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Edge of Extinction #1
Edge of Extinction #1: The Ark Plan
I always thought that I wouldn’t put you in danger for the world, but it turns out that for the world, I will. —Dad
one hundred and fifty years ago: The first dinosaurs were cloned. With their return came a prehistoric pandemic that nearly wiped out the human race. The only way to survive was to move underground, allowing the dinosaurs to take over. . . .
Five years ago: Sky Mundy’s father mysteriously fled their home in North Compound, one of four facilities where the last remnants of humanity have been trying to rebuild, leaving her all alone.
Yesterday: Sky discovered a cryptic message from him telling her the fate of the world depends on Sky delivering a memory card to someone above ground. No one survives above ground.
Now: Sky is going anyway. Breaking out of North Compound with her best friend, Shawn, in tow, Sky has to try to fulfill her father’s impossible request. As Sky ventures topside into this lost world reclaimed by nature and ruled by dinosaurs, she will discover it is just as dangerous as she had always feared . . . but it’s also nothing like she had ever expected.
I heard the sound of a tree branch snap, and I jerked my head up, scanning the surrounding trees. I’d only been above for a minute, but that was more than enough time for them to get my scent. I turned on my heel and sprinted for the compound entrance. The ground began to tremble under my feet, and I had to remind myself not to panic. I could panic later, when I was safely underground with two feet of concrete above my head.
I spotted the first one out of the corner of my eye as it burst from the trees. Bloodred scales winked in the dawn light as its opaque eyes focused in on me.
I hit the twenty-yard mark with my heart trying to claw its way up my throat. The Deinonychus was gaining on me.
Fifteen yards. Ten yards. Five. Two.
one hundred and fifty years ago: The first dinosaurs were cloned. With their return came a prehistoric pandemic that nearly wiped out the human race. The only way to survive was to move underground, allowing the dinosaurs to take over. . . .
Five years ago: Sky Mundy’s father mysteriously fled their home in North Compound, one of four facilities where the last remnants of humanity have been trying to rebuild, leaving her all alone.
Yesterday: Sky discovered a cryptic message from him telling her the fate of the world depends on Sky delivering a memory card to someone above ground. No one survives above ground.
Now: Sky is going anyway. Breaking out of North Compound with her best friend, Shawn, in tow, Sky has to try to fulfill her father’s impossible request. As Sky ventures topside into this lost world reclaimed by nature and ruled by dinosaurs, she will discover it is just as dangerous as she had always feared . . . but it’s also nothing like she had ever expected.
I heard the sound of a tree branch snap, and I jerked my head up, scanning the surrounding trees. I’d only been above for a minute, but that was more than enough time for them to get my scent. I turned on my heel and sprinted for the compound entrance. The ground began to tremble under my feet, and I had to remind myself not to panic. I could panic later, when I was safely underground with two feet of concrete above my head.
I spotted the first one out of the corner of my eye as it burst from the trees. Bloodred scales winked in the dawn light as its opaque eyes focused in on me.
I hit the twenty-yard mark with my heart trying to claw its way up my throat. The Deinonychus was gaining on me.
Fifteen yards. Ten yards. Five. Two.
384 pages, Paperback
First published May 10, 2016
286 people are currently reading
1618 people want to read
About the author
Laura Martin
11 books353 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 248 reviews
May 22, 2019
A tough book to review without spoilers, but I'll try.
It's an adventures-with/against-dinosaurs tale, no doubt about it. The kids get chased by a variety of incredibly large dinosaurs -- larger even than you might think (apparently, thanks to GMOs and other side-effects of the 21st Century, the dinos that were brought back from extinction are actually BIGGER than their original kin. Yes, the book has interesting little details like that) and we have a few saved-from-the-jaws-of-death (literally) moments. Mostly it's just exciting enough without being too scary (I'm pretty squeamish and easily alarmed) though there were a few other incidents that were surprisingly violent. The book is much more than just a B action movie, though.
Like "Jurassic Park" (the comparison is inevitable and, fortunately, the author addresses the elephant in the room fairly early in the book) the book features an exploration of man vs. nature and the dangers of overextending science and playing God. It has a deeper layer regarding government and political power, as well. When is the person in power a leader making unilateral choices for the good of the people, and when is he a corrupt dictator who can no longer listen to any other opinions? I was pleasantly surprised by the multi-layers and depth that a middle grade story about dinosaurs achieved.
