A lot can happen in 24 hours—unless you live in Nowhere, Arizona, the least-livable town in the United States, where nothing ever happens. However, the town’s reputation changes one summer evening when young Gus is rescued by Rossi Scott, just as the bully Bo Taylor is about to make him eat a jumping cholla—a very spiny cactus. In Dusti Bowling’s 24 Hours in Nowhere, this one small act sets off a chain reaction of events that will keep Gus, Rossi and Bo very busy—at least for the next 24 hours.
Rossi was able to rescue Gus, but he pulled it off at the expense of Loretta, her prized dirt bike. Resolute, Gus confronts Bo and learns that to get Loretta back, he’ll have to trade one piece of gold from Dead Frenchman’s Mine. Gus is determined to find the gold and get Rossi’s bike back before her big race the next day, and so he gathers up some new friends, and the four venture into the mine. What they find there is more than they ever could have imagined.
24 Hours in Nowhere is fast-paced and filled with adventure, excitement and humor. Each character contributes to the main plot while also carrying a story of their own. This is a perfect pick for young readers who love a well-developed story with twists and turns all the way to the very end.
This article was originally published in the September 2018 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.
