Customer Reviews

Zamora's Ultimate Challenge

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When I read the premise of this book, I thought is sounded terrific -- two brother actually get to "live" their favorite video game while trying to save their baby sister. This book is filled with suspense, action and even beautiful lessons. I am happy to say that I loved this book and highly recommend it to middle grader readers everywhere. I just couldn't put this book down.

There is no doubt that video games are a huge part of most kids' lives today, but incorporating them with a book is a great idea. Because video games look so realistic today, it's not too hard to imagine being inside of the television and actually battling the bad guys. Naturally, I knew there would be a lot of suspense in this story; and there were some fantastic challenges that the boys had to face before they found their sister. Some of the more exciting ones included battling pirates, dinosaurs, a volcano, a robotic shark, and even Zamora. Most kids will love how the brothers faced these obstacles and won. The chapters are filled with action, adventure, and even a little humor!

I also loved the various characters that the boys met while trying to save their sister. The "bad guys" and their powers were a little bit scary and gruesome (perfect for the young boy readers); and the "good guys" were warm, kind characters who were always trying to help the brothers in their quest and even teach them some lessons. The mix was great, and I liked how the brothers had to use their intuition to figure out who was good and who was evil.

What I really enjoyed about this book, though, were the lessons that the boy learned during their adventure. It was so nice to see the messages about the importance of family and siblings. In addition, I liked all of the advice that the boys received during their journey especially the pieces about believing in yourself and others as well as trusting the light that's inside of you. I also thought it was so special that the boys were told that they each have special gifts/talents that they would discover when they were tested. I just love that their adventure and what they learned along the way could be symbolic of life and growing up!

Ms. Scott did a fantastic job telling this story. I thought her characters, their voices, and even the ultimate messages in this story was wonderful. What also stood out to me were her descriptions of the various characters and their environments. I had no problem picturing everything in this book perfectly! In fact, the writing was so vivid that I could picture ZAMORA'S ULTIMATE CHALLENGE in my mind (kind of like a movie.) Which brings me to the next thing: this book would make a terrific kids' movie and I would love to see it adapted for film.

I didn't want this book to end. I'm happy to say that I felt as if the author deliberately left a few openings for a sequel or perhaps even a series based on these characters. I know I'm not alone in hoping that there will be more ZAMORA books in the near future!

I can't wait to share ZAMORA'S ULTIMATE CHALLENGE with Booking Daughter. I think she is just about the perfect age (9 1/2 years old) to read this story and truly enjoy it. After I finished the book, I just had to tell her a little about the story. Her eyes got real wide and she gave me a huge grin and said, "That sounds like a book that I'd love!" I totally agree with her. In fact, one of the best things about ZAMORA'S ULTIMATE CHALLENGE is that it is definitely one of those books that kids will love to read. I have a feeling that even the most reluctant middle grade readers will just treasure this story.

This is a really cute book. I got it because I am a voracious reader of all genres and it was recommended. My son is a teenager and a little too old (16), but I plan to pass it on to him, because I think he'd appreciate the fantasy of being IN a video game. I love the brothers' relationship in the story - they seem like real little boys. And the video game world is so vivid. Wonderful.

Bought this book for my Daughter on her birthday. (She's 9)She started reading it on a Tuesday and by Saturday she was done (it only took that long because we wouldn't let her read it all night). We actually caught her reading by flashlight under her blanket on Friday night. She loved this story and her Mother and I were so pleased to see her so in to reading! We have not read the entire book (just thumbed through it) but it was recommended to us by a friend so we thought it would be great for her. We can't wait for M.K. Scott to put out another one!

Zamora's Ultimate Challenge is about two pre-teen boys who are left in charge with their little sister. The boys are nothing alike, but they get along while playing the video game Zamora's Ultimate Challenge. As soon as their parents leave, they turn on the video game only to learn that the evil Queen Zamora has kidnapped their sister and will be taking over her soul and entering our world if the boys don't come get her. They figure out how to enter the right secret code to enter the video game...and wake up in the magical video game setting: Boysen Land. Here, the boys have to go through each level of the game, and survive, in order to make it to the castle to fight the queen. They have help along the way in the form of a pegasus, a brontisaurus and an old sage. The question is, can the boys get along and appreciate themselves and each other long enough to fight through to the next level?

What child hasn't wondered what it would be like to be "in" a video game? M.K. Scott did a great job of creating the video game world that her characters enter. She makes it fun for kids to read with pterodactyl poop, volcanos, pirates, mermaids. It is constant action and adventure! However, she also gives them things to learn. I was surprised to see some more difficult words, like "surreal", used. Also, she includes cameos and some useful information on Mozart, Kafka, Poe, Van Gogh (to name a few) - some of which I never knew (ok, I've never ever read anything by Kafka!). I love when childrens books give the kids education disguised as entertainment. What better way for them to learn?

All in all, I thought this was an enjoyable book and that I would have enjoyed it as a kid. The ending sets it up nicely for a sequel, if the author is so enclined - and I hope she is!