As for the writing style, I found it engaging and entertaining. The story moved at a good pace and I found myself eager to continue reading chapter after chapter. While I'm not sure our protagonist will ever be a "kindred spirit" and I found it rather hard to warm up to her, I did appreciate her by the end of the story and I really liked her best friend. The world building was mostly solid and yet a few points really did not make much sense and I hope will be addressed in the sequel. The plot twists were mostly surprising yet suitable for the story, and yet...
The book has a major lack of conclusion much to my annoyance. While perhaps one major plot thread may have maybe-possibly have been wrapped up it was not satisfying and two other major plot threads were not resolved at all. I realize that publishers like every book to have a sequel (or more) and perhaps the author had intended this as one continuous story. But, the ending was just so completely without resolution that it was quite irritating. That said, I did enjoy the book on the whole and will continue with the sequel since it is available at my library.
It's an adventures-with/against-dinosaurs tale, no doubt about it. The kids get chased by a variety of incredibly large dinosaurs -- larger even than you might think (apparently, thanks to GMOs and other side-effects of the 21st Century, the dinos that were brought back from extinction are actually BIGGER than their original kin. Yes, the book has interesting little details like that) and we have a few saved-from-the-jaws-of-death (literally) moments. Mostly it's just exciting enough without being too scary (I'm pretty squeamish and easily alarmed) though there were a few other incidents that were surprisingly violent. The book is much more than just a B action movie, though.
Like "Jurassic Park" (the comparison is inevitable and, fortunately, the author addresses the elephant in the room fairly early in the book) the book features an exploration of man vs. nature and the dangers of overextending science and playing God. It has a deeper layer regarding government and political power, as well. When is the person in power a leader making unilateral choices for the good of the people, and when is he a corrupt dictator who can no longer listen to any other opinions? I was pleasantly surprised by the multi-layers and depth that a middle grade story about dinosaurs achieved.
As for the writing style, I found it engaging and entertaining. The story moved at a good pace and I found myself eager to continue reading chapter after chapter. While I'm not sure our protagonist will ever be a "kindred spirit" and I found it rather hard to warm up to her, I did appreciate her by the end of the story and I really liked her best friend. The world building was mostly solid and yet a few points really did not make much sense and I hope will be addressed in the sequel. The plot twists were mostly surprising yet suitable for the story, and yet...
The book has a major lack of conclusion much to my annoyance. While perhaps one major plot thread may have maybe-possibly have been wrapped up it was not satisfying and two other major plot threads were not resolved at all. I realize that publishers like every book to have a sequel (or more) and perhaps the author had intended this as one continuous story. But, the ending was just so completely without resolution that it was quite irritating. That said, I did enjoy the book on the whole and will continue with the sequel since it is available at my library.
April 23, 2017
My 10 year old son's rating: 4.5 stars
My 16 year old son's rating: 3.5 stars
My rating: 3 stars
Not bad for a middle grade dinosaur book. I felt like it dragged on a bit, and I didn't think many of the characters behaved according to how one would have to behave, living with dinosaurs. (But it's a middle grade read, so...)
There will be another book, and I know my 10 year old is keen to listen to it on our daily commute, but I may stick headphones on to listen to something else.
The narrator's accent was hard on my ears, and I do wonder if that affected my rating. She couldn't even say dinosaur properly!... well, properly in a normal accent. (This is my review, so I'm allowed to complain in my own way.) I actually had to look up excerpts to see if they called the dinosaurs something else; the narrator pronounced it: dī-nuh-sah. Think Bostonian accent. (Not Australian accent, because I love the Australian accent.) My grandma was from Massachusetts, and I loved her accent. This lady's was more like The Nanny.
My 16 year old son's rating: 3.5 stars
My rating: 3 stars
Not bad for a middle grade dinosaur book. I felt like it dragged on a bit, and I didn't think many of the characters behaved according to how one would have to behave, living with dinosaurs. (But it's a middle grade read, so...)
There will be another book, and I know my 10 year old is keen to listen to it on our daily commute, but I may stick headphones on to listen to something else.
