Summary:  A boy and girl inadvertently stumble across mysterious happenings in their many outings in the dunes. They eventually come across a body which subsequently disappears. The teens wonder if the happenings are tied to the legend of the witch that haunts the dunes or if strangers in the area are involved in illegal activities.

Comments:  This mystery novel explores themes of friendship and independence. The cover illustration attracts a lot of student appeal. Lots of suspense and action develop the plot. *** The author treats an unmarried pregnancy in a sensitive manner.  Back to List

Summary:  A grade nine student forms a dislike to a particular teacher and acts upon it. Because of his (perceived to be disrespectful) humming of the national anthem during homeroom, he is suspended from school. When he and his parents fight the suspension, the media picks up on the story. In the media furor, the teacher is asked to resign because she is unfair and "unpatriotic". The story develops an illustration of how the "truth" can be distorted to garner media ratings. It can lead a discussion of how one person’s perspective may not be the whole truth.

Comments:  The theme of this novel is worth studying by junior high students as each person should make doubly sure that he/she has all the facts before making decisions. Students relate well to the text because they are surrounded by incidences which lead to biased reporting such as schoolyard fights, wars around the world. One teacher reflected, "This novel was powerful for me as a teacher. It brought home to me once again how careful one has to be in a classroom – in order to protect oneself from slander."  Back to List

Side By Side 

Summary: This collection of more than seventy songs and poems speaks of the experience of being human. The representative works of both of these genres speak of joy, and sorrow; of our private selves and our public expression.

Comments: Personal themes range from "Myself and Others" to "The Individual in Society" allow for much student discussion. Sound recordings of the artists' work can enhance the students' comprehension of the text. Many of these poems can serve as models for students' own writing.  Back to List

The McIntyre Liar 

Summary: Sixteen-year-old Kevin (Muskrat) Winslow spends a summer as a farm hand on the McIntyre properties in Southern Alberta after smashing up his dad’s car. Reluctant to settle into the job, he expresses his feelings of exile in letters and light-hearted newspapers to his friend Mitch in Calgary. Slowly, the eccentric farm hands and characters from this rural community grow on him. When his satirical caricatures and hyperbolic expressions of humourous daily events leak out to the McIntyre’s employees, "The McIntyre Liar’s" expanded readership encourages him publish more issues.

Comments: Accepting people for who they are is a desirable attitude for all people as is making the best of a difficult situation. The alternating writing formats, newspapers, and letters are useful models for discussing style and purpose in wiring. David Bly uses creative imagery to add humour to the text, e.g., "The school at Del Bonita was an island rising out of a sea of pickups."  ***This novel won the 1992 Alberta Writing for Youth Award.  Back to List

Spiral Maze 

Summary: Neil and his friend Fleur must rescue a young woman from the evil Dexter Gunn, Neil’s great-great grandfather. Before they can even reach Charlotte, they must extend their minds and push through their fears to conquer the spiral maze. Along their journey, Neil feels the assistance of the ghost of his twin brother, and that they are being followed by some fearsome shape-shifting agents of evil. Should they be able to break through the maze, they all may find themselves in another world where there may no return.

Comments: This believable fantasy features well-developed characters and emotion-filled writing. Patricia Bow balances good and evil, truth and lies, shadows and light. Strong suspense and fast paced adventure keep the reader turning page after page.  Back to List

Summary: Through fourteen-year-old Nicholas Sparks’ psychological reports, faxes and interviews, the reader unravels what would cause him to kill a rock star. Flashback scenes depict Nicky’s brother Christian’s control over him. Nicholas connects Christian’s death from AIDS to the rockstar’s sharing of drugs and a needle with Christian.

Comments:  The theme of this novel is that outside appearances do not always tell the story. Students often bury their problems so deeply that no one else can see. Eventually, all these emotions can surface under the influence of a trigger.   *** The issues of AIDS and drug abuse are revealed and dealt with in a realistic manner.  Back to List

Summary:  This text consists of five short stories about five teenagers who must encounter problems with: dating, family, lack of power, etc. Each story has an implied moral which unfolds with plot details. Most teens can relate to the struggles and aspirations of these high school students.

