Tuesday, September 23, 2008



Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
With five minutes before my kids got home for lunch and fifteen minutes before I had to head to work I was racing through the last few pages of Life As We Knew It. I really wanted to know how things were going to turn out for 16-year- old Miranda and her family who are trying to survive after a meteor knocks the moon into closer orbit to the earth, resulting in tsunamis, earthquakes, illness, and starvation (among other things).
As a reader, you know from page one that disaster is just around the corner. But of course, everyone is looking forward to viewing this night-time spectacle - many of Miranda's neighbours are hosting parties to coincide with the meteor's arrival. Maybe not such a bad idea, since no-one's going to be celebrating again for a long time - if ever.
As the year progresses, things get progressively worse for the family. While not directly affected by tsunamis, volcanoes erupting around the world block out the sun and cause food shortages. The local and national infrastructure is fractured and gradually oil, internet, radio, and medical help disappear. Through it all, life becomes increasingly precarious for the family but they are determined to survive if at all possible.

Monday, September 8, 2008


After Jazz supposedly dies in a fire, her mom sinks into a deep depression and her dad is drinking heavily. Younger sister Sunny is struggling to run the household and keep up with her school work. Then a letter arrives - supposedly from Jazz - saying that she is still alive and is coming home. Trouble is, the girl who shows up looks like Jazz, acts like Jazz, but isn't Jazz. Who is she and why is she doing this?
The plot of "Dead Girls" reminded me a lot of Lois Duncan but with more substance. The relationships between family members is what makes it stand above other books in the suspense genre. Although a quick read , Giles manages to convey a lot about the complex interactions between family members and between family members and the Jazz impersonator.
Named an American Library Association Quick Pick for Reluctant readers.