The narrator's accent was hard on my ears, and I do wonder if that affected my rating. She couldn't even say dinosaur properly!... well, properly in a normal accent. (This is my review, so I'm allowed to complain in my own way.) I actually had to look up excerpts to see if they called the dinosaurs something else; the narrator pronounced it: dī-nuh-sah. Think Bostonian accent. (Not Australian accent, because I love the Australian accent.) My grandma was from Massachusetts, and I loved her accent. This lady's was more like The Nanny.
June 13, 2016
When dinosaurs were cloned a pandemic destroyed most of the human population. Those that survived went underground to live. Sky, a young girl living in the North Compound, discovers a note and a plug from her father who has been missing for several years. The note asks her to leave the underground compound and deliver the plug topside, a place so dangerous to humans, that Sky has only been there for a few minutes during her entire life.
I can't wait for the second in this series.
I can't wait for the second in this series.
January 4, 2020
This is a great book about dinosaurs and some foolish kids.
June 15, 2016
Great book by a first time author! Loved the premise of the book and the fact that the main character was a female. This book will appeal to boys and girls alike. It is an exciting page-turner that leaves you wanting more.
June 29, 2016
If you like the movie Jurassic Park you will love this book.
August 2, 2017
My 10 year old loved it! We enjoyed the book through audible and it made the driving to and from activities around town something to look forward to.
March 17, 2017
This book was so much fun, I need the next one...like now! The world this book was set in was so scary and beautiful. Sky Mundy has lived in the compound underground all her life. Why? Because 150 years ago scientist brought back Dinosaurs and they now roam the earth. Sure it sounds like a good idea but we all saw Jurassic Park we know how that would end. It wasn't really the Dinosaurs that were the problem with was the bacteria and disease they brought with them. Now the survivors live underground but something isn't right, when Sky's dad goes missing, Sky finds clues and is determined to find out what happened. Now Sky needs to leaves the compound with her only friend Shawn to explore a world filled with Dinosaurs and other dangers to find her father and uncover a bunch of secrets that the compound leader will stop at nothing to keep hidden.
I found the world build to be vivid, I could actually picture it all in my head. How awesome would it be to live in a world with Dinosaurs? I would probably die but it would be interesting to see for a few minutes. ;) I loved the story and the mystery and the world. I found the characters fun and realistic. The world was brutal and even for a younger aged book, nothing was held back and it let the reader feel more of the dangers of this world. I thought it was done so well. I would have liked the story to have progressed a little more, it wasn't slow at all, I also think it progressed at that pace was to give you that feel of the world.
I highly recommend to middle grade, teens, adults, grandmas...whoever. This was such a fun book and I honestly can't wait to be in the world again...not in real life...just the book. ;)
I found the world build to be vivid, I could actually picture it all in my head. How awesome would it be to live in a world with Dinosaurs? I would probably die but it would be interesting to see for a few minutes. ;) I loved the story and the mystery and the world. I found the characters fun and realistic. The world was brutal and even for a younger aged book, nothing was held back and it let the reader feel more of the dangers of this world. I thought it was done so well. I would have liked the story to have progressed a little more, it wasn't slow at all, I also think it progressed at that pace was to give you that feel of the world.
I highly recommend to middle grade, teens, adults, grandmas...whoever. This was such a fun book and I honestly can't wait to be in the world again...not in real life...just the book. ;)
Thanks for stopping by to check out my review.
Have a great day and Happy Reading!
This review was originally posted on Because reading is better than real life
February 18, 2025
Third read: Such a fabulous middle grade book. So much like the movie Jurassic Park but in print and featuring kids as protagonists. Loved it as much as my previous reads. This remains one of the favorites from my kids’ book clubs. We’ve had a blast reading this and talking about it. Thank you, Laura Martin, for creating such a great story and such great characters. Of course I love Sky, but her grandfather Ivan is my favorite this time around. Exciting and well written 🦖🦕
July 12, 2022
The boys and I loved this book, I wouldn't let them listen without me. On to the second one!
October 10, 2024
Again, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book for middle-readers! The concept is interesting and the adventure/action kept me turning the pages. I only took a star off because sometimes the banter between characters got a bit old. Would highly recommend!