Comments:  *** Sensitive language could be a problem. The main characters encounter solutions and consequences as they try to solve their life problems through trial and error. The issues are very relevant to today’s teens. This text could support family life and health curricula.  Back to List

CHOYCE, Lesley

Summary:  Two teenage students fight for the beauty of the area they live in against a large chemical corporation. Their fight opens their eyes to the system and also makes it possible for them to understand their parents better. Marina and Steve fall in love as they work on eliminating the problem of pollution in the town’s water source.

Comments:  "Never give up on yourself or on a cause in which you believe" is a theme worthy of students’ attention. Environmental concerns are very motivating. The male protagonist and limited vocabulary make this book appealing to reluctant male readers.  Back to 7-9 List

CHOYCE, Lesley

Summary:  Corey, a teenage boy, is born in Halifax to a black mother and a white father. He is white-skinned but feels black on the inside. He feels confused as to whether he is black or white and feels harassed at school because he does not feel that he belongs to either the black or white community. Later, he has the good fortune to meet an uncle who is black, and through this meeting, gains insight into his black heritage and ancestry. He comes to the realization that he should be proud of the person he is, inside and out.

Comments:  This book engages reluctant readers. Teenagers relate to the turmoil in Corey’s life. The characters are strong and face real-life challenges. A study of this novel can be integrated into religion, Canadian history and career counseling.  Back to List

What Jamie Saw 

Summary: Jamie, a third grader, observes "the final straw," an act of violence against his baby sister. Now he has to live and work through the aftermath- leaving home quickly with his mom and adjusting to life on the run. Poverty and fear breed contradicting emotions. Now, he has to adjust to living in a temporary abode and learning to trust again.

Comments:  *** Child abuse and spousal abuse are issues that need to be treated with sensitivity. Despite the young age of the protagonist, this book is best shared with older students. Jamie’s growth throughout this difficult time is an excellent model of how to resolve challenging issues. The triumph of the human spirit is worthy of discussion with teens.  Back to List

CONRAD, Pam

Summary:  Zoe is loved and raised by her grandparents yet physically and emotionally separated from her own mother. Her ability to use her mind to travel to the spirit world enables her to reach, understand and help her mother overcome an event in Mother’s past that has kept them apart. Throughout this mysterious time travel, Zoe is assisted and strengthened by a special friend.

Comments:  Past events and experiences can return to haunt the present in both harmful and beneficial ways. Understanding and acceptance is part of a family’s loving relationship. A glimpse into mental illness can contribute to student understanding. This book connects two genres: fantasy and mystery.  *** Teachers should preread this text before sharing it with children. Some parent communities may be uncomfortable with Zoe’s dependency on the spirit world.  Back to List

Summary:  Sal, a thirteen-year-old girl, sets out on a quest across America to be reunited with her missing mother. Two stories: one funny and one bittersweet create a heartwarming and compelling story of love and loss.

Comments:  Because the reader is unaware of the mother’s death until the end of the novel, the theme of parental separation can be explored. The language is very effective. Native traditions are woven into the text and even the dedication begins with "Don’t judge a man until you’ve walked two moons in his moccasins."  This book is a winner of the 1995 Newberry Medal and is also available as a book on tape.  Back to List

Summary:  Spud Sweetgrass, an only child whose father is dead, is a genuinely good person. He is able to relate to the needs of others. He has two wonderful friends however he keeps part of himself separate from this relationship because he has an awful secret. He has witnessed a murder. In withholding this secret, he becomes more fearful of himself, his friend Connie and the murderer. Later, he reveals his awful secret to his friends and the police. Together, they are instrumental in capturing the culprit.

Comments:  The message of this novel is about being able to: trust one’s own recollections; accurately articulate the necessary details; remain visually aware in a situation where you witness a murder. The text helps the reader to make connections to personal feelings. Despite the heaviness of the "secret", the reader will enjoy the humour in the writing. The characters were realistically-described as in the chain-smoking health nut, the kid with the scientific mind, the geeks in the class, etc.   Back to List

Summary:  In South Africa during the Apartheid regime, two young men – one black, one white have very different life-experiences. Their standards of living, education and opportunities reflect the great injustices and institutionalized racism which was prevalent in South African society. As children, the boys were great friends but as they grew older, they drifted apart. Tengo (the black man) became involved in the struggle to change the country while Frikkee (the white man) joined the army. When they meet again, they struggle to understand each other and the changes that they have undergone.

