The Prince Who Fell from the Sky

by John Claude Bemis

In Casseomae's world, the wolves rule the Forest, and the Forest is everywhere. The animals tell stories of the Skinless Ones, whose cities and roads once covered the earth, but the Skinless disappeared long ago.

Casseomae is content to live alone, apart from the other bears in her tribe, until one of the ancients' sky vehicles crashes to the ground, and from it emerges a Skinless One, a child. Rather than turn him over to the wolves, Casseomae chooses to protect this human cub, to find someplace safe for him to live. But where among the animals will a human child be safe? And is Casseomae threatening the safety of the Forest and all its tribes by protecting him?

Middle-grade fans of postapocalyptic fiction are in for a treat with this fanciful and engaging animal story by the author of the Clockwork Dark trilogy.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Science Fiction, Fiction, Dystopia, Animals, Childrens

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

From the author website;
I’ve always been fascinated by trains. My grandfather hopped trains all over the country in his “hobo days” and filled my head with curious stories of America’s lost past. Those stories, I suppose, were the beginnings of my first novel, The Nine Pound Hammer.

I grew up in rural eastern North Carolina by a swampy creek on the Neuse River. Yes, I’ve been bitten by a water moccasin, but fortunately not by an alligator. When you live in a county with just one stoplight, you learn how to entertain yourself. As a kid, I read a lot, played in tobacco barns, swam in the river when the jellyfish weren’t too thick, and learned violin and guitar.

Eventually playing classical violin in youth orchestras and playing electric guitar in a bunch of terrible rock and punk bands led me to American roots music. I’m partial nowadays to vintage country or blues, Cajun or bluegrass, anything with a fiddle or a musical saw. Some friends and I formed a band Hooverville and put out a pair of CDs of original songs. They’re fun to listen to if you like that kind of music.

At UNC-Chapel Hill, I studied Art History and Elementary Education. I taught elementary school for twelve years, mostly 4th and 5th grades as well as being a Gifted Education resource teacher. I got a chance in the classroom to teach the books I loved so much as a kid and discovered a lot of incredible new children’s literature along the way. But something seemed to be missing from my class’s bookshelf: fantasy based on America’s folklore.

Through old-timey music, I became fascinated with the way America’s myths have been passed down through songs. Drawing on the legend of John Henry’s struggle against the steam drill, I thought about how Southern folklore could be turned into epic fantasy. This passion grew into my first novel, The Nine Pound Hammer, a story set in a mythical 19th-century America full of traveling hoodoo conjurers, cowboys, swamp mermaids, and steamboat pirates. The adventures continue in The Wolf Tree and The White City, the other books in the Clockwork Dark trilogy.

I live the small-town life in Hillsborough, North Carolina with my wife, Amy, and daughter, Rose. We spend a lot of time hiking on the trails around our house, going into town for chocolates and coffees, or encouraging our overweight cat Max to run around some.

Reviews

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally reviewed here.

Anyone who’s been reading my reviews for a while now has probably realized that I love when a book puts a spin on my traditional way of thinking. I don’t always agree with the spin, but I like knowing it’s out there affecting the way people think about things. The Prince Who Fell From the Sky was one of those books. I was worried on more than one occasion that it would cross the line into ‘big message’ territory and make me groan, but it didn’t! John Claude Bemis weaved his tale with a deft hand in a way that made me think without making me feel like I was being judged. Not completely easy for a story about post-apocalyptic earth where the humans live no more and animals pass down stories of the Skinless Ones’ cruelty to the Forest.

The Prince Who Fell From the Sky was an interesting weave of native mythology, animal fantasy, and the currently popular post-apocalyptic setting. The main character, Casseomae (or Cas for short), is an aging bear with the instincts and desire to be a mother. Unfortunately, all of her cubs have been stillborn. As a result, she feels very protective of all those in need, saving each member of the band repeatedly throughout. When the Skinless Ones fall from the sky (presumably in some sort of space craft) and a child emerges, Cas refuses to let the hierarchy of the Forest kill him, despite the risk. The only memories creatures of the forest have of the Skinless Ones are of killing and destruction. She sets off with the companionship of a somewhat knowledgeable rat, a Faithful dog, and the ‘cub’ in tow.

The Prince Who Fell From the Sky is the story of unlikely partnerships between animals of different standing and relation to humans. It seems that each type of animal has their own stories and myths about humans, and I loved to see the alternate takes that the animals had. The greatest humor of the book sprouted from Dumpster, the rat who begrudgingly journeys alongside Cas in search of his Mischief and the Havenlands. He is the Memory for his Mischief, the one who is supposed to remember all of the stories and history. As such, he considers himself the authority on all things human, but of course, at least half of his ideas are laughably ridiculous and nonsensical to our human minds. For example, the idea that people had fire escapes on buildings so they could escape fire on the ground and run up to safety.

The relationship between Cas and the ‘cub’ is powerful. Despite a language barrier (and I honestly loved that the human and animals couldn’t talk with one another), she manages to impart wisdom and respect for the Forest into him. This, she hopes, will make him a part of the Forest and unlikely to cause the destruction that all of the animals fear he portends. The ending of The Prince Who Fell From the Sky is unequivocally perfect. It’s realistic, heartwarming, and sad all wrapped into one. Plus I have to say, that I totally dig this cover.

While I obviously have many kind things to say about John Claude Bemis’s The Prince Who Fell From the Sky, I will admit that this story didn’t really grab me. It was well done, unexpected, and made me think from a new perspective, but at the same time it was very easy to put down, and didn’t have me longing for more. I feel descriptions of this one as a post-apocalyptic Jungle Book are fairly on the nose, though that is another story I was never enraptured in. Personally, I could take it or leave it, but I do feel that it will be a better fit for many young readers.

[Pam Pho · Rating 4 out of 5]

This being the first work I have read from John Claude Bemis I was wholly unaware when I opened the book and turned to the first page that I would lose the ability to put it down until I read the conclusion. The Prince Who Fell From the Sky is a post apocalyptic novel for eight and up told through the eyes of the animals that survived whatever world shattering event happened when humans didn’t.

