NZ Intermediate School Librarians discussion

A tense and exciting survival story set in the not too distant future. A fungus has wiped out the world's grain, grass and seeds stock and people are beginning to starve. Society is breaking down and cities are the worst place to be. Ella and her older half-brother Emery have been living in an apartment in an unnamed Australian city with their father. They have been waiting for Ella's mother to return from an 8 month long absence due to her job as a solar power engineer. The situation becomes untenable and their father leaves home one morning to find his wife so the family can all leave the city together for what they hope will be the relative safety of the countryside. He does not return. Fourteen year old Emery makes the call for him and Ella to flee to the country with the aid of their pack of sled dogs and dog cart. They are heading for Emery's grandparents farm, hundreds of kilometres away. And so begins their adventure and fight for survival. They must contend with a number of natural hazards, but the biggest danger comes from other people who want their resources, especially their dogs who are an appetising target to starving people! As the youngest girl in her family, Ella has always been babied but now it is time for her to step up and she proves she is far more capable, brave and resourceful that anyone has given her credit for. Written in an utterly convincing and engaging first-person point of view of Ella, in a style reminiscent of Morris Gleitzman's Felix from "Once". I loved this book. It's a bit like "The Road to Winter" but suitable for slightly younger readers, however I will be recommending it to everyone - including people who like a great story with dogs in it!

I agree Jane, a really thought provoking survival-book for year 7 to 9. Shows what could happen to society if our food crops were wiped out.

A thought provoking read aimed at children, but very readable for older readers as well. Another gutsy young protagonist in this novel. Thoroughly recommend to all, now to sell it to the students.

Loved this book and have recommended it to teachers Year 6,7,8,9

I have just read "Fatty Legs" and recommend it. This is the true story of a young Inuit girl living in the Arctic who wants to learn to read and begs her father to let her attend a faraway residential school in Alaska. Olemaun or Margaret as she is called finds the children at the school are treated badly and live in poor conditions. They have to work in the hospital during a smallpox epidemic. She becomes the target of a very cruel Nun nicknamed the Raven because she dares to speak up when treated very unfairly; she attends the school for 2 years. Loved this colourfully illustrated account with photos as well - it will be perfect for our intermediate classes also lower secondary.