not alone though. Their group also includes George, Jo, and Cindy, all of whom have their own special gifts. Even though the children come from completely different lifestyles, they learn to work together along the way. Is it possible that they’ve made new best friends? And will they make it through The Challenge? It doesn’t look good when they end up facing challenges they weren’t supposed to face!
A short but fun read that middle school age children are bound to enjoy.
Abby and Stevie quickly become good friends when she moves in with her foster family. Her life is hard because they don’t treat her well, and Stevie lives at an orphanage. Abby misses her parents, of course, but Stevie’s friendship and positive attitude help a lot.
One day they stumble on a tiny door and decide to give it a try. Not only do they make it through the door but they embark upon an adventure that will change their lives.
They’re not alone though. Their group also includes George, Jo, and Cindy, all of whom have their own special gifts. Even though the children come from completely different lifestyles, they learn to work together along the way. Is it possible that they’ve made new best friends? And will they make it through The Challenge? It doesn’t look good when they end up facing challenges they weren’t supposed to face!
A short but fun read that middle school age children are bound to enjoy.
November 4, 2013
Summary - Abby and Stevie are best friends. Abby is neglected by her foster family (her real parents had died in a fire) and is bullied at school. Stevie is an orphan and sneaks out of the orphanage. One day they spot a very small door at the back of a store they were in (they are friends with the owner). Abby and Stevie get teleported into a large room full of kids and some grown-ups. They get teamed up with 3 other kids for a mysterious challenge (called The Challenge) that none of the kids really know what it is for, but Abby and Stevie figured it was better than going back home. They are told they have to work together to get from a cave they are magically transported to, to a door that when they go through, completes The Challenge. Their path leads them through a strange world where they encounter dangers, puzzles they have to solve, and meet new friends (and enemies). They are guided on their journey by Alouicious who shows up now and again (but far too little). The kids must learn to get along and use their talents to make it through this weird world and succeed on The Challenge!
What I think - The plot idea of this book is intriguing. Two kids find a door and get challenged to The Challenge! Sounds cool. The world the kids go through was interesting. In this world humans were tiny and the animal there were huge. There were also some other creepy creatures like a rock-like giant and beasts from the Pit of Woe (a cool name). Besides Abby and Stevie there are 3 other kids. One of the kids is a nature lover (Jo), another is a fashionista, a pessimist and kind of mean (Cindy), and a nice, optimistic boy (George). Out of the 5 kids I think my favorite character is George, but none of them really stuck out for me. Abby started out as a strong main character but faded around the middle of the book. All of the characters were likeable (except for Cindy, but she kind of grew by the end of the book). The conversation between characters was odd. The characters are 12, but they way they talked to each other sometimes sounded too young. There were a few instances of bad language that parents of younger kids may not like (he**, da**, pi**) and a couple of editing mistakes I found. It bothered me because I was never really sure why they were going on The Challenge other than to just do it. But, I also figured what kid would not just want to go on an adventure. I like the idea that the kids have to work together and get along to complete the journey. Overall I liked the story and I hope we get to learn more about the characters and the challenges they go on in future books in this series.
**NOTE I got a Free Copy of this Book in Exchange for an Honest Review
What I think - The plot idea of this book is intriguing. Two kids find a door and get challenged to The Challenge! Sounds cool. The world the kids go through was interesting. In this world humans were tiny and the animal there were huge. There were also some other creepy creatures like a rock-like giant and beasts from the Pit of Woe (a cool name). Besides Abby and Stevie there are 3 other kids. One of the kids is a nature lover (Jo), another is a fashionista, a pessimist and kind of mean (Cindy), and a nice, optimistic boy (George). Out of the 5 kids I think my favorite character is George, but none of them really stuck out for me. Abby started out as a strong main character but faded around the middle of the book. All of the characters were likeable (except for Cindy, but she kind of grew by the end of the book). The conversation between characters was odd. The characters are 12, but they way they talked to each other sometimes sounded too young. There were a few instances of bad language that parents of younger kids may not like (he**, da**, pi**) and a couple of editing mistakes I found. It bothered me because I was never really sure why they were going on The Challenge other than to just do it. But, I also figured what kid would not just want to go on an adventure. I like the idea that the kids have to work together and get along to complete the journey. Overall I liked the story and I hope we get to learn more about the characters and the challenges they go on in future books in this series.
