Bibliographical information:

Goodman, Allegra. The Other Side of the Island. New York: Razorbill (Penguin), 2008.

Brief summary:

In a post-Flood world, Honor and her family have moved from the wild North to the more controlled Colonies. But Honor's parents don't seem willing (or able) to conform to the structure of society under Earth Mother. Honor's discomfort and embarrassment turn to fear, as she becomes worried that her parents' Unpredictable behavior will lead to their being taken.

Comments:

The dystopian world inhabited by Honor and her family is a frightening one, and Goodman's treatment of global weather is interesting and complex. Kids who have studied global warming will be challenged by the prospect of a world in which the government holds power in part by preying on people's fear of weather, and in which characters inhabit gray areas between resistance and complicity. I also like the Thoreau references.

Grade/Age level:

Grades 6 and up?

Cautions:

If you like this book, you might also like . . .

--Lisa Gordis

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