From School Library Journal
Gr 6-9-Rus Cooper, 13, and his two younger cousins board a small plane on the last leg of a journey to the rain forests of Peru, where his uncle is volunteering as a surgical technician. Rus is a reluctant tagalong, still hurting from the death of his alcoholic mother. Engine problems force an emergency landing in a river and the children are the only survivors. Frightened, but quick to rally, they take stock of their supplies and attempt to build a raft. Friction and bickering between surly Rus and his cousins is overplayed but subsides as survival becomes their focus. The story becomes episodic as they travel down the river, weak from hunger, sunburned, and lost. A lush but dangerous setting is vividly portrayed, complete with insects and piranhas. In a dramatic climax, the children are separated, lose the raft, and are found by tribal Indians. Adults are ephemeral and readers only assume a parental reunion. Rus resolves his relationship with Matt and Jodie but remains in character, avoiding a too sentimental ending. Reluctant readers will enjoy the realism and fast-paced adventure.-Vicki Reutter, Cazenovia High School, NYCopyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Anita Diamant, best-selling author of THE RED TENT
"Vividly portrayed. . . a fast-paced adventure story with soul."

Joanne Greenberg, author of I NEVER PROMISED YOU A ROSE GARDEN and IN THIS SIGN
"The cliff-hanging excitement...comes out of natural situations, not artificial manipulation, which makes for genuine thrills..."

Mickey Pearlman, author of WHAT TO READ: THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE FOR READING GROUP MEMBERS AND OTHER BOOK LOVERS
"...[this] YA adventure story has lots to say about family links, emotional abandonment, and the need to love and be loved."

Book Description
Three children en route to visiting their father at a medical mission narrowly escape death when their small plane crashes deep in the Peruvian rainforest. The plane's pilot dies in the crash, leaving Rus, Jodie, and Matt struggling to survive on their own in a lush but hostile environment. How can a 13-year-old and two pre-teens fend for themselves without equipment, food, or wilderness survival skills? How can these kids overcome their rivalries to work together and save their lives before time runs out? With a harrowing story, alternating points-of-view, and strong male and female protagonists, SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST is an adventure tale guaranteed to thrill boys and girls alike.

About the Author
Edward Myers is the author of twenty-two published books. Among these are eight children's books (including CLIMB OR DIE, HOSTAGE, FORRI THE BAKER, and THE ADVENTURES OF FORRI THE BAKER). In addition, Edward Myers has published three novels (THE MOUNTAIN MADE OF LIGHT, FIRE AND ICE, and THE SUMMIT) and a well-received, much-reprinted book about bereavement, WHEN PARENTS DIE: A GUIDE FOR ADULTS. He has co-authored many books as well, among them THE PARENTHOOD SURVIVAL KIT (with Aleta Koman, M.Ed. Edward Myers lives with his wife and two children in northern New Jersey.

FROM THE CRITICS

School Library Journal