Comments:  This book raises many important issues for young people and shows how much our environment influences our values, beliefs and ideas. The narrative switches back and forth between the two main characters. The students may require a glossary of terms for the South African vocabulary. The tensions in South Africa and the inequalities of the two boys’ living conditions draw in the reader. Some students can relate their own experiences of discrimination and racism to those of the boys.

***Some of the language used is offensive but it is important to this context because it is historically and linguistically accurate. It can help the reader to understand how oppression and discrimination affect all aspects of our lives including language.  Back to List

HALVORSON Marilyn

Summary:  19-year old Steve Garrett returns to rural Alberta after spending 7 years as a runaway. Beau, his 15-year-old brother, has mixed feelings about Steve’s return. In coming to terms with his brother, Beau discovers himself, as well as the price of love and forgiveness. This book is a sequel to the novel Stranger on the Line.

Comments:  This novel is engaging to students of comparable ages because it deals with the feelings many teenagers experience in their relationships with siblings and peers. Themes in the novel include: family, trust, honesty, love, betrayal, self-discovery and consequences. In addition, readers are exposed to general information about ranching in Alberta and can identify with many of the places in the novel.  Back to List

HALVORSON Marilyn

Summary:  Steve Garrett, a teenage runaway, has to deal with homelessness and becomes mixed up with drugs. He meets up with Reece, who helps him by letting him train old, crippled horses. They take the horses to the chuckwagon races in Calgary, where Steve meets up with someone from his past who wants to kill him. Though the novel ends with Steve on the run from the killer and the law, he resolves friendships.

Comments:  This is a story that could appeal to students interested in the subject of being in trouble and running away. In addition, there are excellent details about horses. The local color of the Calgary Stampede is interesting for Calgarians and Albertans.  Back to List

Stranger on the Run 

Summary: One of the Brothers and Strangers series, Steve Garrett is on the run again and faced with new challenges. Running from a Vancouver drug dealer, he learns from Jesse, a young native on the cattle ranch where he holes up. Jesse, too, has a troubled past and a mysterious mission. Together, they experience trust, honesty and friendship. Slowly, he begins to make better life choices- he returns to school and plans to earn his high school diploma. Unfortunately, just as he begins to make a new life for himself, Steve’s past catches up with him again and he must resume life on the run again.

Comments: Students are quickly engaged in the conflict of this novel. Students identify with Steve’s difficult personal choices and personal relationships. Steve’s newly acquired skills mean that he is now better prepared to face the dangers of no longer running. The author of this series, Marilyn Halvorson, is a teacher, writer, and cattle rancher who lives near Sundre, Alberta.  Back to List

Summary:  Fourteen-year-old Ponyboy lives with his two older brothers after the death of his parents. He and his friends are knows as greasers. They all live in the poor section of town. The greasers are in constant conflict with a group of wealthy teenagers called socs. One night Ponyboy and his friend Johnny are jumped on by five socs and Johnny, frightened beyond reason, kills one of the attackers.

Comments:  This book has had high appeal with teens since its publication in the ‘70s. The characters in the text have to deal with gang and peer relations often through conflict and active aggression. The detailed characterizations are very realistic as Ponyboy narrates his observations in the novel.  Back to List

Summary:  This novel tells the story of homeless children in Russia after the Bolshevik, Revolution in the early 1920s. Twelve-year-old Alex joins a street-gang in Moscow led by a shrewd and strong boy called Peter. The children are hungry and cold but free. They survive by thievery and trickery. Alex remembers the stories once told to him by a teacher about a secret emigration service. The "wild" children seek out this service and Alex finally finds true freedom in Finland.

Comments:  This text supports grade nine social studies curriculum of Russia Today. Themes of personal survival in changing conditions are very relevant to teens. Discussions can be related to how street kids survive. This book could be read as an introduction to George Orwell’s Animal Farm, thus linking old and new literature together.  Back to List

Summary  Eleven-year-old Peter, neglected and abandoned by his mother, has become withdrawn. Toughened by his experiences in a series of foster homes, he winds up in a delinquent home and later runs away. He is befriended by two Native Americans who care for him until he is recaptured and returned to the facility. The story ends in tragedy. Peter and one of his native friends both kill themselves after the death of Dreamspeaker.

