Leepike Ridge by N.D. Wilson

Thomas Hammon never meant to float over the rapids, but that is exactly what happens when he floats on a piece of foam form a refrigerator box down the river.  After crashing over the rapids and finding himself in a cave with a dead man, Thomas doesn’t have much hope for survival.  But he soon meets a fellow captive who has been lost in a network of caves for three years.  Between the two of them, they discover a mystery, a possible treasure, and maybe even a way out.  This is a face paced adventure story with everything that makes an adventure story great: villains, a hero, treasure, and a wonderful journey.  This is grittier than many children’s books that tell stories of adventures.  Usually ones that have murders in them as this one does are set back during the gold rush or wild west.  However, I don’t think kids will be bothered by the slightly harsher tones the story sometimes takes.  While the characters are not completely three dimensional, they are well rounded and add depth to the story.  A fast paced fun read.