Gone

August 1, 2008
Gr 7 Up-"One minute the teacher was talking about the Civil War. And the next minute he was gone." Just vanishedalong with everyone else over the age of 13 in a 20-mile radius around Perdido Beach, CA. The children left behind find themselves battling hunger, fear, and one another in a novel strongly reminiscent of William Golding's "Lord of the Flies". Things go from bad to worse when some of the children begin exhibiting strange powers, animals show signs of freakish mutations, and people disappear as soon as they turn 14. Though an excellent premise for a novel, "Gone" suffers from a couple of problems. First, it is just too long. After opening with a bang, the initial 200 or so pages limp along before the action begins to really pick up. Secondly, based on the themes of violence, death, and implied sexual intimidation, this is clearly written for an older teen audience who may not appreciate the fact that no one in the book is older than 13. In spite of its faults, "Gone" is a gripping and gritty read with enough creepy gruesomeness to satisfy readers who have a taste for the macabre. Give this one to the readers who aren't quite ready for Stephen King or Dean Koontz."Jane Henriksen Baird, Anchorage Public Library, AK"

Copyright 2008 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2009
After all the adults vanish, kids under fourteen try to make do, taking care of themselves and the babies in a California town gone Lord of the Flies. The story's compelling setup is marred by some cardboard characters and clumsily incorporated elements. Still, many readers will be readily sucked into the dramas of this child-ruled survivalist society.

(Copyright 2009 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)