Comments:  Reluctant readers enjoy this book because all teens struggle to find a place where they belong. West Coast native spirituality and beliefs permeate this text. ***The issues that are raised in the book need to be discussed in depth as they can be disturbing for some students. Some passages are explicitly described.  Back to List

What If? Amazing Stories 

Summary:  This collection is comprised of sixteen short pieces, fourteen of which are short stories and two of which are poems. All of the selections begin with the question, "What if…" This leads to endless speculation and possibilities for stretching the reader’s imagination. Two of the stories are twists on well-known narratives, "Little Red Riding Hood" and "Frosty the Snowman."

Comments:  This compilation includes works from a variety of well-known authors. Fantasy and science fiction are represented in this text. Junior high students will find much to discuss from these stories. The texts can serve as models for students’ own "What if…" stories. Back to List

JOHNSTON, Julie

Summary:  15-year-old Sara Moone finds herself on a farm with a loquacious ‘mom’ and a taciturn ‘pop’ after repeatedly going from one foster home to another. She also encounters two other foster kids seeking to belong to someone. Sara begins to discover attachments to those around her as she undergoes a journey of self-discovery.

Comments:  This book is a winner of the Governor General’s Award for writing for young people. Comments by one reader include: Excellent book! Readable! Interesting style! Very Teachable! Exciting, deep characters!

One reader expressed concern with the language at the beginning of the book, e.g., "jerk-ass kid", "damn fools", "witch’s tit".  Back to List

Summary:  Coyote, the trickster, creates the world and creatures within it. She is able to rig all events to her advantage UNTIL a funny-looking, red-haired man named Columbus changes her plans. Columbus is unimpressed by the wealth of moose, turtles and beavers in Coyote’s land. What he does value, are the human beings who he takes to sell in Spain.

Comments:  Thomas King is a Native American author who subverts the entire Columbus "conquest" mythology into a trickster tale. The clash of cultures is depicted in bright, fluorescent, clashing colours. Visual puns such as the Europeans being depicted as clowns and anachronistic symbols of today contribute to the farcical nature of this text. The author addresses the issue that point of view is important to the retelling of factual events. History is not strictly factual. It is influenced by the culture of the author who reports the past.  Back to List

Summary:  This book is one in a series of books written with a focus on high interest/low vocabulary for reluctant readers. A dope dealer tries to find himself with the help of his father and friends.

Comments:  The courage to face your wrongdoings and to straighten out one’s life is important for teens. There are pen and ink drawings which help spark interest and create meaning in this text. An article which can extend this novel is "Confessions of a Dope-dealer".  Back to List

LASKY, Kathryn

Summary:  Harper Jessup lives an extraordinary life. Together with her family, she travels across the U.S. in a deluxe motorhome. Her parents try to purge the local schools and libraries of non-fundamentalist Christian books. Written as a diary, she retraces her own salvation with the books that she has read in each small town’s library. The conflict with her understanding of truth against her parent’s narrow perception of truth is resolved when Gray, her true friend, buys her a ticket so that she lives with her Gammy. All is not rosy, however. Harper’s younger sister still lives with her parents.

Comments:  This text deals with very sensitive material in a supportive manner. Themes of religious fundamentalism, prejudice, and censorship are discussed and resolved for Harper. Some parents may object to Harper’s ambivalence to marching in order to protest abortion. Despite its potential to create a controversial response, this book is well worth introducing to young adults.  This book would be best dealt with in a literature circle format for junior high students or as an intensive study for Ed Plus students because of Harper’s constant references to other books. In this way, students may be compelled to read the other books.  Back to List

Summary:  Chelsea, a young girl, is being sexually abused and is having great difficulty relating to others. She decides to burn her secret away. Her fascination with fire creates several sinister and terrifying situations. Chelsea, her cousin Beth, and Diggon, a boy who is on the run from the police, share secretiveness. When their secrets are revealed there is hope for growth, healing and renewal.

Comments:  Students enjoy this book because the reason for Chelsea’s fascination with fire is not revealed until near the end of the book. This may be a good resource for health curriculum and for the school-counsellor.  Back to List

Summary:  Orphaned Alfred Brooks, a seventeen year old drop-out, lives with his aunt and three cousins in Harlem. When the store in which he works is robbed, his best friend James is arrested. His best friend’s gang believes that Alfred "fingered" James and is out to get Alfred. He hides out at a boxing club and decides that becoming a boxer may be a way out of the ghetto. He meets Mr. Donatelli, a trainer of champions. With the help of Mr. Donatelli and others, he recognizes that he can make something of himself.

