"The City of Ember" by Jeanne DuPrau

Week 4

ages 9 and older

Suggested by: Kaziah Brachfeld, 9, of Washington.

What the book is about: This is a dark book, in many ways.

It tells the story of a people who live completely underground. There's no sun, no moon, no stars that twinkle in the night sky. Daytime is dictated by the yellowish glow from lamps throughout the city. For almost 250 years the people have lived this way after being forced underground by a terrible war. But life in the underworld has been relatively good. The people of Ember know about no other world, so they can't miss fresh air or cool breezes of the salt air of the ocean. But as the book opens, the lights are beginning to flicker; the supplies of food, batteries and other essentials are dwindling. The people of the city are divided: Should they try to find a way out or just hope things will get better?

A pair of 12-year-olds, Doon Harrow and Lina Mayfleet, try to figure out a way to save the people of Ember. Readers will keep turning the pages of this suspenseful, futuristic novel to see if Doon and Lina can bring true light to the people of Ember.

Why Kaziah recommends this book: "The book is very imaginative, bringing the characters to life in an exciting adventure. If you like stories about friendship and bravery, you will like this book."

Read an Excerpt

Full Book List

If you like "The City of Ember," here are some other suggestions from KidsPost readers:

"Shade's Children" by Garth Nix. This is another dark science-fiction book, in which children are not allowed to live past the age of 14. Needless to say, kids decide this isn't a great idea and revolt. The kid characters are well-developed, and the book has lots of action, adventure and suspense. Ages 11 and older.

"The Giver" by Lois Lowry. Meet 12-year-old Jonas, who lives in a perfect world of the future. There's no crime, no sickness, no poverty. What's not to like? That's what Jonas thinks, until he discovers how this perfect world came to be and decides he can't keep the horrible secret. Ages 12 and older.

Next week's book: "The Hundred Penny Box" by Sharon Bell Mathis.