{"product_id":"the-maze-9780380729135","title":"The Maze","description":"\u003ch2\u003eThe Maze - Award-Winning Young Adult Adventure Novel\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eRick Walder, just fourteen years old, finds himself alone and desperate, stowing away in a truck that leads him to an unexpected destination: The Maze. Set in Utah's dramatic redrock canyon country, this award-winning novel by Will Hobbs delivers an authentic survival story that has captivated young readers across the nation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eA Story of Survival and Conservation\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eStranded in a landscape of stark sandstone spires and deep canyons, Rick encounters Lon Perigrino, a dedicated bird biologist working to release endangered California condors back into the wild. What begins as a chance meeting becomes a transformative experience as Rick learns about these magnificent birds and the man committed to their survival. When danger arrives in the form of two men with a vicious dog driving a battered Humvee, Rick must find the courage to protect both Lon and the condors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eAward-Winning Recognition\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis compelling adventure has earned numerous accolades, including nominations and listings for the Blue Spruce Award, Arizona Young Reader Award, Sunshine State Young Reader's Award, Black-Eyed Susan Award, Minnesota's Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award, South Carolina Book Award, Lone Star Reading List, Utah Book Award, Washington State Evergreen YA Book Award, Young Hoosier Book Award, and Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eThemes of Identity and Growth\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eInfused with the spirit of the Icarus myth and a boy's dreams of flight, The Maze explores identity, personal growth, and friendship against the backdrop of Utah's wilderness. The story balances heart-stopping adventure with thoughtful environmental themes, making it an engaging read for middle grade and young adult audiences.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eAbout Will Hobbs\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWill Hobbs is the award-winning author of nineteen novels, including \u003cem\u003eFar North\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eCrossing the Wire\u003c\/em\u003e, and \u003cem\u003eTake Me to the River\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eNever Say Die\u003c\/em\u003e began with the author's eleven-day raft trip in 2003 down the Firth River on the north slope of Canada's Yukon Territory. Ever since, Will has been closely following what scientists and Native hunters are reporting about climate change in the Arctic. When the first grolar bear turned up in the Canadian Arctic, he began to imagine one in a story set on the Firth River.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA graduate of Stanford University, Will lives with his wife, Jean, in Durango, Colorado.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"HarperCollins","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50680563204370,"sku":"9780380729135","price":7.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_240e177b-a44b-4f83-b3fd-82a0cfc95573.jpg?v=1734922835","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/the-maze-9780380729135","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}