Comments:  By persevering and working hard, a person achieves success. The text deals with consequences of decisions and is highly relevant for today’s youth. This book emphasizes the value of education and the value of living a moral life. Personal goal-setting and self-discipline support the health curriculum.  Back to List

Summary:  After a near-death experience, fifteen-year-old Jade awakens to find she has psychic powers. She can tell what will happen and read her friends personal thoughts. This leads to trouble at home and at school. With her grandmother’s help she comes to accept that she is not a freak, but rather a person with different gifts.

Comments:  In this story, which is set in Winnipeg, psychic ability is well dealt with in a strong adventure story. It also deals with the holocaust and brininging war criminals who have lived in Canada for many years to trial. The title draws students, and the story holds them.  Back to List

MORCK, Irene

Summary:  Two brothers, Greg and Michael, seem to be in constant conflict because of their personalities and interests. They are forced to resolve their conflicts when they go with their father and Holly to search for Holly’s horse in the Rockies. Greg is upset because he is missing an important party in the city, Calgary.

Comments:  Vivid descriptions and realistic dialogue captures the reader. The characters struggle with father/son relationships, boy/girl relationships and sibling rivalry. The novel also explores values through the actions of different characters. There is conflict but there is also resolution. The novel provides many opportunities for discussion and reflection.  Back to List

PARK, Ruth

Summary:  Abigail, a 14-year-old contemporary Australian girl, is resentful towards her parents because of their marital difficulties. Abigail follows a strangely dressed child, who has been watching a frightening game called ‘Beatie Bow’. She turns out to be the original Beatie Bow. Abby is transported back to the 1880’s by virtue of the crocheted antique clock on her dresser. Abigail is trapped with Beatie’s family but eventually is able to make her way out. This is a story of Abigail’s personal journey to maturity.

Comments:  History, adventure and a bit of romance are included in this novel. Beatie and all the characters are strong and interesting. This novel particularly appeals to students who like historical time travel. Some insights into Australian history may need discussion for some students.  Back to List

Summary:  Max, an over-developed eighth-grader, becomes friends with Kevin, an intellectual boy with a crippling birth-defect. Together, they are "Freak The Mighty", a mixture of brains and brawn. As "Freak", Max and Kevin are able to overcome many of life’s problems.

Comments:  This book alludes to King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. The dialogue uses the everyday language of teens. The text also incorporates the sophisticated vocabulary of bright students.  ***A reference to father having killed mother is mentioned briefly in this text.  Wife and family abuse, gangs, peer pressure and lack of self-esteem are issues developed in this book. Back to List

SPINELLI, Jerry

Summary:  The magic library card, which turns up in the four separate stories in this book, is a ticket to whatever each young character needs most at the time. Each story is imaginative, surprising and well beyond the ‘books are good for you’ theme one might expect from a tome with this title. The children in the stories face varied turning points as they move toward adolescence. They all find their way thanks to a mysterious blue card that seems to materialize from nowhere. Street kid, Mongoose, must decide whether to follow a friend clearly on his way to trouble or to seek his own path. April, just moved from New York to an isolated farm, needs a friend. Deprived of television for a week, young Brenda must learn to handle her restlessness and figure out who, besides those goofballs on television, lives inside her head. A grieving Sonseray, barely realizing he’s in need, finds comfort and a reassuring connection to his dead mother.  

Comments:  The connecting theme of how access to the library is open to everyone regardless of age, race or social stratum is worthy of encouragement. All students need to be reminded that reading books can open up worlds and opportunities. Students in IOP and resource programs will also relate to the characters in this book.

**Caution: Some teachers may take exception to the first novella since Mongoose and Weasel commit crimes and plot to quit school with little remorse. When Mongoose discovers the library, he is transformed but Weasel is stuck in his anger.  Back to List

Doing Time: Notes from the Undergrad 

Summary:  This text can be read as a novel about student service projects before grade twelve graduation. It can also be studied in a short story unit as each chapter is written in the voice of a newly introduced character. The former characters do not reappear. Many of the chapters feature ironic endings such as the student who ends up delivering a food hamper to her own home.