November 6, 2018
Loved! Loved! This book. A cross between Hungar Games and Jurrasic Park. This is a part of the Sunshine States Young Readers a statewide reading motivational program for students in grades 3 through 8, in a collaborative effort between the Florida Association of Media in Education (FAME) and the Florida Department of Education (DOE). The purpose of the SSYRA Program is to encourage students to read independently for pleasure and to read books that are on, above, and below their reading level in order to improve their reading fluency. Sunshine State books are selected for their wide appeal, literary value, varied genres, curriculum connections, and/or multicultural representation. The SSYRA committee is comprised of 20 qualified school librarians located throughout the state of Florida, subdivided into two committees- grades 3-5 and grades 6-8. I am earning my brag tags for reading all the books to encourage the students in the schools I substitute in to read them too.
June 17, 2018
I needed two minutes.
- first sentence
Imagine a world where dinosaurs freely roam the surface and people are forced to live underground. This is Jurassic Park gone wild - dinosaurs were cloned 150 years ago and kept in zoos and on farms. Needless to say, things got out of hand. Sky Mundy lived underground her entire life and now that she found a clue to her father's disappearance, she must venture to the topside world to find answers.
The story follows Sky's journey and is filled with thrilling action, life-threatening situations, and heroic characters. The plot moves quickly with twists and a cliff-hanger ending. Make sure you have the second book ready for your young reader.
The narrator did an excellent job - I highly recommend the audio version. I borrowed it using the Hoopla app through my public library.
Recommended to: Grades 4 and up - fans of sci-fi, adventure, strong female characters, and of course, dinosaurs.
- first sentence
Imagine a world where dinosaurs freely roam the surface and people are forced to live underground. This is Jurassic Park gone wild - dinosaurs were cloned 150 years ago and kept in zoos and on farms. Needless to say, things got out of hand. Sky Mundy lived underground her entire life and now that she found a clue to her father's disappearance, she must venture to the topside world to find answers.
The story follows Sky's journey and is filled with thrilling action, life-threatening situations, and heroic characters. The plot moves quickly with twists and a cliff-hanger ending. Make sure you have the second book ready for your young reader.
The narrator did an excellent job - I highly recommend the audio version. I borrowed it using the Hoopla app through my public library.
Recommended to: Grades 4 and up - fans of sci-fi, adventure, strong female characters, and of course, dinosaurs.
August 20, 2018
Cheesy. Made me cringe. Uninteresting world. Predictable plot. Rubbish characters.
It was just one of those books where the writer tries to hard to write a moving book with a great world and cool characters but fails miserably. Preeeeeeeetty trash.
It was just one of those books where the writer tries to hard to write a moving book with a great world and cool characters but fails miserably. Preeeeeeeetty trash.
January 24, 2018
Fun, quick read
January 9, 2024
If this isn’t a movie yet, it should be. I am not typically into sci-fi or dinosaurs, but I read this as a book club pick with my 10 year old son. And I couldn’t put it down! It had me intrigued from the beginning and I can’t wait to read the sequel! I love that there is a female protagonist, which can make it appealing to boys and girls alike. Boys will be into the dinosaur and adventure aspect while girls can be drawn to the characters and how they handle the adversities they encounter. I’m excited to talk with my son about the ideas of being kept safe versus having freedom in life, which is a huge theme of the book. Highly recommend for adolescents and adults who are into adventure stories!
June 17, 2019
I loved this book!! This is full of nonstop action, suspense and excitement. Along with some really great, likable characters, this is sure to be a hit with the survival fans at my school. Fans of Gary Paulsen and Roland Smith would really enjoy this. Can't wait to introduce students to this series. Now, to start book 2...
October 19, 2019
Listened to this audio book with my 8 year old son. We both enjoyed the storyline, the dinosaurs and all the action. “Giant dinosaurs, kids above ground with dinosaurs, what else could a kid love?!” Says my son.
April 7, 2017
Liked it alot but i felt like there was to much running around instead of finding things out
December 12, 2018
This high action adventure, scifi dystopian is obviously going to be a series since this first book leaves you hanging in the middle of the quest.
May 25, 2019
An intriguing world and lots of dinosaurs! There was more to this book than I expected going in, and I'm looking forward to book 2.
November 1, 2025
A solid effort, although there aren't as many dinosaurs here as there were in Crichton's books. Since this is only half of the story, I may adjust my star rating after finishing the sequel.