Casseomae is an old bear living in a meadow alone away from the rest of her brethren. She was considered to be a curse because every cub she birthed had been born breathless. In Cass’ world the wolves ruled and no one had seen a skinless one (human) for many lifetimes.

There are three groups of animals in this story. The predator, the prey, and the animals like dogs and cats that had served the humans when they were still around.

Read the rest on Bookalicious.org!

[ᛚᚨᚱᚲᚨ × ᚠᛖᚾᚱᛁᚱ (Semi hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The bear's path is marked by heavy steps.

This was a pleasant surprise - I came for the dystopian and xenofictional components, I stayed for the author's style and villain. I was half right on that.
It's a classical YA fantasy book, but not in a negative way (they're my guilty pleasure). The story is interesting enough to keep you reading even when there are some slow parts (especially at the beginning, when the story and the characters have to be set properly), and it's interesting since the premise has a bit of "what if" in it. And, of course, this was seen from an animal point of view.
So I'll just skip all the points that deserve my praises and I'll get to the one thing I didn't like. Where the f*ck is the villain?
I mean, you presented him like a damn badass, both physically and psychologically speaking. And... he never did a damn thing. Almost. Please, next time (yes, this won't be my first and last book by John Claude Bemis) use your best characters (or is just me and my thing for the bad ones?) properly. Thanks!

[Renee Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

An artful blend of post-apocalyptic sf and animal fantasy. This is a relatively quiet story, and there are times the pacing drags a bit, but there were also a lot of little touches that I appreciated -- for example, the carrion-eating vultures being able to see the future, and a colony of feral cats apparently led by a tiger. I also loved Casseomae, and the strength of her character alone made up for many of the story's weaknesses otherwise. (I'd give it 3-1/2, but since that's not possible, I'm rounding up instead of down.)

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this post-apocalyptic children’s book told from the point of view of the animals left behind and how they deal with a child who survives a small spaceship crash in the middle of their world. They thought that all humans had died and they are greatly surprised by this arrival.

[Barb Middleton · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well-known fact in the Forest is that humans no longer exist because the wolves killed them off in the great Rising. When a starship crashes and a toddler gets off the plane no one can believe it and the coyotes who stumble first on the scene decide to kill the small boy. Mama bear, Casseomae, sees the altercation and protects the boy hatching a plan to adopt him for all her cubs have all died. She reasons that she can teach the boy the ways of the Forest; however, the presence of the boy upsets the fragile pact between the wolves and bears and she must flee from enemies who want to kill him. The journey to find a safe place for the boy is tough, but with the help of a rat, Dumpster, who carries knowledge of the humans; and Pang, a dog, who is a faithful companion to the human race, they give it a go.

Dumpster loves to use the word "scratch" or "scratchin'" in his sentences, "Scratch if I know old bear" or "Not a scratchin' word, Cass." Helpful and caring inspite of his ornery talk, he loves to call Casseomae a "mushroom-brained bear" and in one funny dialogue he's calling the dog and Cass "beetle brains," "pebble brains," and then "birdbrains" as the two ask him questions. Young readers will like the dumb questions dog and Cass ask as they learn about humankind such as, "What's an alley?" or "What's fern-of-chip?" to which Dumpster replies, "Furniture, idiot." Add to the silly dialogue romp Dumpster giving wrong answers such as how a fire escape works and you have a fun read. Other puzzles readers will like solving are the descriptions of different types of animals where no English words are used to describe it.

The creepiness factor amps up with the wolves and their Gateway of Bones and Field of Fallen. Add a great villain in Ogeema whose "...voice was not the gutteral snaps typical of a wolf. The words were whispered, but the power in that barely present voice unnerved Rend to her core" and you have a nice scary story. The pecking order of the coyotes and wolves increase the fear factor, since Rend knows that Ogeema kills randomly and cruelly regardless of whether or not he is getting assistance.

The limited point of view was fascinating and well-done but it also kept me removed from the story and didn't answer all my questions. The author has the animals and boy communicate without words but with touch and descriptions. The boy "chirps" at Cass so we know he's old enough to talk. The animals and child manage to communicate and the authenticity of this elevates the story. While the author does it admirably, I wanted to hear the boy's thoughts and wanted to get in his head. If the reader had the boy's thoughts then I could have found out more about his world and how he came to be on a ship that crashed in the Forest or what happened to humankind.

I was reading this eBook on a flight to Vietnam and maybe I wasn't getting enough oxygen because I struggled with the age of the boy and I kept mixing up the vora's and viand's - the names are too similar (of course, I've lived in Taipei 6 years and know about as much Chinese as an infant - memory is NOT my strength). It did make me wonder if kids would get confused with some of the world building like me. Probably not. I can hear Rat calling me names, "You scratchin' birdbrain, write it down." I liked the character so well he's talking to me now. A unique story. Enjoy.
Reading level 5.7

[Tara Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I heard "Dystopian Jungle Book," I was determined to read this book, and very lucky to grab an ARC of it. Luckily the story lived completely up to that description.

Sometimes animal narration can be strange, such as in the Warrior series, which really didn't work for me. Especially in children's books, they can either be too foreign to relate to or too anthropomorphic to be believable. Bemis manages to meet in the middle and create a character I adored in Casseomae. Cass is kind, protective, everything a mother bear should be. Intelligent but still ignorant when it comes to humans, she is a fast learner out of necessity. Our poor Mowgli (for lack of a better name since he really doesn't have one), is just as ignorant of the natural world. They bond teaching each other what they need to know to survive, and in the end equally saving each other.

Add in the cast of secondary characters, a hilariously jaded mouse with "Memory" of human technology and culture, and a dog with an undying loyalty to humans, and you have a ragtag group that seems ill-suited to the dangers on this adventure, but they turn out to be the perfect team. This has enough suspense and fun for any middle grade or teen reader, but enough substance and message for adults as well.

The only thing I didn't like was the ending. I don't know if there are plans for a sequel, but I was left a bit less than satisfied.

