Between Heaven and Earth

Canadian author Walters (Catboy) launches the ambitious, adventure-driven Seven series, aimed at teenage boys, with this coming-of-age story set in Tanzania. When David McLean dies, he leaves each of his seven grandsons a certain task to complete, representing a missed opportunity or other aspect of his checkered past. Each grandson gets his own installment in this series, which have been written by different Canadian authors (including Norah McClintock, John Wilson, and Shane Peacock) and are being released simultaneously with this story. Walters’s offering focuses on 17-year-old DJ, who is instructed to climb Mount Kilimanjaro and scatter his grandfather’s ashes at the summit. During the physically grueling trip, DJ confronts his own limitations and youthful arrogance, while coping with culture clash and the very real prospect of failure. While DJ’s overconfidence makes it hard to root for him at first, his growth along the way soon transforms him into a more palatable hero. The biggest draw, though, is Walter’s keen attention to atmosphere, detail, and setting—Mount Kilimanjaro is a character unto itself. Ages 10–up. (Oct.)