The People of Sparks -- Jeanne DuPrau

Once Lina and Doon find a way out of the dying City of Ember, they are able to get a message back to their people, the Emberites. With instructions on how to leave the city and hope in their hearts, the Emberites pack up some food and a few belongings and trek out of their underground city. They meet up with Lina and Doon, and as a group of over 400, travel a road in hopes they will find a safe haven.

What they find is the city called Sparks, a small city of just over 300 which is just barely starting to prosper. Hesitantly, the leaders of Sparks agree to take in the Emberites temporarily. The townspeople are to teach the Emberites how to do a variety of tasks and provide them with food; but in 6 months, the Emberites will be turned out to make their own town, for the people of Sparks fear their humble supplies cannot sustain everyone permanently.

Initially, things go along well enough. But in time, resentments rise and fear grows. And the people living in the City of Sparks -- all of them -- begin repeating history without really realizing it at first. Will they realize it in time to fix it and avoid the tragedies of the past?


***This is a cute series. It's written for young teens, even pre-teens, so a lot of it is "obvious." But I really like the way the author addresses these issues in a way that will make sense to those growing and learning at that age. The issues are important ones: hate, revenge, war, forgiveness, selflessness. I think the story was wonderfully written and it was a good read, even for an adult.

The City of Ember -- Jeanne DuPrau

In the city of Ember, the lights are starting to go out... a lot. Nobody knows how to fix the generator permanently... the generator which powers the entire city. And nobody knows what to do about all the supply shortages which are happening either. Perhaps, in most cities, this wouldn't be a problem. But Ember isn't like most cities. Because when the lights go out in Ember, there is NO light at all -- everything is pitch black. There is no fire, no flashlights. And there's nowhere to go, for as the citizens have been told for centuries: there is no place BUT Ember.

Most of the citizens are content to accept that Ember is the only city in existence. They are willing to pretend nothing is wrong, though somewhere inside they know the now-frequent blackouts are not good. Some of the citizens know things are bad -- and they are seeking to make their lives comfortable until the end. But there are some who are unwilling to accept the impending doom of their city. Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow are two of those citizens. And though they are only twelve years old, they begin the search for a solution and a way out of Ember.

Lina feels there must be a city somewhere else, for she has dreamed of it. Doon feels there must be a way to fix the generator permanently, if only he understood electricity. But when Lina happens upon a partially-destroyed (thanks to her toddler-sister Poppy) sheet of paper with instructions that seem to be vitally important, she turns to Doon as one who can work with her to solve the mystery of the instructions -- and maybe find a way out of the City of Ember and into a different world.


**I picked this book up to read to fill the space between the last book I finished and the one I was waiting for at the library. I ended up liking this book. I think it's a great read for early teens (12/13), both boys and girls. There is adventure and suspense. I was eager to see how it ended, and I'm now planning to read the next in the series!