February 9, 2020
Sofia: 5 stars It was a really exciting book and it had lots of action and suspense
Emerson: 4.75 stars. I didn’t do five stars because it was a little gross but I liked it yeah
Emerson: 4.75 stars. I didn’t do five stars because it was a little gross but I liked it yeah
February 24, 2018
This was a read aloud to my boys (10 and 17). It was pretty exciting. Some of the scenes were a little intense for my 10 year old, but both boys rated it a 4. One bummer is that we didn't feel that the story was complete. I understand it's a series, but it should have gone further in the story than it did. However, we are looking forward to reading the second book.
September 20, 2016
I liked this far more than I expected. It was a cross between Jurassic Park and The Hunger Games. It was quite interesting, and pretty clever. "The Noah" brought dinosaurs back to life and then because dinosaurs were taking over the world they hid in an underground compound. Sky and Shawn have never known anything else, until they're sent on mission by Sky's long-lost dad into the "topside" which is the earth, where dinos rule and humans get eaten. Little do they know that humans don't always get eaten and maybe it is time for them to come out of the compound. It leaves a cliffhanger and the author doesn't tell the reader everything. It's very mysterious but a very fun read. I would recommend it for Grades 4 and up.
August 22, 2018
Extremely fun read-aloud! Highly recommended!!!!!
December 24, 2024
I don’t think I’ve ever read a middle grade dystopian so this was a real treat. It didn’t have a YA romance to complicate it so you could really focus on the world and the friendships. And let me tell you, I loved the friendships that were more like found family. The main character is a hot head and snappy but she is quick to apologize and admit when she is wrong. If you like dystopian worlds and the movie Jurassic park, you will love this book. The plot isn’t anything mind blowingly new, but I LOVE the dinosaur aspect. My 5yo son listened to parts with me and he is obsessed with dinosaurs so he was so excited each time a dinosaur was mentioned. He did cheer for the dinosaurs every time there was a battle though haha. Bc of my son’s obsession I knew all these dinosaurs so could picture them perfectly which was fun. I loved comparing and contrasting the way two groups of people lived their lives. There was definite pros and cons to both. They need to work together to find a third BEST way to live. This book poses the question: how would you choose to live if humans weren’t the apex predator? This book honestly made me think and I liked that. BEWARE there really isn’t an ending… so you will want to pick up book two ASAP. I would definitely recommend this to any middle schooler. And I absolutely loved the narrator.
SPOILERS and book notes:
So far I like this book. The narrator voice is fantastic. She leaves the safety of her underground compound for 1 min to intercept the mail delivered by an airplane to a drop plate. She copied info from the marines. And in that one minute a deinonychus chased her and tried to eat her! And I know that dinosaur thanks to my 5yo son who’s obsessed with Dino’s and the show dinosaur train. She has a best friend Shawn. They are 12yo. She was stealing info to help find her dad. Sky keeps a journal of dinosaurs. She sketches what she sees and adds facts about what she observes. She loves the sun, sky, and freedom, brighter colors, stronger smells of the outside world. BUT she acknowledges that they are small prices to pay for safety. Safety from the now top of the food chain: dinosaurs. Some Scientists had brought them out of extinction and almost wiped out the entire human race. Sky: curly red hair and gray eyes. The 4 compounds (north east south west) were originally designed for nuclear fallout (for man to live for months if needed). But now that’s where they permanently live to survive Dino’s. Shamus is a 5yo who is also a social outcast like her bc of his dad’s job as an allotment manager and the kids inherent their parents prejudices. (This is all too true). The difference between the Dino’s in Jurassic park and these ones, is that this book they are twice as big. And it’s been 150 since the dinosaur pandemic. This is definitely a dystopian world. Shawn and her give their lunch tickets to the kindergartners. Shawn has a huge heart and is good