If Winter Comes [Hardcover]

Lynn Hall (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up

As an escalating world crisis makes the threat of nuclear warfare imminent, teenage Meredith and her boyfriend Barry draw closer to each other and to other people important to them during what could be the last weekend of their lives.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-9 In an all-too-familiar scenario, the United States' "honor" is at stake in a dispute with a small South American nation. Nuclear missiles are armed and ready to be launched if negotiators cannot reach an agreement. This book explores how two teenagers face the possibility of nuclear annihilation. Meredith draws closer to her family. She wants to survive and even feels an inexplicable urge to have a babysomehow to ensure species survival. She is horrified when her boyfriend, Barry, alienated and insecure, tells her that he would commit suicide if the bomb fell. But over the weekend, as the world waits to see if it will be destroyed, Barry meets an old woman who is struggling to create an urban park in the middle of a slum. Her commitment sparks a feeling of self-worth in Barry, and he realizes that he wants to live as much as Meredith does. Fortunately, the negotiations are successful, and war is averted. While the characters are somewhat bland, and Barry's realization that life is worth living comes too suddenly, this thought-provoking novel is a useful addition to nuclear-disaster fiction. The anti-nuclear message is obvious but not overwhelming, and readers who would otherwise avoid this depressing topic may be attracted by Hall's comparatively light touch. Anne Connor, Los Angeles Public Library
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum (April 30, 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 068418575X
• ISBN-13: 978-0684185750
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,622,274 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good for high school and older- not for a 12 year old, February 28, 2005

By 

Anonymous - See all my reviews

This review is from: If Winter Comes (Hardcover)

I read this book because my 12 year old son was reading it for his accelerated reader. I found the story interesting and quite thought provoking based upon the storyline of being faced with death before the weekend is out. Each character in the book discovers what is most important to them. However, I feel some of it's social content , in reference to sexual intimacy, was inappropriate for the grade level it is recommended for. Make sure you are reading what your kids are reading. Just because a book is at your child's reading level; does not mean it is socially appropriate for their age.