Content levels
Positive tags
Hero archetypes
Protagonist archetypes
Synopsis
"There's part of Bud's wrecked plane!" Hovering his new cycloplane, the *Drumhawk*, in turbulent skies above the wilds of the New Guinea jungle, Tom Swift Jr. points to the sheared-off wing of his friend's plane. The area, flanked by two extinct volcanoes, is as forbidding as the deserted native huts clustered in sinister shadows. Without Tom's latest aircraft, which uses ultrasonic rotating drums to provide lift, a rescue attempt would be impossible. Battling violent weather conditions, the young inventor lands the *Drumhawk* and organizes a rescue expedition. Hazards are encountered from hostile natives who fire barrage after barrage of razor-sharp stone missiles and from a scientist with a deadly ray weapon. Tormented constantly by crafty enemies and nature's perils in the search of Bud, the rescuers unearth a clue that the young pilot is a prisoner of an unscrupulous group of white men who have discovered a fabulous ancient secret and are utilizing it for nefarious purposes. How Tom, at the risk of his own life, outwits Bud's captors and opens up a new field for science makes tense, exciting reading.
Is Tom Swift and His Ultrasonic Cycloplane appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 10 and up.
Parents should know this 1950s juvenile adventure contains period-typical portrayals of indigenous peoples as hostile threats and primitive obstacles. The book features action violence including stone weapons, deadly ray guns, and physical peril, but no graphic detail or mature content.
What to know going in
This book has moderate violence, no sexual content, and clean language. Content notes include captivity, violence, and racism.
Who'll love this
Kids will enjoy the exciting jungle rescue mission featuring a futuristic aircraft invention, dangerous wildlife, secret ancient discoveries, and daring heroism from a young inventor saving his best friend.