Jack's Run (Paperback)

~ (Author) "The phone rang, but Mack did not get up to answer it..." (more)
Key Phrases: Snake Eyes, Alonzo Aznar, Sam Sebesta (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6 Up–In Zach's Lie (Hyperion, 2001), Jack Osborne's father agreed to testify against drug czar Alonzo Aznar. Although the family joined the Witness Security Program, Aznar eventually found them and notified his minions, and Jack narrowly escaped death at their hands. In this thrilling sequel, Smith provides enough background to understand Jack's past and the pressures that he now faces. His older sister, Joanne, has moved to L.A., where she plans to attend college and pursue a musical career. His father, under close watch by the U.S. Marshal Service, is scheduled to testify at the trial. For his own safety, Jack is sent to live with Joanne. When he arrives, he discovers that she has been selected for an American Idol-type show, and that her image has been splashed all over the news media. Aznar's men find and kidnap the siblings and move them to a vineyard in South America. From that point, the author tells the story from dual perspectives: that of Jack and Joanne as they try to escape and that of their parents and their struggle to find their children. The two story lines collide when the Osbornes arrive at the vineyard, posing as dealers. The action is nonstop and the characters are compelling. The fast pace will keep even reluctant readers interested. A highly entertaining read.–Emily Garrett, Naaman Forest High School, Garland, TX
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

Gr. 5-8. In Zack's Lie (2001), after Jack's dad's arrest for drug trafficking, the family entered the Witness Security Program to hide from the dangerous drug cartel that will be exposed in court. As the story picks up in this action-packed sequel, Jack arrives in Los Angeles to stay with his college-age sister, Joanne, only to find that she has foolishly blown their cover. Kidnapped and flown to Argentina, Jack and Joanne show their mettle in a series of violent confrontations and other frightening situations. Filling in readers on the background from the previous book takes a bit of time, but once the pace of the story picks up, it never flags; both the heroes and the villains seem larger than life. Sometimes the story strains credibility but may be just the thing for readers who crave plot-driven fiction full of action and danger. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Paperback: 246 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children (March 27, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1423104072
• ISBN-13: 978-1423104070
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #82,065 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Jack's Run by Travis Holder, December 13, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Jack's Run (Hardcover)

Jack's run is the sequal to Zach's Lie. At the end of Zach's Lie the Grangers, after almost being killed by a drug lord named Alanzo Aznar, become the greens and move to Manteo North Carolina. Not long after they moved Jack's Parents are going to go to court to see how Alanzo's trial is going so Jack has to go live with his sister and her sister's room mate. But without thinking Jack's sister auditioned on a popular show. One of Alanzo's hentchmen saw the show that gave Alanzo all the information he need. Then Jack and his sister get taken to a large vinyard owned by Alanzo and his brother. When Jack's parents found out about Jack and joanne being kidnapped they both planned to go save them with the help of Sam Sebesta and Smitty who is an old family friend. While Jack's Parent are trying to save Jack and Joanne they are planning on how to get out they have to make a run at night to a nearby town an hope they don't get caught. When Joanne gets caught Jack luckly doesn't get caught and begins searching for Joanne. After a while Jack's Parent get there to save them but when a crazed woman threatens to kill Joanne they chase her to a small room where they find Jack and Joanne.
I really think Jack is a good character because he is very courageous and smart. He does not give up and is also funny even in bad situations. But most of all he tries his hardest to protect his family.
I would recommend this book to everybody it is a great book. although i didn't like it as much as Zach's lie i still really liked it. It really gets you thinking of what you would do if you were him. This book has great characters I really like Sam Sebesta because he always know what to do and is never afraid. If you like books with cunning villans than this is for you because Alanzo is very smart and very powerful. So if you are ever are bored I recommend reading this great book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Jack's Run Book Review, February 14, 2007

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Jack's Run (Hardcover)

The type of reader that would enjoy this book the most would be people who like adventure and people who like being tricked. I think that the protagonist is the type of person who doesn't mind getting into trouble. The antagonist is the type of person who doesn't care about anybody else but himself. This book has a lot of adventure. One you start reading this book you cannot put it down.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Jacob Hausch*** report for Mrs. Sprague, December 13, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Jack's Run (Hardcover)

Bibliography:
Smith, Roland. (2005). Jacks Run.
New York: Schoolastic, Inc.

Their are many important characters in this book. Jack is a young boy who's life has been very hard, and now he is a very shy, strong, and brave teenager.
Alonzo is the leader of a drug cartel. He is now in custidy, but he has men and women kidnapping the Osbornes and he is still a very feared man.
Christine is Jack's sister, who is a very good actress and singer.
Mr. Osborne is an ex-criminal, ex-Navy SEAL, and ex-pilot. His main goal in the story is to save his children and bring Alonzo to justice.
Sam is a smart, sneaky, and strong man. He used to be a Russian spy, and now, betraying Russia, has many friends high in the government.
Catalin is a young girl from Jack's past-life. She is very important to him, and Jack really wants to see her once more.

Jack's Run is the very exciting sequal to Zach's Lies, which is also written by Mr. Roland Smith. In Zach's Lies, Jack's dad gets caught up in the drug business. The police discovered that Mr. Osborne was drug trafficing, and immedietly arrested him. Alonzo Aznar, the owner of the drug cartel, broke into Jack's house and had his whole family, except his father, held at gunpoint. He then called and told Mr. Osborne that he would kill his family if he told the police anything about the cartel. The Osbornes told the police about the break-in, and they were then put into the Witness Protection Program. The family's identities were changed, and they moved across the country. Jack, not knowing how much danger he was actually in, accidently let his secret out. Alonzo found the family, and threatened to kill them if Jack didn't destroy his dad's proof the Alonzo had the drug cartel. Luckily, the family escaped, and moved again across the country.
Now in the story Jack's Run, Jack's mom and dad went to Atlanta to bring Alonzo to justice. Jack went to LA to live with his sister, but Alonzo's men were there, and kidnapped Jack and his sister. They were brought to South America, where Alonzo lived and were left there trapped. Jack's mother and father got a phone call, and knew then that their children were brought to South America. The parents went after their children, into South America, to rescue their children. Read this book to find out if Jack and his sister live, and to see if Alonzo is ever brought to justice.

I love how the auther, Roland Smith, used short paragraph's which made you just want to read one more chapter, and end up reading the whole book. The whole idea of the book is wonderful, and the book is an excellent book for anybody, expecially children. The plot is very smooth, so the book is pretty easy to understand.

The genre of this book is fiction, and it may be a little action too. My rating of this book is 10 out of 10. It is one of the best books that I have ever read; it is even better than Zach's Lies, which is also a great book.