Outlaw by Stephen Davies

imageNow that I am teaching 7th grade (where Social Studies explores world geography and civilizations), I am on the lookout for books that take readers to other times and places that connect to their curriculum.  I have found an action-packed adventure with Outlaw by Stephen Davies.  This thriller explodes with desperate outlaws, high-tech surveillance, high-speed chases, and murderous double-crossers.

Jake Knight longs to live a life filled with adventure, but he has to create his own excitement at his stuffy British boarding school.  When one of his pranks goes too far for the headmaster, he is sent to his parents in Burkina Faso.  There he encounters kidnapping, terrorism, and the beauty of danger of the Sahara Desert.  As he and his little sister Kas struggle to survive, they encounter Yakuuba Sor, the most wanted outlaw in the Sahara Desert, but just who is the Chameleon?

I enjoyed Jake’s antics throughout the book.  After all, he mastered the art of walking up walls and lives for adventure, but he is smart enough to admit that being kidnapped by a notorious terrorist is more excitement than he really wants.  As he travels with Yakuuba Sor, he learns that life is much more than just adventure and adrenaline.  In the end he is willing to make a choice to stand up for what is right.

My favorite character, though, is Yakuuba Sor.  This outlaw is more Robin Hood than terrorrist.  He is a master of disguise and trickery (hence his nickname the Chameleon) who uses his skills to right wrongs against the poor.  Doing so often puts him at odds with the police, who supplement their poor salaries with bribes and corruption.  I know in the real world that not all–or even most–outlaws are such good guys, but I love stories where they are.

2 Comments on Outlaw by Stephen Davies

  1. whitney💕
    November 29, 2016 at 1:23 am (7 years ago)

    i loved this book! i wish it was a series! i was kind of scary though.

    Reply
  2. kilie
    April 30, 2015 at 10:53 am (9 years ago)

    ehy i really like this book. i wish that this was a series. also i wanted to find a picture to represent this book for my book report in my 8th grade english class.

    Reply

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