Beneath

Coop is no ordinary kid. He’s nocturnal, tap dances, and can’t stand technology, but most of all, loves, even CRAVES, being underground. Once he dug an underground tunnel stretching all around the neighborhood and caused a terrorist scare. He’s always been there for his younger brother Pat, who adores him. One day, Coop disappears. A while later, Pat receives a message from Coop saying he is currently in New York. Pat and Coop talk like this often, until one day Coop’s messages stop. Pat sets out to find out what happened and discovers the world beneath the streets of New York. He learns Coop has set out for The Deep, a place from which no one has returned. He’s been missing for weeks, and it’s Pat’s job to rescue him.

This was one of the most fun books I have read for a long time. Great connections made for satisfying “Aha!” moments; the quick-moving plot was lighthearted. The idea that a civilization could live underground is not new, but this book put a new spin on it. My favorite part was the relationship between Pat and Coop. It is very rare to see a close sibling bond and theirs was realistic.