Reviewed by TFK Kid Reporter Martin Jacobs
Read Martin's interview with Jeanne DuPrau!

What’s the basic story line?
In the City of Ember, the sky is always dark. Without the great floodlights, people may as be wearing blindfolds. But the power supply is failing. Two kids find an ancient parchment that has been locked away and lost for 220 years. They piece together instructions that are a way out of the city. Will anyone believe them before the lights go out forever?

Were the characters believable? What made them believable or unbelievable?
It’s a little unreal because they’re humans but they don’t know what a boat or a snail is. Otherwise they are believable. They have buildings, they have a mayor, and there are guards and prisons.

What makes this book a good summer read you would recommend to other kids?
All the cliffhangers. I don’t remember one place where I wasn’t anxious to read on. They were always about to do something dangerous, about to figure something out. Jeanne DuPrau has created a great plot.

What’s not-so-great about this book?
It took a lot to believe some stuff.

Does this book remind you of any other books or movies?
No.

On a scale of 1 to 10, (1 being poor and 10 being best) how would you rate this book?
8