Content levels
Trigger warnings
Positive tags
Protagonist archetypes
Synopsis
A meteorite is hurtling toward the Black Hills of South Dakota. . . . Brady Steele watches in awe as a fireball comes crashing through the roof of his house. Brady immediately calls up his cousin, Quinn. They both love all things extreme, and this is the most extreme thing ever! Fred, as Brady names his space rock, turns out to be one of the rarest meteorites ever found. Professor Rip Ripley from the museum in Hill City wants to study a sliver of it in search of extraterrestrial bacteria. He's hoping to discover the first proof of life beyond Earth, a momentous breakthrough for the new science of astrobiology. During a wild week of extreme bicycling, fishing, and caving, Brady and Quinn battle their rivals, the notorious Carver boys, for possession of the meteorite. With each new day, Brady is discovering he's able to do strange and wonderful feats that shouldn't be possible. At the same time, he's developing some frightening symptoms. Could he be infected with long-dormant microbes from space? Is Fred a prize or a menace?
Is Go Big or Go Home appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 10 and up.
A meteorite gives a boy strange powers in this middle grade adventure featuring biking, caving, and rivalry. Mild peril and some frightening symptoms from potential extraterrestrial infection, but age-appropriate for the target audience.
What to know going in
This book has mild violence, no sexual content, and clean language. Content notes include anxiety.
Who'll love this
An extreme sports-loving kid gets infected with alien bacteria from a meteorite and develops superpowers while battling rivals for the rock.