Mystery, intrigue, science fiction, even politics—what more could one want in a good book? 🙂
(Ok, maybe one wouldn’t want politics, but in this case, it’s interesting—even educational—for children.)
What book? City of Ember.
As you may know, it’s been made into a movie. The movie was quite good, too, IMHO.
I’m not usually drawn to fiction “because it teaches a lesson,” yet many of the most powerful fiction books do draw from reality, do lift us to higher goals, do “teach lessons.”
Here are some “lessons” I see in the book City of Ember:
- Being grateful for what you have
- Loving family & friends
- Resisting greed/dealing with wanting something so badly you lose perspective
- Courage
- Creativity
- The dangers of uncontrolled anger
- Thinking in a new way about words
- Thinking in a new way about our world
- Industriousness
I’m not sure why I’m SO drawn to this book, but without including spoilers, the “surprising” scene near the end fascinates me. The characters are interesting, dialogue believable, premise (of the whole city) remarkable.
How about you? Have you read City of Ember? What have you enjoyed about it?
Christa Upton Black Hills Picture Books Edgemont, SD 57735
