From School Library Journal
Grade 5-9-In the last chapter of The Kindling (HarperCollins, 2002), the Family (teens Angerman, Teacher, Mommy, and Hunter, plus youngsters Action Man, Teddy Bear, Baby, Doll, Puppy, and Kitty) discovers that they are not the only people left alive after the devastating Fire-us (virus) of 2002. They are taken in by the Grown-ups of the Crossroads, the remnants of a religious group that went underground before the virus hit and whose members now live communally in a mall. However, it quickly becomes apparent, especially to Angerman, that this is not a safe place for their little family. With the help of a teenaged girl named Corinthians 1:19 (Cory), who has a mysterious connection with Puppy and Kitty, they escape from the Crossroads, but their adventures are nowhere close to being finished. Those who have read the first book will find this an exciting and thought-provoking second installment; those who haven't will be utterly lost. Armstrong and Butcher continue to present an exhilarating thrill-ride of a tale that's part postapocalyptic survival story, part mystery, part psychological drama, and part realistic look at the concepts of family, society, and responsibility.
Mara Alpert, Los Angeles Public LibraryCopyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
*Starred Review* Gr. 7-10. This second book in the Fire-us trilogy maintains and even intensifies the unrelenting momentum of its predecessor,
Kindling [BKL Ap 15 02]. As the intrepid young survivors of world calamity travel toward Washington, D.C., they encounter their first grown-ups, the Keepers of the Flame, who comprise an extremist religious cult led by the mysterious Supreme Leader. These grown-ups, who occupy a deserted mall, have taken names such as Proverbs 3:21 and Psalm 12. At first the kids are relieved to have found some adults, but they gradually realize that something is horribly wrong. Why have five-year-old twins Puppy and Kitty been whisked away and hidden? Why is 15-year-old Corinthians 1:19, who calls herself Cory, so eager to look at the Book that Teacher uses to find answers. And what happens to the young women dressed as brides and to the small children who are sent off to be "Tested"? In this episode, Teacher's Book takes on mystical qualities, and, once again, the kids' interrelationships and their desperate struggle to help one another survive make mesmerizing reading. Be advised: the ending is another cliffhanger that's guaranteed to leave readers anxious for the final volume.
Sally EstesCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
