Product Description

Nuclear war has devastated America, except for the valley where Ann Burden has been living alone for over a year - until Loomis, a scientist in a radiation-proof suit, arrives. She hopes they will be companions but his behaviour towards her becomes increasingly threatening as he attacks her and then cuts off her food supply and tries to bring her under his control. Although there may be no one else alive, Ann steals his suit and leaves the valley in search of humanity.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #35005 in Books
• Published on: 1998-02-26
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 192 pages

About the Author
Robert O'Brien was, in private life, Robert Conly, senior assistant editor of National Geographic Magazine where he worked for over twenty years. He wrote three books for children and one for adults and won the Newbery Medal for MRS FRISBY AND THE RATS OF NIMH, filmed as THE SECRETS OF NIMH. Robert O'Brien died in 1973.

Customer Reviews

Excellent
This is an excellent book - it doesn't patronise the reader and isn't just about a nuclear holocaust. It explores human emotion and vulnerability. To say that this is too depressing for teenagers is to try and mask the truth of the world - People are not perfect and never will be. I was disappointed by the suggestion that kids & young adults should read books with jokes instead - If you can look around and accept the state of the world and see that amidst all the bad stuff there are moments of true hope or beauty, is that not better than attempting to create a false two dimensional reality where everything is shiny and happy but not truly real?

Well worth a read
I read this book recently, my sister having read the book as a child. The heroine of the book is definitely a good role model for all, young and old. It shows how - yes good people do get difficult things happening to them - and how there is always a way out. I found it a very optimistic book and would recommend it to a young person as I am sure it would elicit questions regarding trust and growing into an adult.

A fond memory revisited.
Having read this book as school as a child I disagree with the first two reviews. The book, although having a bleak overtone, is not depressing. The story ends with hope and leaves many questions unanswered which is exactly what it should do; fuel an imagination and spark a craving to know what happened next. The writing style is good and still enjoyable as an adult, although easy enough for kids to understand. I am not sure what age group I would recommend this book too but I would have no problems with a primary school child of my own reading this if I guaged them mature enough. This is the book that encouraged me to read as a child as it was the first book I read that was in no way condescending to it's young audience in terms of style and subject matter. If unsure buy the book, read it yourself and then guage whether it is suitable for your child.