Overall recommended for boys and girls middle grade and teen, and animal-loving adults!

[RuneKirhan · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5⭐️

[Shanshad Whelan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Humanity's end days have come and gone. The animals have taken over (particularly the wolves). A complex society of thinking creatures appears to have set itself up in the forests and cities. One such creature is Casseomae, a cubless old bear who lives on the fringes, outcast and ostracized. And then everything changes when a spaceship crashlands in the forest with a single surviving occupant: a human child. Only to the denizens of the forest, this is a Skinless One, an Old Devil: a thing of legend and nightmare from the time before the wolves took over. When Casseomae decides to adopt the child and protect and care for him, it sends her on a perilous journey to find a safe haven for him. Cass, a street-smart rat named Dumpster, and a Faithful dog are all that stand between the child and those that fear the Old Devils have returned once more . . .

I suppose it could be described as a sort of dystopian jungle book, though I'm more inclined to draw comparisons with Clare Bell's Tomorrow's Sphinx, which had a similar plot arc. This book dives right into the story: it doesn't waste a moment with getting the reader on board, the reader is expected to catch up and figure out what's going on pretty quickly. I will admit that the sudden, unfamiliar terms did baffle me for a page or two before I began to piece the story together and understand some of the dynamics of what's going on. This isn't going to be a book for readers who like to be eased into the story with tons of explanation. However, after the first four or five pages, the story starts to click into place. My favorite character, the rat Dumpster, helps enormously in orienting us. He's a creature of cities and skyscrapers who is pretty unfamiliar with the forest himself. His intelligence, attitude and overall character really keep this tale lively. Our young apace boy is kept at a distance through the who story since we always see him and his actions only through the animals' eyes. We never look through his eyes to know his thoughts, impressions or even his name.

This adventure has plenty going for it and I suspect it will do well with readers who enjoy stories like The Warriors series by Erin Hunter or Kipling's Jungle Book. It may also strike a chord with those who enjoy a SF theme in their stories, imagining what a future world might look like without humankind, but with the debris of that civilization left behind.

[Andrew Neal · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I'm burned out on kids' post-apocalyptic fiction, I wanted to read this as soon as I heard about it because I liked Bemis's Clockwork Dark books and because there's a bear on the cover. My favorite post-apocalypse book as a kid was Hiero's Journey ( http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/... ) which is - hey! a post-apocalyptic novel with a bear on the cover, so I felt a sense of... I don't know? nostalgia?

This is a good kids' book. The main characters are animals who live on earth long after people have died out, and a young boy who crashes to earth in a flying device.

The characterizations of the animals were good. I thought the main characters and the antagonists were very well portrayed. The author did a particularly good job of giving them distinct personalities but still treating them as animals. I never felt that anyone was truly a villain in this book, even though some of them were pretty scary. The animals were all animals, eating other animals because that's the way of nature.

I did become tired of Dumpster the rat's cutesy irascibility and catchphrasey explanations of human culture to the other animals because it became pretty repetitive. That repetition seem to be a hallmark of YA books these days, and Bemis was more restrained than, say, Scott Westerfeld, whose character Deryn says the phrase "barking spiders" approximately one billion times in his novel Behemoth.

I really enjoyed the fact that the animals and the kid couldn't talk. The human boy ("the cub") was made interesting by the fact that you knew his thoughts from his actions. The animals couldn't understand his speech, so we didn't actually have to read the thoughts and words of the kid, which was a relief to me, because I don't want to hear what some whiny kid has to say - let the bear talk! He was a macguffin, deus ex machina, and actual character all rolled into one. Here's a door the animals don't know how to open? The cub'll get it. It worked, though.

It's a quick, smooth read, and I recommend it.

[SBC · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although this is a postapocalyptic science fiction novel, it should appeal to those who enjoy animal fantasies. The story is told entirely from the point of view of Casseomae, a powerful she-bear who lives in the Forest. She has never been able to have cubs but raised the current leader of their sloth, Alioth. All the vora (carnivores) in the Forest have their own language to communicate with each other, and consider themselves lucky to be living in current times, now that the Old Devils (humans) are no longer around. But then a flying object crashes in the Forest and, when a human cub emerges, Casseomae decides to make him hers.

What follows is Casseomae's quest to protect and find a safe place for her cub in a world that doesn't want this reminder of humanity to survive. The Ogeema, the villainous leader of the wolves, is particularly dedicated to erasing the cub from existence. Casseomae and the cub are joined in their quest by a rat, Dumpster, and a cur (dog), Pang, who each have their own reasons for travelling with them.

It is an interesting story. The animal life of the Forest is evocative, and the lingering remains of human ruins well described. Dumpster, who carries memories for his mischief, sometimes gets things about humans right and sometimes amusingly wrong. Their travel in search of a safe place takes them to precognitive vultures and a city where zoo animals rule the streets.

I wasn't sure how old the human boy was supposed to be (somewhere between 3 and 8 perhaps?), and I was disappointed that we never got to find out more about the humans. Was it the boy's mother/grandmother/aunt who kisses him at the end? Why was he in the flying object that crashed? Where have humans been? Are they likely to extend their current territory? Are the animals in the Forest safe? I wasn't sure that the humans really understood how Casseomae had helped the boy. I expected them to help her in return but suddenly the boy was just gone. It was interesting that the boy spoke Vora at the end - maybe that will safeguard the animal's future? I did enjoy the final scene - that Dumpster's mischief found their haven in Casseomae's meadow. And I enjoyed reading the story from Casseomae's point of view.

[Syazwina Johari · Rating 3 out of 5]

Synopsis:
This book is about the animal living in the Forest who despised the Skinless or the Old Devil (human). They able to speak to one and another. However one fine day, Casseomae the mother bear was shocked when a piece of the sky fell to the ground of the forest.

She found a living skinless cub (a boy). She then devoted her life to take the cub to the safest place from the Ogeema, the big black wolf, the leader of the forest who ordered the animal of the forest to hunt them down . She believed that the cub was nothing but a helpless cub. He was not to blame for the things happened to the forest done by other Old Devils. With the help of Dumpster, a smart rat with the Memory of their kind of the Skinless ones and also Pang, the dog, called the faithful of the Old Devil, they hustled the ferocious journey to the Heaven Land where the cub will be safe.

