"GEARS OF REVOLUTION: Mysteries of Cove, Vol. 2," by J. Scott Savage, Shadow Mountain, $17.99, 342 pages (f) (ages 8-12)
"Gears of Revolution" continues Utah author J. Scott Savage's enjoyable Mysteries of Cove series and is an inspiring piece of literature for the middle-grade reader.
The tale is one of action and mystery as Trenton and Kallista seek to find Kallista's father, Leo Babbage. In this story, the adventure of figuring out clues and fighting dragons keeps the reader excited and always wanting to read more.
Kallista and Trenton have been finding clues directing them to build a mechanical dragon to aid them in their search for her father. They discover a compass and a clue that leads them to a city they have never been to before.
The people in the city think they know a way to be at peace with the dragons, but soon the government organization called the Order of the Beast is taken over by the Whipjacks, who are determined to take over the city and fight the dragons.
Caught in the middle and trying to seek out information to find the inventor Leo Babbage, Trenton and Kallista are left questioning who they can trust and what is really happening around them in a fight to survive.
The setting takes place in the western part of the U.S. and uses some history from Seattle, making the story more real to the reader. The fact that there are so many inventions included in the plot that the reader would be familiar with also helps young readers realize the importance of creativity and innovation.
An enjoyable story plot for the entire family, the book doesn't contain any objectionable language and utilizes clean humor. The book contains a few mentions of violence, including dragons eating people, but none of the instances are graphic or overly detailed. Romance doesn't go beyond innocent teenage crushes.
If you go …
What: J. Scott Savage book launch party
When: Tuesday, Sept. 20, 6 p.m.
Where: Provo Library, 550 N. University Ave., Provo
Web: provolibrary.com/authorlink, jscottsavage.com
John Carlisle is a teacher at Payson Jr. High School and founder of Mentor+LLC.