Devin doesn’t remember life before the world got hot; he has grown up farming the scorched earth with his grandfather in their remote valley. When his grandfather dies, Devin heads for the city. Once there, among the stark glass buildings, he finds scores of children, just like him, living alone on the streets. They tell him rumors of a place for abandoned children, with unlimited food and toys and the hope of finding a new family. But only the luckiest get there.
An act of kindness earns Devin an invitation to the home, but it’s soon clear that it’s no paradise. As Devin investigates the intimidating administrator and the zombie-like sickness that afflicts some children, he discovers the home’s horrific true mission. The only real hope is escape, but the place is as secure as a fortress.
Christian Science Monitor said...
“A timeless story that deserves to become a children’s classic for decades to come.”
The Buffalo News said...
“The novel is beautifully paced, the setting vivid, the plot disturbing, the finale thrilling.”
JD Book Group, The Guardian said...
“The book is a real page turner, some of us read it in four days. We couldn’t put it down!”
School Library Journal (starred review) said...
“…fast-paced and gripping. An original dystopian story for middle-grade readers.”
The Sun said...
“Wonderfully original, a little sinister, this debut is a cracker.”
Jill Craven, We Love This Book said...
“A brilliant and disturbing debut novel.”
Michael Grant, best-selling author of Gone said...
“A lightning-fast and spine-chilling novel.”
R.L. Stine said...
“This frightening and mysterious book surprised me again and again. Unsworth has created a world where nothing is as it seems and horrors lurk around every corner”
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Publication date: April 29, 2014
ISBN: 9781616203290