Comments:  Rob Thomas deals with sophisticated themes as the students enter into adulthood- poverty, teen pregnancy, and illiteracy. Teachers may wish to select appropriate stories for their students to discuss in class. One story, "Ten Pins Down" has a character who expresses himself in foul language. Back to List 

TREMBATH, Don

Summary:  15-year-old Harper Winslow’s sentence for starting a garbage fire in his school’s hallway, is to write a 2000 word essay on how he’s going to turn his life around. His mom’s solution is to send him to a writing class so that he can write an effective essay. Once he is registered in the class, he discovers that his classmates are all adults who are struggling with literacy (either from learning disabilities or mental challenges.) For the first time, Harper finds his voice and someone who will really listen.

Comments:  The hidden gem in this book is the way that the author uses the story line to covertly slip the reader tips and techniques that good writers use on a regular basis, e.g., use of personal experience and brainstorming. This novel could complement a writing unit.  Don Trembath is an Edmonton teacher and author. This is his first book.  ***Caution: The novel includes disrespectful slang, e.g., "faggy", "sucky".  Back to List

The Apple is Peeled 

Summary:  Junior high students in a Calgary Catholic school wrote this anthology of young adult poetry. A variety of styles, points of view, observations, feelings and opinions span a wide range of sensibilities. Organized into twenty themes like about self-identity, school, relationships and introspection, this book represents the work of 12 to 15 year-olds from 1989 to 1995 with more than 200 poems.

Comments:  In this time of using exemplars in language arts as models for student writing, this text is exemplary in the volume of published student poems. The quality of this young adult writing is worth sharing and discussing with students.  Back to List

The Runner 

Summary: Bullet is a cross-country runner who does not run to win but runs for himself. Physical running is his means of running away from emotional problems. He runs from a father who tries to dominate everyone. He runs from his mother’s sad and lonely eyes. He runs from the silence that his brother and sister left behind. He runs from the racial tension in his school. Will Bullet’s future entail running from the family farm, going to college, or joining the army?

Comments: Cynthia Voigt is an award-winning author of many young adult novels. The Runner is set in the 1960s USA, the characters deal with issues surrounding the Vietnam War. This powerful, intensely moving story provides students with many interesting questions to discuss- racism, war, and being true to oneself. The theme that it is impossible to run from one’s life is worthy of exploration with today’s teens.  Back to List

Summary:  Joseph is a fourteen-year-old car thief. His latest escapade lands him in hospital after crashing a car. While in hospital, he connects with a social-worker named Gord. Through his connection with Gord, he must spend six weeks at a wilderness adventure camp with seven other young offenders. Time at the camp teaches Joseph responsibility and teamwork, yet his only thought is of escape until he has to take responsibility for the safety of the other boys.

Comments:  The issues of taking responsibility for one’s wrong-doing and Joseph’s rehabilitation are of high interest to teens. Boys who glamourize crime can come to see that these types of activities are misguided. Eric Walters is a Canadian author who set this survival story in the Canadian wilderness. The reader feels part of the action as the descriptions are vivid.  Back to List

Summary:  Burl runs away from an abusive family life and discovers the peace, companionship, and guidance of an eccentric musician, "The Maestro". Burl changes and matures through his violent confrontations and the isolation of the wilderness.

Comments:  Tim Wynn-Jones is a Canadian author. The text extends the reader’s background knowledge of the Canadian wilderness and music composition. This novel is beautifully and sensitively-written. The characters are very appealing to junior high readers.  Back to List

Summary:  This is a book of short stories where all the main characters are youths. Most of the stories end hopefully after the young characters overcome obstacles.

Comments:  The variety of student/youth roles are strong in these stories. Many of the stories focus on "looking beyond surface impressions". The text deals with issues such as death, grief, divorce and friendship. The stories could be used for a discussion of the techniques that an author uses to craft a text.  Back to List

Armageddon Summer 

Summary: Jed and Marina are two teenagers whose families move them onto a mountain retreat to prepare for the end of the world. Reverend Beelson has announced to his congregation that the Armaggeddon will take place on Thursday, July 27, 2000. From the mountaintop, the Believers will watch the Righteous Conflagration that will scour the world clean- and then they will descend to begin God's work anew. Questions come to Marina's and Jed's minds. Why is God testing Marina's faith? Why would God let Jed's mom and sister burn but spare Jed and his dad? Why do the Believers patrol the compound's electric fences with automatic rifles at the ready?

Comments: Told in alternating chapters from both Marina's and Jed's points of view, the two authors wrote one character's story. Themes of faith, friendship, love and loss, are presented as subjects worthy of discussion at the End of the World and as such support religion curriculum.  Back to List