What I like:
✨ I like how adventurous the plot is when they fought with one and another along the journey, coyotes, wolf and the Mother Death, a tiger
✨ Casseomae's mother instinct never fail to amaze me when she rather sacrificed herself for a human. She even hurt herself so badly in protecting the boy

What I hope to be improved in the future:
✨ The ending to be honest, I thought it was exactly what I was expected yet it was something even less than what I was anticipating
✨ There isn't much of a touched moment or those scene that make me open up my mind. It's a mainstream and typical adventurous journey

Nevertheless, I still read the book till the end and not regretting I bought it 9 years ago.

[Rosver · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story is very similar to Blue Sky Studio's Ice Age. A group of animals escorts a lost young human to be with its kind.

The story is simple and predictable. Even the obstacles the character encounters are easily resolved. It was somewhat interesting at first, but as the story goes on, you realized how shallow the story was and you end up trudging through it. The ending doesn't have much of an impact as the events that leads to it doesn't really make it worth much.

The characters are rather flat. The human child is especially poorly conceived. He is essentially a plot device, a MacGuffin, and contains almost no character on his own. The others doesn't offer much. The journey also doesn't have much of an effect on them. There not much of an emotional rapport, that is especially needed in the ending, because of their very limited characters. After reading it you'll end up not caring much or at all.

The setting is poorly and lazily build. It is almost impossible to picture it out because there is almost no description devoted to it. Just really blank without anything outstanding or interesting.

Just a really poorly written book. While it is easy to read, it doesn't offer anything substantial.

[Gina (My Precious Blog) · Rating 3 out of 5]

You may also read this review on: MY PRECIOUS BLOG
thecallawayfam.blogspot.com


The Prince Who Fell From the Sky
BY JOHN CLAUDE BEMIS


GOODREADS | AMAZON


Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers (May 22, 2012)
Length: 272 pages, Hardcover
Format: E-Arc, Kindle
Source: NetGalley.com
Genre: Fantasy, Post-Apocalyptic
Series: No
Completed: May 2012
Challenges: 2012 E-Book Challenge, 2012 YA/MG Fantasy Challenge,


SUMMARY


When a young boy's space craft crashes into the Earth, he is the lone survivor. Too young to find his way on his own, a childless, nurturing mother bear decides to raise him as her own cub. The problem is her forest friends and enemies call humans "Old Devils" or "Skinless Ones" and do not trust them at all. So, she sets off on a quest to bring the boy to live out his life in a safe haven somewhere far away. But her journey is frought with dangers because most every forest creature, especially the wolves who rule the land, want to see this little boy dead.

BACKGROUND
From John's website: John currently lives the small-town life in Hillsborough, North Carolina with his wife and daughter. He spends a lot of time hiking on the trails around his house, going into town for popsicles, and playing music on the back porch. He plays both the classical violin and electric guitar. The Prince who Fell From the Sky is John's fourth book, its a stand alone novel.

SETTING PACE AND STYLE


Set in post-apocolyptic times where man has been eradicated and wolves rule the forest, The Prince who Fell From the Sky begins. Told in third person from an omniscient narrator's perspective, it mirrors the tempo of the quest between the pages, at a moderate lope. Occasionally the story moves gently slower or slightly faster throughout the novel. Using a good mix of short and long sentences and well placed dialogues Bemis is able to show the reader rather than tell the reader his story. The overall mood does possess a somewhat serious undertone of post-apocolyptic times: abandoned homes, demolished sky scrapers and scrap automobiles scattered across the terrain, but with the help of some humorous characters the mood is easily lightened up and at times quite humorous.

CHARACTERS AND PLOT


Casseomae (Cass), a female bear living isolated from the other bears in her tribe quietly mourning the loss of her still born cubs is the protagonist in this fantasy. She's compassionate, nurturing, selfless and brave. In the beginning she's a little depressed, until she encounters the so called "prince", he gives her a boost of vigor.

The Prince, a youngster who's spacecraft catapults into the Earth, somehow manages to be the sole survivor of the crash. Its difficult to tell his exact age. He appears to be around four to eight years old. He's somewhat independent, curious and very vulnerable alone in the forest filled with creatures who mean him no good.

Dumpster is a snarky rat who's been separated from his mischief. He's funny, crafty and very resourceful. His job was to serve as his mischief's "memory keeper". His knowledge about "skinless ones" aids Casseomae caring for the little boy as she journey's to find him safety.

Pang, a one eared cur (dog) is a loner who is encountered on the quest. The small child seems to favor the dog. So, Casseomae allows him to join up with her small expedition to save the small boy. However, he has a few secrets of his own.

Ogeema is an evil black wolf ruler of the forest. She's a strong and determined leader, a resilient force and the last thing she wants is to see a "skinless one" grow up in the forest. She will stop at nothing to see the boy destroyed.

PLOT: When a human spacecraft crashes in the forest and the sole survivor happens to be a young human, Casseomae, a nurturing bear, decides to protect him and take him to safety.


RECOMMENDATION


This book would be perfect for animals lovers who like to read fantasy books about dangerous quests. Those who watched and enjoyed the movie "Ice Age" will feel right at home reading this book. Middle grade boys and girls alike should be captivated by the endearing characters and adventure this story has to tell. Adults, especially mom's, looking for something different, a little change of pace will find this one endearing.

PERSONAL NOTE

The world building depicts a futuristic time period devoid of humans, where the wolves ruled the forest. Artifacts and relics of past human lives still litter the landscapes. It had been a long time ago when the "Skinless Ones" ruled and many forest animals don't remember that far into the past. Even though Bemis's world building showed creativity and promise, I'm still left a little puzzled as to why the boy is considered a prince, the story left that particular mystery unsolved and now I'm left stuck trying to figure it on my own. I guess I would have liked just a wee bit more information on this subject matter to feel the story was complete.

