Shanghaied to the Moon

by Michael J. Daley

Thirteen-year-old Stewart Hale dreams of Space Academy and becoming a famous pilot like his mother, and like his hero Val Thorsten. But after his mother's death, his father has forbidden any talk of... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0399246193
• ISBN13: 9780399246197
• Release Date: March 2007
• Publisher: Putnam Publishing Group
• Length: 251 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.8" x 8.6"
• Age Range: 8 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 3 and higher

Customer Reviews

Shanghaied to the Moon

All Stewart wants for his 13th birthday is for his father to sign his application to Space Academy Camp so that he can learn how to be a spacer, like his video hero Val Thorsten was. And like his mother was. Until she died. But his father is on the moon, and it doesn't look like he'll be back in time to sign the application. When Stewart meets an aging spacer at the Old Spaceport after a disturbing session with his counselor, things begin to change. He is shanghaied to the moon on a secret mission with a pilot he knows nothing about. On the journey, without the help of a brainwashing counelor, fragments of memory around the death of his mother resurface for him until he is faced with the truth. Michael Daley has created a totally believable future world in space, paying such close attention to detail that the reader is completely able to suspend reality and travel in the co-pilot's seat to the moon. Though not an avid reader of science fiction, I was rivited to this novel. For me, the setting was an interesting backdrop to the real suspense of the plot: who is this spacer, why does he need Stewart, what is is mission, what really happened when Stewart's mother died, nnd, most importantly, will Stewart make it home? A great read for anybody who likes a fast paced adventure and coming of age story, spiced with a realistic view of what future space travel might look like.

Spacebound Adventure and Intrigue

Michael J. Daley's new book, SHANGHAIED TO THE MOON, starts of with plenty of adventure and more intrigue than I'd expected. Thirteen-year-old Stewart Hale wants to be a space pilot like his mom, but she was killed in a fiery crash that he can't quite remember. That's part of the whole mystery that unfolds throughout the novel. The first-person narrative adds extra tension and interest as we hear Stewart's story as he presents it. From the beginning of the session with the virtual counselor, I knew something was going on behind the scenes. So did Stewart. As he dug more into the mystery surrounding his life and his mother's tragic death, I got more interested. When he met the washed-up spacer who offered him a chance to crew aboard his spaceship to the moon, I knew the adventure was about to become even more exciting. The guy doesn't tell Stewart everything, but he tells him enough to make him paranoid about what's going to happen to him if he doesn't come along for the trip. Once in space, Stewart's life is balanced on a knife-edge of danger. Daley also throws in a lot of interesting tidbits about space travel and offers speculation about how space exploration is going to progress. SHANGHAIED TO THE MOON is a great, compact read that will keep young readers nailed to their seats to see the adventure through to the end and solve the mystery. Kids (and adults who read kids' books) will find a welcome break from all the fantasy novels that are filling the shelves lately. Strap in and blast off!