**NOTE I got a Free Copy of this Book in Exchange for an Honest Review
September 10, 2013
Abby is an orphan. She was adopted by the Drapers two years ago after a horrible fire took away all of the family that she had. The Drapers had swooped in and given her a new home immediately, but she never felt like it was her home. Shunned by Mrs. Draper because of her red hair, and picked on by Trent and Trevor (the Draper twins), she now spends her days as a "guest" in their home. And it is made painfully obvious to her that she is not really wanted.
Stevie is also an orphan. He and Abby meet and become best friends. Stevie lives in an orphanage. They are both drawn together because of their similar situations.
Both Abby and Stevie embark on a journey into the world of secret doors and challenges. A world where Alphie, a friend in this new realm, is an owl and a man. They are grouped together with a few other kids around their age and begin a challenge that neither of them really seem to understand. But seeing that this is better than going back to their homes, they decide to go through with it. What they find is more friendship, leadership, and becoming more of who they were meant to be. But first, they must make it out of the challenge alive. Because someone is sabotaging it.
A great little novel that I would be comfortable letting younger kids read! It is a very clean book, but still has the excitement of adventure. It will definitely appeal to the younger readers! Secret Doors is more than just an adventure, it's about the process of growing up as well, of getting the courage to go through all types of perils. Great read!
Stevie is also an orphan. He and Abby meet and become best friends. Stevie lives in an orphanage. They are both drawn together because of their similar situations.
Both Abby and Stevie embark on a journey into the world of secret doors and challenges. A world where Alphie, a friend in this new realm, is an owl and a man. They are grouped together with a few other kids around their age and begin a challenge that neither of them really seem to understand. But seeing that this is better than going back to their homes, they decide to go through with it. What they find is more friendship, leadership, and becoming more of who they were meant to be. But first, they must make it out of the challenge alive. Because someone is sabotaging it.
A great little novel that I would be comfortable letting younger kids read! It is a very clean book, but still has the excitement of adventure. It will definitely appeal to the younger readers! Secret Doors is more than just an adventure, it's about the process of growing up as well, of getting the courage to go through all types of perils. Great read!
August 12, 2013
This review is from my 12 year old son.
“Secret Doors” is about a group of five kids who are 12 years old and go on an adventure called "The Challenge". Abby and Stevie find a tiny door in their friend's house and are sent through it, into a world full of shape-shifting and adventurous "special" kids, who are also there to take the Challenge.
Abby is the main character and you really feel for her when you read about her back story and her foster parents. George was my favourite character as he seems to be the bravest of them all but just doesn't show it. He makes mistakes but means well. Jo is interesting as she started out as a bit of a loner but when the team meet Billy and Badger (two giant guinea pigs), it turns out that she is quite at home with animals. Cindy is a spoiled brat but is quite funny as all she is worried about is Wi-Fi for her cell phone.
Overall the plot was good and I enjoyed reading the book, especially the fantasy element like the teleporting rings and the run-faster boots. I didn’t like the ending battle against Creeper though as it just came out of the blue. I thought Creeper should have had a bigger part up to that point so the battle made more sense. Also, I thought that Abby’s red hair would be important as it seemed to be a big deal at the start of the book. Maybe it will come to something if there is a sequel.
“Secret Doors” is about a group of five kids who are 12 years old and go on an adventure called "The Challenge". Abby and Stevie find a tiny door in their friend's house and are sent through it, into a world full of shape-shifting and adventurous "special" kids, who are also there to take the Challenge.
Abby is the main character and you really feel for her when you read about her back story and her foster parents. George was my favourite character as he seems to be the bravest of them all but just doesn't show it. He makes mistakes but means well. Jo is interesting as she started out as a bit of a loner but when the team meet Billy and Badger (two giant guinea pigs), it turns out that she is quite at home with animals. Cindy is a spoiled brat but is quite funny as all she is worried about is Wi-Fi for her cell phone.
Overall the plot was good and I enjoyed reading the book, especially the fantasy element like the teleporting rings and the run-faster boots. I didn’t like the ending battle against Creeper though as it just came out of the blue. I thought Creeper should have had a bigger part up to that point so the battle made more sense. Also, I thought that Abby’s red hair would be important as it seemed to be a big deal at the start of the book. Maybe it will come to something if there is a sequel.
November 3, 2014
interesting premise. teenagers go through secret door to undertake challenges to allow them to proceed in life (I think). Good book.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews