The City Of Ember
By Jeanne DuPrau
Categories: Children’s Fiction (enjoyable up through adult)
This enchanting tale of life for two children really made my imagination take off. It follows the residents of the City of Ember, specifically 12 year old Lina and Doon, who are of the age in which they are randomly assigned a job. But no sun rises to start off each day in this city, flickering and unreliable florescent light bulbs determine when it is “day time”, no moon hangs in the pitch black sky. Everything in the city is from massive, seemingly endless supply rooms; clothing, shoes, medicine, food, all things Doon has come to fear are actually in short supply. He is driven to find the solution, something that will make him a hero. Lina just wants to have her dream job of being a message runner, zipping around the city delivering other people’s plans and reminders and secrets. Everything changes when her baby sister uncovers a puzzling mystery…
Also available as a graphic novel
I loved the way it was impossible to tell what era this city was in. It had a run-down feel; old sweaters are unraveled to reuse the material, the dump is combed over to find over-looked reusable items; but Lina and Doon envision a way out of the city through the underground passageways the connect the city to its power supply source, a massive raging river. This was a quick, absorbing read that brought lots of examples of waste in everyday life that people take for granted to mind. Driving down the street I no longer saw someone’s garbage sitting on the curb, I saw nearly new items that could be reused or re-purposed again. This book made me go from wanting to put a compost pile in my backyard to getting a compost pile in my backyard (and a rain barrel, thanks to my hubby). This story is perfect for any kid, or any kid at heart.
Doing something for the environment! Thanks Shane :)
