Airborn (Matt Cruse #1) by Kenneth Oppel

Matt Cruse is a cabin boy on the Aurora, a huge airship that sails hundreds of feet above the ocean, ferrying wealthy passengers from city to city. It is the life Matt's always wanted; convinced he's lighter than air, he imagines himself as buoyant as the hydrium gas that powers his ship. One night he meets a dying balloonist who speaks of beautiful creatures drifting through the skies. It is only after Matt meets the balloonist's granddaughter that he realizes that the man's ravings may, in fact, have been true, and that the creatures are completely real and utterly mysterious.

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This is book two off the Battle of the Books TR list, and it is by far my favorite so far. It is a cross between Treasure Island and A Journey to the Center of the Earth, told amongst the clouds. This book has a little bit of everything - adventure, mystery, romance, humor, pirates - and it makes for an immensely entertaining read. The characters are great and the fast paced plot makes for a page turner. There are a couple of sequels to this book, which I will definitely be checking out. This fantastic little adventure story totally worth your time.