It was a well told story, which was an enjoyable read, its just not what I'd consider GREAT. The author describes this book as a post apocalyptic "Watership Down" but I don't really agree. Instead I think it holds more similarities to the 2002 animated movie called "Ice Age". An entertaining adventure compiling an endearing/humourous cast of characters, all talking animals, with the exception of the "prince" (who didn't talk at all) and a dangerous/controversial quest to save aforementioned boy's life. Its a simple, quick read leaving the reader feeling warm and happy, with the strong desire to go out and give your pet a big hug/scratch.

RATING


I deducted 1.5 stars off of this one because I didn't feel like the world building was explained to my satisfaction. I never did find out why the boy was a considered a prince, who his people were and why they were visiting the Earth. Many times I couldn't picture the artifacts/relics in my head, they got lost in the context for me.


3.5 Rings out of 5 Rings
(IT WAS SLIGHTLY BETTER THAN OK - KEPT ME TURNING PAGES)

[Wren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an engaging books whose point of view derives from animals living in a forest on earth in a post-apocalyptic era. The main narrator is a she bear named Casseomae, who has lost many cubs over the years, but she raised an orphan cub who is now the clan leader. She's established as maternal, which explains why she becomes the protector of a "Skinless One" (human boy) who falls from the sky (plain wreck) and is the only survivor.

The two do NOT speak the same language, so we watch Casseomae use body language to guide the boy (whom she calls a cub) as she protects him from threats in the forest: starvation, dedydration, cold, and violence from the a handful of predators: coyotes, wolves, and a mystery apex predator in one of the late chapters dubbed Mother Death.

Their task is to travel to a mythical (to the animals) place that might be a habitat for humans. This unlikely pair receives a lot of guidance from a rat named Dumpster who has knowledge (from his fellow rats) about the ways of humans. Dumpster gets a lot of things right, but it's still interesting to read his descriptions of cities and technologies and behaviors of humans.

This book is a great exercise in critical thinking in trying to figure out what these (and other) animals are talking about. And it's interesting to read each episode of peril that these three (and occasional helpers) have to negotiate over their journey.

This is great for readers 10 to 14, but I also enjoyed it as someone in her 60s.

[Nishka V · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is about a bear (Caesseome) who is different from all the other bears and she lives in the forest with all the other animal’s tribes her tribe and the rest of the forest fears the most bloodthirsty wolf of all… the Ogeema. One day, a human child “falls from the sky” and Caesseome is determined to keep the child safe from the Ogeema and his tribe. I gave this book a rating of two stars because although it had a strong story base, I couldn’t tell which part of the book was the climax, and I was also confused about the ending. If you are the type of person who likes to solve puzzles, then this is most definitely the book for you. However, if you just want a simple book to enjoy under the big oak tree, then this book would not be my first pick. The book is also written from a bear’s point of view so you can imagine what that must be like.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This charming children’s book keeps one focused to the end, quickly engaged in characters (a big old female bear, a snarling, snide rat (who occasionally sounds like Yoda), and a little boy in post-apocalyptic times.

Lost, and found.

Losing one’s family. Losing one’s tribe. Orphaned. Without living children.
These traumas unite unlikely characters who are immensely appealing to the reader. Amidst both real and imaginary enemies, the friends seek safety and reunion with their own. A quest. Battles against the powers that be.

John Claude Bemis is a master writer of both plot and character.
His book challenges the reader to rethink loyalty and the grit to keep one’s promises. The characters are, themselves, challenged to discern what is true, good and right.

I loved it!

[Katherine Helmuth]

What would the world be like without people? What if animals could communicate with each other? What would a cub-less mama bear do with a human child?
All good questions that are engaging and fun to read.

[Brylliams · Rating 3 out of 5]

B-/75 (Satisfactory/Decent) 3 Stars

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review originally appeared here at Tripping Over Books.


I’ve been intrigued by the premise of John Claude Bemis‘s book, THE PRINCE WHO FELL FROM THE SKY since I first heard of it in the fall. A post-apocalyptic Jungle Book? You can’t tell me that that doesn’t sound solid. Because to me, it sounds awesome. And for the most part, THE PRINCE WHO FELL FROM THE SKY was what I hoped for: clever, adventurous, different, a little heart-warming, and fast-paced. In some ways it wasn’t quite what I hoped, too, but mostly John Claude Bemis‘s middle grade was a good read.

So here’s the skinny: A down-on-her-luck bear who has never been able to have her own cubs finds a young Skinless One (that would be a human) in the Forest after what I imagine is a plane crashes near her den. This is VERY BAD NEWS. Because, you see, at some point in the past, although we are never told when or really how or why, the animals in the Forest, led by the vicious, powerful, ruthless wolves and their leader, the Ogeema (Ogeema is a title. All of the Ogeema’s have a name, too), rounded up all the packs and attacked the Skinless Ones, and as far as the animals knew, forced what was left of the humans out of the Forest forever. Afterwards, the wolves assumed rulership over the Forest and all the animals there. So when the Skinless cub shows up near Cass’ home, all the animals FREAK the eff out. Cass, who has intense motherly instincts, takes the cub in to protect him from the wolves and the coyotes, and then sets off with her rat buddy, Dumpster, to find a safe place for him. Danger, drama, and excitement ensue.

One of my favorite things about THE PRINCE WHO FELL FROM THE SKY was the world. Perhaps not the world-BUILDING, but the world itself, if you can imagine those things as mutually exclusive. But the story and the world here were SUPER and I loved them a lot. The Forest was a great setting, with different environments for different creatures. Cass lived in a meadow, the wolves lived in a cave surrounded by carcasses of their tributes from the other animals. And I loved hearing about the world the animals lived in, ruled through fear and intimidation by the Ogeema and his pack, full of hate towards cats and dogs because of their closeness to the Skinless Ones. You got the sense that the Forest was both beautiful and dangerous.

