Recon Academy: Nuclear Distraction

Recon Academy

by Chris Everheart, Arcana Studio (Illustrator)

Hazmat's plans for his first date may be spoiled when Shadow Cell breaks into the nuclear power plant and threatens to destroy the city.

Genres: Childrens, Graphic Novels

55 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

I'm living proof that harnessing talents like staring out the window and watching TV can be put to use for the good (or at least the entertainment) of humankind.
Fifty percent of my childhood was spent staring out a classroom window, wondering what was going on "out there." I daydreamed about interesting places, fascinating people and exciting adventures.
As a reluctant and struggling young reader, my hunger for stories was fed mostly by TV and movies. I still haven't read all the classics (I promise I will eventually). PRIDE AND PREJUDICE wasn't on my reading list as a kid. But I distinctly remember going to the drive-in movies with my dad and little brother and seeing SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT for the first time! I wanted to LIVE in a world where a Trans Am really could jump a creek from a collapsed bridge and keep tooling down a dirt road away from the county mounties.
In high school, though, I was lucky enough to be inspired by a dedicated teacher to read and connect to the arts and humanities. It opened up a world that I might otherwise never have known. I went on to study art and anthropology/archaeology in New Mexico and Minnesota and traveled throughout the lower-48, Western Canada and Alaska. My jobs have included: archaeological illustrator; art gallery manager; motion picture/TV/indy film crew, writer, director and actor; waiter; maitre d; pool boy; slime line worker (people who've worked in an Alaskan fishery know what this is).
While working at an ad agency, I started writing my first book - a political thriller - because I needed to express my passion for stories but couldn't afford to go to film school. It stuck. I found that story is always lurking just below the surface of my conscious mind, so writing fiction comes very naturally to me. I got a contract to write action/adventure books for young readers and found it so easy and fun to write to my 12-year-old self (ref: "reluctant and struggling reader" above).
So I write for young readers and grown ups alike - short stories, novels, chapter books, graphic novels. I still love daydreaming about interesting places, fascinating people and exciting adventures. But window gazing has gotten even better - because today I get to share my daydreams with you. Enjoy!

Reviews

[Nikki in Niagara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book features Hazmat whose special skill is forensics but as we start off he participating in a karate tournament which Emmi has been training him for. They soon receive a call that there has been a security breach at a nearby nuclear power plant. The four member group is on their way and who do they find on the scene but the Shadow Cell. Here they are all put to the test, but Hazmat is put front and centre as he rushes straight into the danger alone where he uses his forensic skills, new found karate moves, faces close death and ends up with a date. A very exciting installment in the series. My son is anxious to read the other two books in the series. Once again though the book is much harder to read than the 1.9 RL would have you believe and with my son's reading level we had to do shared reading, with me also reading the harder words. I enjoyed the way the 'date' was handled. My son is 9 so this idea creeped him out. While the one boy with the date smooth talks about his upcoming evening there is an opposing character who "oh brother's" him all the time adding a comic relief for kids who are younger. This series is very suitable for a wide range of ages and would be perfect for older struggling readers. I'd recommend this right up to Grade 6.

[The Endless Unread · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick but entertaining read. Loving this series.