at all things mechanical. Shawn and sky are both orphans so lived in the guardian wing until Shawn’s aunt came from a different sector. SKys dad is a scientist and a traitor apparently bc he stole some items from the compound and disappeared. He had a broken compass which was illegal to own. And he gave sky the journal for her birthday three days before he disappeared which also is illegal bc books are too valuable. Hidden in her journal he left his compass. Her and Shawn escape the compound and meet a two foot tall dinosaur that sky naked Herman. It has a T. rex ish body with a triceratops head. They were mind blown about being sun burned. So many things would blow your mind if you lived underground your whole life. Herman saved them from a giant T. rex by distracting while they ran away! They run into a boy named Todd! He calls them “Mollers” bc they live in a compound! The leaders had brain washed them! There are people living topside!!! And Herman is his pet he raised from an egg! But its name is verde. Todd has a bow and arrow made of bone. Todd’s people “the oaks” live in tree houses! In villages up in the trees! The leader of the oaks is name is Jet! (Just like ATLAB) A pack of Troadons attacked at night! They are nocturnal and very smart (that’s the conductor on dinosaur train) I love Todd. He is hilarious the way he teases Shawn. Shawn doesn’t like him and is very competitive with him. A manly macho thing going on here. Everything in the house is made of dinosaur bones bc they are light. They are hollow like birds bones. I love Shawn and Sky bff relationship. He would rather die following his best friend than live to be a lonely old man in the compound. Crazy is what makes life exciting. I love that Shawn made this adventure an “our adventure”. Everyone under the age of 5 has to wear a harness in the tree houses. Her father’s map is sending them into the middle of lake Michigan. IT has swimming Dino’s in the lake that technically are not Dino’s but Plesiosaurs and Mosasaurus. Roderick is the guy that keeps track of maps etc. he has a pet named Tilly: “Elephants evolved from a small, semi-aquatic mammal called the Moeritherium, which lived about 37–35 million years ago. Moeritherium was about the size of a pig and had some features similar to hippos” the wicked Marines of the Noah had tracked them somehow and are making the Oak villagers surrender! They are loading them into helicopters! And they are threatening Todd’s mom Emily and leader Jet to reveal the location of Shawn and sky! But they aren’t! And they thought that no one in the compound would lie for them. But Todd said it is bc the villagers are good people. His villagers get carried away in helicopters and the trio is left in the village. The Marine shot and killed Roderick and Tilly. The American quarter worn around the neck is the symbol of their village. Todd’s going with them and gives them tree pods to carry. It allows you to sleep in the trees without falling. An allisorous almost took sky down until Todd shot it through the eye. They eat dinosaur and it is delicious. She writes down all Todd teaches them in her journal and calls it Todd’s Topside Tips. They ran in to some ruins of suburbs of the city! With foundations and plants planted in rows. They nicknamed the spinasasorus crock killer. They had to battle one and Trey listen with me. He was cheering for the spineasaurous the whole time lol. He claimed that they are carnivores so that is how God made them. Ivan saved them! He is missing an arm and living high in a sky scraper!! They thought we were lazy with elevators lol. Aww!! Sky is Ivan the dinosaur hunters grand daughter!! He is her mom’s dad!! Her parents formed a secret club called the Calom (dove in Italian) see the Noah’s ark reference? The dove represents its time to go topside again. This group believed it was possible for humans to live above ground alongside dinosaurs. (She was from topside and snuck into compound and married her dad. To solve the Dino problem they can’t just kill them all or else the humans could go extinct. Circle of life and all that. They had to split up as Ivan dealt with Marines following them. He threatened the boys that they better protect her or he would skin them alive. And then he told his granddaughter to lead them bc she had more sense than them combined lol. CLIFF HANGER!! But I love this trio and that they are friends now.