I wish, though, that John Claude Bemis gave us a little bit more in terms of world-building. What he had was great, but I often found myself curious. The wolves rounded up to kick the humans out of the forest for good, but none of the animals know exactly what happened to the Skinless Ones that decimated them so horribly. Was it sickness? War? Disaster? Each tribe of animals has a different theory. I appreciated that the animals NOT knowing this stuff actually made some sense, but it still bothered me. And, just in general because I’m a nerd, I can always use more detail in my world-building, even when it seems overwhelming. THE PRINCE WHO FELL FROM THE SKY could have used it too, in little ways, all over the place. What was here was good and promising, and I was interested. But MORE PLEASE!

I really enjoyed reading about Cass and Dumpster’s journey to help the Skinless cub to safety away from the Ogeema and those looking to gain his favor. It was perilous and exciting. I especially enjoyed the bond that developed between Cass and the cub. One of my FAVORITE thins about THE PRINCE WHO FELL FROM THE SKY was that the animals and the humans couldn’t speak to one another. The cub (look at me, talking like a bear!) speaks literally two words that the animals understand in the whole book. But that doesn’t stop Cass and the boy from communicating with each other, or recognizing one another as trustworthy and comforting. It was really pretty sweet.

Despite a few little bothersome things with the world-building, I really enjoyed THE PRINCE WHO FELL FROM THE SKY. I read it quickly, was invested in the story, and really liked the change of pace that came from reading a book where the humans were on the back burner and were unable to communicate with the animals. This book was refreshing that way, and I appreciated that John Claude Bemis took The Jungle Book and retold it in a new way with that little but important bit of reality. This was a clever one, friends, and sweet and exciting. A very solid middle grade adventure.

[Ceilidh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute book for animal lovers that wonder what a post-apocalyptic world would look like from the wildlife's point of view. Narrated by Casseomae, this book chronicles her adventures (and the adventures of Dumpster & Pang, her companions) after they find a "Skinless One," also known as "Old Devil" or "human." They journey across the forest, trying to find a safe place for the human "cub" to live.
I read it in two sittings; by my standards, it is pretty short. It was enjoyable, but it was obviously below my "reading level" (a term that is, frankly, ridiculous). I recommend it for readers that want a sweet, clean story with minimal violence.

[Carina Olsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I pre-ordered this book a few months before it came out. I wanted it the moment I saw the cover. Because the cover is special and unique, and so gorgeous. I knew I would like the book. Then today, more than three months since I got the book, I finally decided to read it. Well, okay, I decided to read it because I have watched a whole lot of Anime movies these past days. And I wanted to read, yet I haven't read a book in two weeks. Then I noticed this. And I needed to read it. And suddenly I had finished the book.

At first I wondered if I would like the book. Because The Prince Who Fell from the Sky is an animal book. It is told from the point of view of Casseomae, a female bear. Have never read an animal book before. So I was unsure. But after only a few pages I was in love. This is a stunning book. The writing is perfect, and I loved all the animals. Especially the main character. Casseomae is amazing. She is kind and loving and protective. And she has such a sad history. I just loved reading it all.

It may sound a bit weird, a whole book from the point of view of a bear. But it really is perfect. It is kind of awesome to read about animals that talk. Like Dumpster the rat. He was awesome. The rats have a big memory, at least Dumpster did, and they know the most about everything. Especially the Skinless Ones. I also liked Pang, the dog. He was awesome as well. Kind and protective. Then there was the leader of the bears; Alioth. He was almost a child of Casseomae, but not really.

We learned a bit about him in the beginning. I did like him. Then there was Rend, the coyote. We even got a chapter from her point of view. She was kind of awful at times. But I also did like reading about her. :) Then there is the leader of the forest. The pack master of the wolves. Ogeema. He was so bad. And I loved that he was a part of this book. It made the book so exciting, and scary too. It was awesome. The scariest character, though, was Mother Death. Won't say more than that :D So awesome.

This book has a whole lot of amazing characters. And I loved that so much. It also has such a perfect plot. It is stunning. And the writing really is perfect. This book will make you feel things. It will make you sad, happy, excited, scared. It has it all. Saddest part was about Casseomae and her cubs. It broke my heart. And I hated it. But I also loved it, cause I love those sad things. But gah. It is really sad. I won't say that much about the plot, just a few things. Don't think it's very spoilery :)

As you can read from the summary, a boy fells from the sky. A Skinless One. It isn't safe. Because the Skinless Ones are all supposed to be long dead. So everyone is trying to kill the boy. Except for Casseomae. She wants to protect him. Like a cub. And I adored that so much. It starts such an amazing adventure. It is all so perfect. Sigh. I adored this book. There are so many exciting parts. And sweet parts. And scary parts. The Prince Who Fell from the Sky has it all.

I just wish the book had been longer. It's only 258 pages. But that is 258 amazing pages. And I am happy with it all. Just wanted more. And a tiny bit sad about the ending. But it also made a whole lot of sense. Also, I really loved the part where they are in the city, and there are all those animals. It was scary, and so well written. I loved it. Anyway. I want more of this book. Maybe a sequel one day? <3 Hopes so. :) You really should read this book. It is worth it. It is perfect.

[Emily Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

As seen on Ed and Em's Reviews!

3.5/5 Stars

The Prince Who Fell from the Sky is a great novel for children and adults alike. I don't read a lot of children's books. This was the first middle-grade that I've read this year and I'm glad I read it. I think that a lot of adults will enjoy it as well!

This was a cute story that I would definitely read to my children. It's sweet and much different than anything I've ever read, in a good way. It's entertaining and light-hearted, definitely something that many kids will enjoy. And though it reads like a fantasy, it's really based here on Earth, but from a different point-of-view.

This book is not told by human perspective. And no, it's not alien's either. The Prince Who Fell from the Sky is actually written in the point-of-view of a bear named Cassomae. Cassomae is a lonely old bear, who seems to have really just given up on life. She has no cubs, no mate and is an outcast in her clan. When a ship crashes near her home, she finds a young human inside. Humans in this story are known as Skinless Ones and Companions. Cassomae takes it upon herself to keep the human safe, she calls him her cub and is determined to protect him like she couldn't protect her stillborns. She is not the only one who knows of the boy though. Soon it is known by all of the inhabitants of the land, including the cruel dictator, the Ogeema, who wants the boy dead. The adventure that occurs as she keeps the human child safe will keep you entranced.

