by Kenneth Oppel
*****
FIC OPP, Teen section
The story is about a boy named Matt Cruise, and he's the cabin's boy on an airship called the Aurora. The Aurora carries passengers across the ocean. He loves being in the air, and it feels like home to him. One day, they find a falling hot air balloon with a dying man aboard. The man's last words are of seeing amazing creatures on his journey. Matt doesn't believe him, because people see things like this that are really mirages. A year later, one of the passengers on the Aurora is the man's granddaughter, Kate. She shows him her grandfather's journal, and it has notes about the creatures. Matt begins to believe that they really could be real. The ship is later attacked by sky pirates, and the Aurora lands on an island. On the island, Matt and Kate begin to discover clues about the mysterious animals. I liked this book because it was very exciting. It was also very interesting and the characters were believable. The whole idea just fascinated me. I definitely recommend this book.
M. A. (8th gr.) 2005