SPOILERS and book notes:
So far I like this book. The narrator voice is fantastic. She leaves the safety of her underground compound for 1 min to intercept the mail delivered by an airplane to a drop plate. She copied info from the marines. And in that one minute a deinonychus chased her and tried to eat her! And I know that dinosaur thanks to my 5yo son who’s obsessed with Dino’s and the show dinosaur train. She has a best friend Shawn. They are 12yo. She was stealing info to help find her dad. Sky keeps a journal of dinosaurs. She sketches what she sees and adds facts about what she observes. She loves the sun, sky, and freedom, brighter colors, stronger smells of the outside world. BUT she acknowledges that they are small prices to pay for safety. Safety from the now top of the food chain: dinosaurs. Some Scientists had brought them out of extinction and almost wiped out the entire human race. Sky: curly red hair and gray eyes. The 4 compounds (north east south west) were originally designed for nuclear fallout (for man to live for months if needed). But now that’s where they permanently live to survive Dino’s. Shamus is a 5yo who is also a social outcast like her bc of his dad’s job as an allotment manager and the kids inherent their parents prejudices. (This is all too true). The difference between the Dino’s in Jurassic park and these ones, is that this book they are twice as big. And it’s been 150 since the dinosaur pandemic. This is definitely a dystopian world. Shawn and her give their lunch tickets to the kindergartners. Shawn has a huge heart and is good at all things mechanical. Shawn and sky are both orphans so lived in the guardian wing until Shawn’s aunt came from a different sector. SKys dad is a scientist and a traitor apparently bc he stole some items from the compound and disappeared. He had a broken compass which was illegal to own. And he gave sky the journal for her birthday three days before he disappeared which also is illegal bc books are too valuable. Hidden in her journal he left his compass. Her and Shawn escape the compound and meet a two foot tall dinosaur that sky naked Herman. It has a T. rex ish body with a triceratops head. They were mind blown about being sun burned. So many things would blow your mind if you lived underground your whole life. Herman saved them from a giant T. rex by distracting while they ran away! They run into a boy named Todd! He calls them “Mollers” bc they live in a compound! The leaders had brain washed them! There are people living topside!!! And Herman is his pet he raised from an egg! But its name is verde. Todd has a bow and arrow made of bone. Todd’s people “the oaks” live in tree houses! In villages up in the trees! The leader of the oaks is name is Jet! (Just like ATLAB) A pack of Troadons attacked at night! They are nocturnal and very smart (that’s the conductor on dinosaur train) I love Todd. He is hilarious the way he teases Shawn. Shawn doesn’t like him and is very competitive with him. A manly macho thing going on here. Everything in the house is made of dinosaur bones bc they are light. They are hollow like birds bones. I love Shawn and Sky bff relationship. He would rather die following his best friend than live to be a lonely old man in the compound. Crazy is what makes life exciting. I love that Shawn made this adventure an “our adventure”. Everyone under the age of 5 has to wear a harness in the tree houses. Her father’s map is sending them into the middle of lake Michigan. IT has swimming Dino’s in the lake that technically are not Dino’s but Plesiosaurs and Mosasaurus. Roderick is the guy that keeps track of maps etc. he has a pet named Tilly: “Elephants evolved from a small, semi-aquatic mammal called the Moeritherium, which lived about 37–35 million years ago. Moeritherium was about the size of a pig and had some features similar to hippos” the wicked Marines of the Noah had tracked them somehow and are making the Oak villagers surrender! They are loading them into helicopters! And they are threatening Todd’s mom Emily and leader Jet to reveal the location of Shawn and sky! But they aren’t! And they thought that no one in the compound would lie for them. But Todd said it is bc the villagers are good people. His villagers get carried away in helicopters and the trio is left in the village. The Marine shot and killed Roderick and Tilly. The American quarter worn around the neck is the symbol of their village. Todd’s going with them and gives them tree pods to carry. It allows you to sleep in the trees without falling. An allisorous almost took sky down until Todd shot it through the eye. They eat dinosaur and it is delicious. She writes down all Todd teaches them in her journal and calls it Todd’s Topside Tips. They ran in to some ruins of suburbs of the city! With foundations and plants planted in rows. They nicknamed the spinasasorus crock killer. They had to battle one and Trey listen with me. He was cheering for the spineasaurous the whole time lol. He claimed that they are carnivores so that is how God made them. Ivan saved them! He is missing an arm and living high in a sky scraper!! They thought we were lazy with elevators lol. Aww!! Sky is Ivan the dinosaur hunters grand daughter!! He is her mom’s dad!! Her parents formed a secret club called the Calom (dove in Italian) see the Noah’s ark reference? The dove represents its time to go topside again. This group believed it was possible for humans to live above ground alongside dinosaurs. (She was from topside and snuck into compound and married her dad. To solve the Dino problem they can’t just kill them all or else the humans could go extinct. Circle of life and all that. They had to split up as Ivan dealt with Marines following them. He threatened the boys that they better protect her or he would skin them alive. And then he told his granddaughter to lead them bc she had more sense than them combined lol. CLIFF HANGER!! But I love this trio and that they are friends now.
