Into the Abyss (Tom Swift, Young Inventor Series #1) »

TOM IS IN DEEP-SEA TROUBLE...

Tom. Bud, and Yo are on the S.S. Nestor, a Swift Enterprises research vessel, to witness Mr. Swift testing his submersible, the Verne-1. Mr. Swift plans to use the Verne-1 to place a network of seismometers on the sea floor to detect underwater earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and other phenomena that might generate tidal waves on the ocean's surface. But when an unexpected storm hits and the S.S. Nestor looses contact with the Verne-1, it's up to Tom to save his father.

Children's Literature

Tom swift knows he is a genius and no he is not bragging. As the son of a world famous inventor, brilliance is the norm. The story opens with Tom testing a shark repelling wet suit in the middle of a shark feeding frenzy at the local aquarium with the help of his best friends Yo and Bud. With a little heart pounding and the aid of his friends, Tom makes it through that adventure relatively unscathed. With that success under his belt, Tom is elated when his father invites him on a research expedition to study volcanic activity on the ocean floor. Everything is going as planned until the ship looses contact with the submersible, Verne-1, during an underwater earthquake and subsequent avalanche. Tom has little time to figure out how to get to the ocean floor and save his dad. Can Tom beat the clock? Can he find the Verne-1? Can he survive the rescue mission? Adventure fans will love this engaging and entertaining story. Tom is overly smart, which could be a problem for some readers, but he is well balanced by the supporting characters. In the end, each character has his or her own unique skill to bring to enhance the story. This book would be great for an elementary school library. It would also be a great book for boy, though girls would enjoy it too. Reviewer: Melyssa Malinowski