The writing is fresh and poetic. The constant references to nature dazzled me. One of my favorite passages from the novel is the very first paragraph:
"The Forest was green with summer when the bear lumbered up from the creek bed where she had been cooling off. As she crested the bank, she paused to sniff. The air was heavy with new scents of life.
Moist smells. Earthy smells. Flowery smells. And mixed with them was the sweet scent of death."
A little morbid yes, but simple and delicate. As is the entire book.

And while I really enjoyed the book, it was a bit confusing at times. Reading from an animal's perspective is strange. In The Prince Who Fell from the Sky, everything is different. Animals are not known as mammals and there are different kinds of creatures like vora and viand. It takes a while to get used to and is not fully explained until a quarter of the way through the book. But everything is so original and creative that I couldn't help but enjoy the book!

This is a great story that gives a good message to kids. Preserve and protect nature, because without it we couldn't survive. This message is shown in the characters, the plot and the setting. The characters were different and fun to read about. I fell in love with Cassomae and would gladly volunteer to be her friend. She's so kind and lovable. The author's writing really shines in this book and I think many people, both children and adults, will agree. I definitely recommend this to parents and young children!

[Christina (A Reader of Fictions) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Originally reviewed here.

As you may know by now, I don't generally read book blurbs before starting books. I saw the tag dystopia and requested this immediately without knowing pretty much anything. Despite the bear on the cover, I was still really confused when I started reading and it was a bunch of bears talking to one another. Very strange.

In a dystopian world where humans are thought to have died out, the animals have gone all Animal Farm. Wolves are the rulers of this landscape, controlling boundaries and determining which predators are allowed to stay in their territory. The wolves' control stems from their strength, the fact that they're pack-based (there's a lot of them) and that they helped kill off the last humans, decimated by an infection and who knows what else. All the wild animals have serious contempt for Faithfuls, basically pets.

The bears have an uneasy truce with the reigning wolf pack in the area. Casseomae, an old female bear, is chatting with a rat, Dumpster, one day, having just saved him from some hungry coyotes, when something crashes to the ground nearby. Inside the thing are some of the Skinless (aka "Old Devils" or humans). The crash has killed all but one, a Skinless cub. Casseomae's mothering instincts kick in and she determines to save this creature, which every other animal in the forest wants to kill, except for Dumpster and later a dog named Pang. This odd team works together to save the child.

I never really got over the sense of strangeness as I read this. In no way is it bad, and I think the concept is fascinating, but it never really worked for me. Partly, I think that this is largely because it doesn't seem to be targeted at a particular age group. It's being marketed as middle grade, but I question that somewhat. The fact that the main characters are animals, and the child's age, which is indeterminate but seems young, would recommend the book to children. However, the violence of the story (especially since it's animals being hurt) would lead me to think it would be best for older readers, who might not be so interested in an animal tale.

The Prince Who Fell from the Sky is rather reminiscent of Ice Age, although humans are the ones dying out in that one. Even the main character grouping is fairly similar to Ice Age: child, bear (to replace mammoth - able to carry others and fight), rat (similar to the sloth in usefulness physically, but Dumpster is also a compendium of knowledge), and dog (not as useful as the sabretooth I'll admit). It's kind of like a dystopian mashup of Ice Age and The Incredibly Journey. So if that sounds appealing to you, definitely check this out.

[Tom M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

In "The Prince Who Fell from the Sky", author John Claude Bemis has written a post-apocalyptic, buddy/road* story that combines Nature, post-apocalyptic creation stories, sacrifice, and the importance of passing down oral history, while questioning what it means to be wild, free, and human/animal. If that's not enough, he does it all extremely well.

His characters, a cub-less mother bear, a rat, a one-eared dog, could have easily turned this story into another Incredible Journey knock-off. Thankfully, the characters transcended that story by having each one pulled further into the story/action by separate desires, desires that balanced hope with individual tragedies and concerns.

There were many things about the story and Bemis' writing that I admired. His decision to tell the story from the point of view of the animals (and not the human boy) meant that the reader was continually engaged with the story, reading to try and understand what strange things the boy was trying to use/say/do. By focusing on the animals' viewpoint the story was guided into a better understanding of Mans' destructive influences (those outside of the animals' control) that the animals were glad they had been rid of in the past.

Perhaps most importantly, by keeping the POV with the animals Bemis was able to deftly add a wonderful complexity to his story by interpreting the shades-of-gray good and evil in his story. The childless mother bear knows that her decision to save the human boy and take him to safety is not only against the law of the forest, but potentially endangers all of the creatures in the forest; Ogeema, the pack leader wolf hunting down the human child is trying to rid the forest of a dangerous creature whose race caused the decimation of the forest wildlife before the apocalypse.

"The Prince Who Fell from the Sky" closes with an ending that subtly leaves the way open for a sequel, but doesn't necessarily require one. This is something I appreciate as a reader (and a writer) that I greatly appreciate. It is a complete story, but one that invites speculation as to the future of the characters and their world.

This is the kind of book that lends itself to family/classroom reading, and one that should spark a great many interesting discussions.

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* Not exactly a Hope & Crosby "Road to The Havenlands", but you get the idea... if you get the Road movies reference at all.

[Sandra Stiles · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one author who has that magical touch that allows his animals to become somewhat human. In a world where the humans are supposedly extinct, a bear and rat find themselves protecting a child who fell from the sky. When a flying craft crashes in the forest, Dumpster, a rat and Casseomae find themselves the protector of the only survivor, a young boy. The animals of the forest call humans the “skinless ones”. As you read you realize they have many prejudices against humans based on what they have heard from tales passed down. I thought it interesting that Dumpster was the keeper of the memories. He is despised by others in the forest because he lived among the humans. Dogs are even lower on the list because they lived with the humans.

