Peak
By: Ronald Smith
TeenInk Review by Olivia W.


Part of my school work one summer was to pick three books, read them, and make a 5 by 8 index card based on that book. As i was looking through the selection of books the school gave us, one book that stood out to me was “Peak”. I knew for a fact that I was never good at sticking to a book, and if i was going to pick Peak, that i would have to stick to it. About seven pages in I was hooked to the book. I couldn't put it down! Peak is a book about a boy who decides to climb the Woolworth Building in New York, then gets caught by the police. He is given the option to either serve jail time, or go live with his father, in the Himalayas. His father, not being there for him his whole life, is a climber, and hesitates taking Peak responsibility. After some consideration, he decides to go with his dad, and climb to the top of mount Everest.


The characters in this book show a lot of courage. Peak, who is only thirteen, takes on the challenge that no other thirteen year old would do. And that is to climb to the highest point in the world; Mount Everest. He is accompanied by his fathers climbing group, a friend of his dads son, SunJo, and Sun Jo's dad. I feel that the author did a great job displaying the characters emotions, and making it seem as if I was there with them, because of the imagery, and pictures that he put in my head.


“You don't have to be alone to feel alone.” This shows how much of a struggle it was for Peak, and others to climb a mountain. As you go higher up, the thinner the air gets, so its more than likely that you would get sick, or drowsy, from the lack of oxygen. To prevent this, you must carry a supply of oxygen with you. I felt that Peak, the book, taught me a lot of what I didn't know. It taught me about surviving in extremely cold temperatures, and how to cope with them. I learned a lot of important things about climbing and hiking too. Ronald Smith did an amazing job with writing this book, and I would recommend it to anyone.