October 1, 2016
I wouldn't call myself a dinosaur-type person, so at first glance I wasn't sure how well I would like this book. After reading it, I realized that you don't have to be a dinosaur fan to love this book!
Skye lives in an underground compound where she is safe from the world above. You see, dinosaurs were brought back to the life and took over the world, so those humans who survived were forced to live underground for the past 150 years. Skye and her friend, Shawn, are on a mission to find Skye's father who mysteriously disappeared years earlier - and part of this mission involves the dangerous land above.
The book has lots of action and suspense with some added dystopian elements that middle grade readers will enjoy. The compound and above ground areas are well-described, and the map at the beginning is useful for readers. Kids will love Skye, Shawn, and the other characters that Skye and Shawn encounter on their adventures. And of course there are dinosaurs! If you know a lot about dinosaurs, you will love it, and if you aren't a dinosaur fan, you will find yourself wanting to know more!
I have lots of students who look for books similar to The Compound by S.A. Bodeen and its sequel or My Life with the Liars by Caela Carter. This would be a great read-alike book. The cover is somewhat juvenile, but if you can get 7th graders to read it, they will enjoy it. Otherwise I would recommend for 4th-6th graders. The content is clean too.
As an Indiana girl, I loved the Indiana setting! I am looking forward to the next book and teaching my daughter about some of the dinosaurs in the book.
Skye lives in an underground compound where she is safe from the world above. You see, dinosaurs were brought back to the life and took over the world, so those humans who survived were forced to live underground for the past 150 years. Skye and her friend, Shawn, are on a mission to find Skye's father who mysteriously disappeared years earlier - and part of this mission involves the dangerous land above.
The book has lots of action and suspense with some added dystopian elements that middle grade readers will enjoy. The compound and above ground areas are well-described, and the map at the beginning is useful for readers. Kids will love Skye, Shawn, and the other characters that Skye and Shawn encounter on their adventures. And of course there are dinosaurs! If you know a lot about dinosaurs, you will love it, and if you aren't a dinosaur fan, you will find yourself wanting to know more!
I have lots of students who look for books similar to The Compound by S.A. Bodeen and its sequel or My Life with the Liars by Caela Carter. This would be a great read-alike book. The cover is somewhat juvenile, but if you can get 7th graders to read it, they will enjoy it. Otherwise I would recommend for 4th-6th graders. The content is clean too.
As an Indiana girl, I loved the Indiana setting! I am looking forward to the next book and teaching my daughter about some of the dinosaurs in the book.
December 31, 2016
Sky Mundy and her best friend Shawn live in a warren of underground concrete bunkers built to house the human race. 150 years before, scientists resurrected dinosaurs just like on Jurassic Park, but this time they weren’t confined to an island. Along with the dinosaurs, an ancient virus returns which is responsible for wiping out 95% of human life.
Now they live under Noah – a man who rules the compounds and is said to have been responsible for saving what was left of the human race.
Sky hates being in the compound and unknown to the marines who ‘protect’ them, she sneaks outside every time there is a military plane drop of supplies. She is checking for any information about her missing father that might be held on the info pods that arrive from other compounds. Her friend Shawn hates her going outside as she is at the mercy of any roaming dinosaurs that might be about. Everyone knows that you can’t survive outside.
Edge of Extinction is a Dystopian novel for younger readers with plenty of dinosaurs to escape, defeat or even eat. Think Hunger Games – a brave heroine protagonist with a mission and two boys who want to protect her, and Jurassic Park with its wonder and fear of dinosaurs. Great read. Will definitely follow this series.
Now they live under Noah – a man who rules the compounds and is said to have been responsible for saving what was left of the human race.
Sky hates being in the compound and unknown to the marines who ‘protect’ them, she sneaks outside every time there is a military plane drop of supplies. She is checking for any information about her missing father that might be held on the info pods that arrive from other compounds. Her friend Shawn hates her going outside as she is at the mercy of any roaming dinosaurs that might be about. Everyone knows that you can’t survive outside.
Edge of Extinction is a Dystopian novel for younger readers with plenty of dinosaurs to escape, defeat or even eat. Think Hunger Games – a brave heroine protagonist with a mission and two boys who want to protect her, and Jurassic Park with its wonder and fear of dinosaurs. Great read. Will definitely follow this series.
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