Let Loose the Bonds of Earth

I decided to start out the reading extravaganza with a book that I have meant to read for ages - Airborn by Kenneth Oppel. I read part of his bat series and liked the writing, and enjoyed his speech accepting the Printz Honor Award at ALA last summer, but just never got around to the book. As is so often the case, I wished I had read it sooner so I could have been talking it up to young (and old) readers! Oppel does a marvelous job of describing this airship-filled world and of creating his characters - central and secondary. The bits of mystery concerning so many characters and storylines supplied a good deal of tension, the dialogue and humor spiced up the narrative, and then there's the whole "LOST" style element... (won't say more in order not to spoil it for others.) Altogether, I found myself wanting to become part of the world in these pages and wondered aloud when I came to the final page in the wee hours whether there would be a sequel..... Good first entry for my Book Challenge!