Knowing this small boy or cub as Casseomae calls him will not harm them, she sets out to get him to safety. When word of the child reaches their leader Ogeema, he is determined to kill the child. I loved the bond between the bear and the boy. I loved the way Dumpster pretended he didn’t care about the boy and that he was nothing but trouble. His actions proved different. This reminded me of the movie “Ice Age” where the wooly mammoth was determined to get the small boy back to his people.

I loved the writing style. Bemis did not tell the names of animals. He described them through the eyes of the band of animals traveling together. When Casseomae comes upon her first strange animal she described it as a “strange deer. It had an exceptionally long neck ….she could make out spots over its coat, large brown blots against a field of tawny yellow.” (Page 193) It would have been so much easier to just say they saw the carcass of a dead giraffe. His descriptions showed the animals as intelligent but not all knowing. I had not read his previous trilogy The Clockwork Dark, but will definitely do so now. This is an author I will proudly recommend to all of my students and parents.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not going to lie, I'm actually a tiny bit surprised at how much I liked this book. I happen to love books that are from animals points of views, they're just fun to read. Since this is a Middle Grade novel it's a nice, quick read, but very enjoyable!

I think what I like most about this story is that it brings together four of the most unlikely companions for a journey to take the child, that fell out of the sky, some where safe so that he won't be hunted by the wolves and killed for what he is. I'm not sure what happened to the humans, but it seems there are a lot of stories circulating throughout the animal kingdom about what happened to them. The main one being that the wolves all banded together to wipe them out, and for that reason, wolves are in charge.

My favorite character in this novel would have to be Casseomae. Even though she realized what the child was, she still recognized him as a child, therefore wanted to keep him safe. She is a very unfortunate bear, who has had multiple stillborn litters. I can't help but feel bad for her, but she still has a great maternal instinct. So she saves the child and they head off on a journey with a rat named Dumpster (a very noble rat name) to take the child somewhere safe.

This was a very futuristic Jungle Book story, based in a dystopian future, so it really had two things going for it. Talking animals and dystopian. How could I not like it? It had a lot of action and wasn't slow for me at any point. I would definitely recommend this novel to anyone, I'd think it would be enjoyable for any age group, and if you are an animal lover who loves dystopians, so much the better.

Thank you to Random House Children's Books for giving me the oppertunity to review this!

For move reviews, visit Owl Read It

[Terry Costantini · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book, but I did not love it. I read this with my Intermediate students, and the story moved along in a reasonably entertaining way, but what was missed was the opportunity we usually have for deep discussion. I do not think that it was the author's fault by the way, I just feel the book may have been slightly too "junior" for my group.
The book takes place in a post-apocalyptic world that is run by the forest animals. There is tension between the factions, especially when a "skinless one" or human is found by a cub-less bear. I will not go into much more detail, other than to say that the thrust of the story is the move to safety from the forest. The story's premise seems to work for my age group, but falls a bit short. It seems like it would be too complex for younger students, but too simple for mine. The book seems stuck in between age groups.
There was a great opportunity here to really dive deep into the philosophies of the different factions (Kenneth Oppel does it brilliantly in the Silverwing series), but I felt that it was a bit too simplistic for our tastes. The opportunity to discuss what humans did to the animal world was just not discussed enough, therefore the legitimacy of the character's motives seemed a bit shallow. All character decisions were obvious, as was the story's main plot. The language barrier between the boy and the bear began to get a bit grating as well by the end, even though it was handled quite well by the author.
Again, I do not blame the author. This book was probably a reasonable book for younger students (if they understood the language), but I have read younger books that have had more depth of character than this one.
Overall a good read though, just nothing very special for my group.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Appeal Characteristics post apocalyptic, animals, human settlement, bears, rats, dogs, wolves, etc, journey, friendship, sorta "bio punk"


OMG. This is like "Homeward Bound" set in the 25th century. The premise is the earth is inhabited by animals (all the humans have left...have gone for a LONG time...also referred to as "Skin-less ones) Anyway, the animals that "rule" the world are the wolves. (I could go into the anime Wolf's Rain...but I wont be THAT nerdy) ANYWAY! This child-less bear finds a space ship that falls out the sky, and the only survivor is this tiny child. She decides to go on a journey to find some place safe for this boy. All the other animals are convinced he should be killed because if they let him survive it will mean the end of them all. She teams up with a rat named Dumpster, and a dog named Pang. That doesn't even cover the half of it.

John Claude Bemis is a MASTER at relationship dialogues. This story while plot-drive (apparently) was so awesome due to the character development of the animals. You aren't really sure the whole time how old the child is. You do know that he doesn't speak the same language of the animals and THEY can't communicate with him. That is the WHOLE beauty of the novel. The witty sparring between Cassomae (the bear) and her dynamic fellows...and trying to get this human child to safety is full of fun epic-ness! I had almost wished this was a series. No matter! I might read some other things from Bemis now.

Red Flags: Mild Violence, Animal Death, Mild Inappropriate Humor

[Snapdragon · Rating 4 out of 5]

.More reviews like this one on my blog Snapdragon Alcove

The story is told strictly from the animals’ point of view. Between the two characters Dumpster and Casseomae, they have different words for different things. Like Casseomae would call the humans, the skinless ones and Dumpster would call them Old Devils. Showing that each animal has their own culture. This gives depth to the world and sets a good example of how to write Xenofiction. If you replace the two animal characters with humans, will it work? Clearly not.

Another thing that makes this a good Xenofiction book is that the only human is not understood by the animals when he talks.

There are made up words that are presented in a way that doesn’t talk down to the reader. When I said this book is dark, it is on the level of Warrior Cats. There are animals fighting, descriptions of blood, and dead carcasses.

Casseomae had lost cubs and see the boy as her own. As the story progresses, she sees the boy needs to be with his kind. Dumpster sticks around, only to find his mischief. I didn’t know that a name for a group of rats. Pang is a dog that is waiting for the humans to come back. He remains me of the Dug from the movie Up.

There is nothing really wrong with this book. The story is solid and straightforward. Maybe a little too straightforward for some.

Why all the humans disappear is still shadowed in mystery by the end of the book and is best left so. Why ruin that?