Search - By Balloon to the Sahara (Choose Your Own Adventure #3)

ISBN 0553209493 - Stumbling across this book, sheerly by accident, has me wondering why I'd never heard of the series before! Based on this particular title, this is an excellent idea and will engage budding adventure fans from the start.

The storyline, of course, is practically impossible to recount in any way, because the storyline depends on your choices. The only constant is how it starts - you visit friends in France, rent a balloon and hop in. From there, at every turn, you have to make decisions. Go north or go south, peaceful negotiations or attack, swim for the shore or wait for rescue. Every choice leads you to a different page and takes the story down a different path.

A few choices lead to rather sorry - even scary - endings, and not just endings of the story, but your own ending! For example, one storyline has you drifting away into space, where the lack of oxygen leads to your demise. Maybe not appropriate for the ultra-sensitive or kids under 10 (depends, of course, on your kid!). All in all, a fun ride and even a few lessons - the first of which is everything you do has a consequence! Great stuff.

- AnnaLovesBooks