The Dead and The Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer - OPTIONAL

Pfeffer, Susan Beth The Dead and The Gone (#2), 336 pgs. Harcourt Children's Books

Language~PG, Sexual Content~G; Violence~PG-13

MS, HS - OPTIONAL 

The moon has been knocked out of its current orbit and is now closer to the earth. This upsets tides, awakens volcanoes, and disrupts satellite transmissions. Alex Morales, 17yo, is at home with his 2 sisters when the disaster strikes. His parents are missing and it is up to Alex to provide and care for his family as food becomes scarce and NYC becomes more and more uninhabitable.

Pfeffer includes more discussion of the dead, people who commit suicide or starve to death. Alex goes ‘body shopping”, looting the bodies of the dead for items that may be used to barter for food. The outlook of this installment is much less hopeful almost bleak, however Alex’s holds tight to his religious faith to sustain him. The discussion of the dead may be disturbing to some read. There are scenes of violence that describe the panic that ensues. There is much mention of the Catholic faith and practices. There are no official swears, but Alex does curse “idiota” and once hits his sister. Many teens have told me this installment is not as good or as captivating as the first.

Allison Madsen~Teen Librarian-SJO Public Librarian