Sunday, January 9, 2011

Pfeffer, Susan Beth This World We Live In

Pfeffer, Susan Beth This World We Live In
Harcourt Brace/Houghton Mifflin 2010 239p 17.00
978-0-547-24804-2 hs Realistic Fiction VG-BN
This is a realistic novel about the survival of a family in a world where nothing is alive after the collision of a meteor with the moon. It is a world of haunting images and scary emotions.
Miranda Evans and her two brothers (Matt and Jon) comb the surrounding areas for the possibilities of food and utensils after the catastrophe. The climate has changed, the sunlight is nonexistent, the landscape is barren, and the potential for food is relatively small. The family existed on what the siblings can scrounge from the vacant houses while their mother stayed home and tried to life normal.
After a few months, her divorced father, his wife (Lisa), their baby (Rachel) arrive on their doorstep creating additional problems in regards to living space and food supply.
When things are sort of working out, a tornado levels the town of Howell. Once again Miranda is faced with a difficult life and death choice.

This is a story of survival. The picture is not acceptable nor encouraging. It is a world in which choices made have definite consequences of life or death. It is a riveting read that will haunt memories with images of what the family had to do to survive. This is a very well written book that will relate well to many young readers. It is recommended as a basic book for any upper high school library. It would make an excellent selection for a basic books list for school libraries. McNeil, Linda

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