[LM_NET] Review: Crocodile Tears (book 8, Alex Rider)

[Pamela Thompson <pthomp@SISD.NET>]

Crocodile Tears (Alex Rider series, book 8)

by Anthony Horowitz

Philomel Books (Penguin), 2009.

385 pages

It's been ten years and eight books since Anthony Horowitz introduced the world to 
Alex Rider, teen spy. MI6, Britain's intelligence agency, has been using Alex since 
the death of his uncle who was, in fact, one of their top spies. Alex learned to 
drive motorcycles and fast cars and learned hand-to-hand combat and martial arts 
under his uncle's tutelege. This makes him the perfect fit for MI6. Another reason 
the agency loves him--no bad guys would ever suspect a 15 year old school boy as a 
spy.

Crocodile Tears is energetic, thrilling, and a taut adventure. An ex-con brilliant 
madman turned billionaire who has convinced the world that he is a man of God, 
Desmond McCain, runs an international charity named First Aid. Using this charity, 
McCain collects millions of dollars from wealthy nations who channel it to his 
charity to sites of international tragedy. First a nuclear accident happens in 
India and then a planned famine in Africa. McCain causes each tragedy to happen and 
then uses his charity to make billions for himself. His ego-maniacal view of the 
world makes him dangerous to everyone, especially Alex, when he stumbles upon 
McCain's plans to infect millions of people and animals in Africa with a 
genetically infected wheat.


Readers who enjoy espionage, terror, and adventure will like this books. Fans of 
earlier Alex books will like this one. Recommended for YA collections grades 5-up. 
Suitable for high school adventure and espionage readers.

Just posted to my blog at http://booksbypamelathompson.blogspot.com/


Pamela Thompson, MLIS
Library Media Specialist
Col. John O. Ensor Middle School
13600 Ryderwood
El Paso, TX
915-937-6018
pthomp@sisd.net<mailto:pthomp@sisd.net>

visit my YA novel blog at http://booksbypamelathompson.blogspot.com/


"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog is too dark to 
read." --Groucho Marx

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