Book Description: Twelve-year-old Adam Story meets a mysterious man, Prince Olioli Oh, who presents him with a challenge. If Adam can travel around the world by land and sea only in forty days,w/o an adult escort, (and become the youngest human to do so) he will receive 4 million dollars. Adams begins the journey, but he soon learns other twelve-year olds are circling the world too. And who are those mysterious people in green or the teenagers with blowguns. Is Adam in a race? No, he's part of a big game, the GGG, the Great Global Game.

Reviews:

BOOKLIST, Dec. 1, 2004
Evans, Douglas. MVP. Illus. by John Shelley. 2004. 232p. Front Street, $16.95 (1-932425-13-6).
Gr. 4-7. Adam Story longs to see the world, but he never imagines he will get the chance. Then, on his twelfth birthday, a mysterious stranger, Prince Oh, from the kingdom Babababab, visits and challenges Adam to circle the globe in 40 days--no flying allowed. Outfitted with an excuse for his mother (summer camp), special technogadgets, and plenty of money, Adam embarks on the trip of a lifetime. Soon, however, he finds out that things are more complicated than he imagined; he is part of a global game, racing against time and against 23 other kids, and dodging darts and some unsavory adults (dastardly Baron von Sheepsbottom) for a prize of $4 million. Evans' writing matches the lively pace of Adam's journey, and Adam's descriptive narrative makes for a fast-paced, engaging read. Children looking for adventure, humor, and a bit of escapism will enjoy the intrigue, imaginative details, fantastical and familiar locales, and the quirky characters. Occasional black-and-white, cartoonlike pictures illustrate the text. -Shelle Rosenfeld

Children's Literature - Mary Helen Sheriff
Adam Story joins the Great Global Game in a competition to see who can be the first twelve-year-old to circumnavigate the world without an adult. Prince Oh, sponsor of the Magellan Voyage Project (Adam's team), warns Adam that he has 40 days using only surface transportation to make the trip. Throwing aside the rules and guides MVP offers, Adam decides he can be more successful on his own. The challenge grows as he's chased by trackers attempting to capture and detain him, and he must dodge the sleeping darts of the stoppers to win the $4 million prize. Reality TV meets children's literature in this rollicking adventure. The idea of sponsoring such a contest without parental or legal consent is just so preposterous that it works. Adam Story's quest is a dream-come-true for every kid. Teachers will find a wealth of opportunity for teaching geography with this book, which includes everything from famous monuments, to world cultures, to time zones. What a fun read! 2004, Front Street, Ages 8 to 12.

EVANS, Douglas. MVP*: *Magellan Voyage Project. illus. by John Shelley. 231p. CIP. Front St. 2004. Tr $16.95. ISBN 1-932425-13-6. LC 2004000506.
Gr 4-6-Adam Story, a palindrome-loving 12-year-old intellectual who yearns to travel, believes he has nothing more in store for him during the summer than 40 days of camp. When Prince Oh, the producer of the Magellan Voyage Project, shows up out of the blue and proposes to sponsor him in a challenge to journey around the world in just 40 days using surface transportation, Adam agrees. After all, there is a $4-million prize waiting for him if he succeeds. Little does he know that the MVP is competing with 23 other teams to win the Great Global Game. Adam finds himself having to avoid tranquilizer darts, trackers, and the dreaded Baron von Sheepsbottom. He meets various characters who help or hinder him, including the blue-haired Meredith of the Gagarin Voyage Project. The girl seems trustworthy, but of course she's also trying to win the game. While the dialogue is corny and Adam is much too savvy for his age, the story is a refreshing alternative to gritty contemporary stories or high-fantasy adventures. Children who enjoy wordplay will easily spot the palindromes sprinkled throughout. Humorous black-and-white cartoon illustrations in different sizes, many of them full page, enhance the text.-Farida S. Dowler, Mercer Island Library, WA

Author Comment: Part Jules Verne, part Roald Dahl, part James Bond, and drawing upon my years of traveling around the world, this book was fun to write. During my years of world traveling, I was able to visit all the places Adam Story does. The Internet provided bus, ship, and train schedules. Everything Adam does on his around-the-world journey is possible and accurate. I hope reading MVP*:Magellan Voyage Project is a good way for students to learn about the continents, means of travel, time zones, and world countries.

Read MVP*: Magellan Voyage Project! Part 1 North America (pdf )

Hard copy guide available upon request. ($10 to cover printing and priority mail)

MVP* Community Read: Information

MVP*: Magellan Voyage Project: Interactive Map!

MVP*: Magellan Voyage Project: Slide Show!

MVP*: Magellan Voyage Project: List of places Adam wants to visit in the world!

 

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