Written by James Ramsey Ullman, this
young adult novel is a good, old-fashioned underdog story. Sixteen-year-old Rudi Matt longs to be a
mountain guide on the great peaks of Switzerland. His mother and uncle have other plans and keep him employed as a dishwasher in a tourist hotel. Their reluctance to have him climb the mountains is understandable: Rudi’s father froze to death while
climbing “the Citadel”, the highest of the surrounding mountains. Now, Rudi lives for the moment when he will place his father’s red sweater atop the Citadel. His
family is not the only obstacle to his dream, though. The townspeople are superstitious about the Citadel, claiming that it can never be climbed.
Things begin to change when Rudi rescues the renowned English mountain climber, John Winter. With the support of Winter and Teo, an elderly, crippled former guide, Rudi begins his journey to climb the Citadel.
Although the plot is somewhat predictable and the characters can come off flat at times, readers will find a lot to like about this book. It paints a good picture of life in Switzerland and Rudi is a true hero. His strong character is the most important part of his story.
This book will appeal most to pre- and early teen boys, although any readers 12 and up will enjoy it.
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