Dig World by Steven O'Donnell (Bajo) Stephanie Bendixsen (Hex)

Ill. by Chris Kennett. Pixel Raiders series, bk 1. Scholastic Australia, 2016. ISBN 9781760159252
(Age: 8+) Stephanie Bendixsen and Steve O'Donnell are writers and presenters for the ABC3 show Good Game and Good Game: Spawn Point and Good Game: Pocket Edition. They are video game enthusiasts, dedicated gamers across all platforms and they have collaboratively written this new virtual-reality gaming series - Pixel Raiders.
Ripley and Mei are fanatical gamers; each has a high level of skills and mastery of INREAL GAMES including - Teamforce Splatter, Dungeons of Direworld and Space Horizons 1-4. A wonderfully exciting day is about to happen; their class are visiting the INREAL gaming headquarters to see where all the new games are tested. There is an amazing opportunity for the best gamer, who will test the latest VR game. Rip and Mei battle each other in Super Block Knights and each plays to their strengths determined to win the prize, however Angela outsmarts the kids and is declared the winner. A week later, the two gamers are invited to return to INREAL to play Pixel Raiders Level 1 - Dig World.
Trapped inside this brand new game, Rip and Mei work together to build shelters, find food and use voice recognition to move through the game world. George the Wizard is their guide and they soon discover the need for protecting their health. They need to survive for three days in this strange pixelated environment, fighting green arrow shooting goblins and flame tigers, chopping wood for fires and discovering the reasons for fart flowers.
Dig World is an action-packed adventure for readers who love gaming and the world of virtual reality.
Rhyllis Bignell