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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I was not expecting what happened!
I read this book out loud with my grade-school aged kids after we had read and loved "The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl". While this book was cute, we didn't love it as much as her first book. Side note, it was very odd to read this book in Feb-Mar 2020 as the pandemic started up and it really started to feel like the world might end in April!!
When COVID-19 changed our daily lives in the middle of March, I wanted nothing to do with apocalyptic or dystopian novels. I wanted sunshine and rainbows and puppies and lollipops. But when April hit, I remembered this 2019 release from newish to me middle grade author, Stacy McAnulty. I read another book of hers earlier this year and enjoyed it, so I decided I could handle a middle grade reading level disaster story. And I thought it would be so topical to read it in April. I borrowed it on Libby, and in true to myself fashion, let it get to within two days of the due date. So yeah, I read it in May. I thought it was decent. It’s hard to gage how troublesome it would have been were I actually in the target age market. Outside the disaster, it’s really a tale of surviving middle school, the flux of friendships, learning which adults to trust, and a little bit of adolescent self discovery. Lots of science nerd stuff in it too, if that’s your thing.
I received an arc from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book kind of dragged for me... it didn't move very fast and it got a little bit too dramatic in parts. I liked the blind friend though.
This book kind of dragged for me... it didn't move very fast and it got a little bit too dramatic in parts. I liked the blind friend though.
Elle’s grandfather is a prepper who has inundated Elle and her brothers over the years with survival training, bug out bags, and drills. Now 12, Elle rolls her eyes at all the prepper stuff; but as school and social life becomes more isolating and terrible Elle discovers a dodgy website predicting an asteroid hitting earth and changing Life as we know it. Elle wants to save her family and friends and spread the news of earths impending doom but no adult will believe her. She becomes increasingly anxious and seems to almost want to be right about end of the world (no school for one thing).
This is fast paced story and has lots of info on surviving disaster and a great scene where the kids drink “purified” toilet water (such a great booktalk moment!).
Give this to kids who like punch to their heartfelt realistic fiction middle school drama.
This is fast paced story and has lots of info on surviving disaster and a great scene where the kids drink “purified” toilet water (such a great booktalk moment!).
Give this to kids who like punch to their heartfelt realistic fiction middle school drama.
I loved The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl but I don't feel the same was about The World Ends in April. It was okay. Not bad but I didn't love it.
After all that was said about TEOTWAWKI (the end of the world as we know it) I was expecting a more exciting ending.
Like an asteroid ending the world.
I found Eleanor, the main character, a little bit annoying, but I liked Eleanor's best friend, Mack.
I probably won't recommend it and probably won't re-read it either.
2/5 stars
After all that was said about TEOTWAWKI (the end of the world as we know it) I was expecting a more exciting ending.
Like an asteroid ending the world.
I found Eleanor, the main character, a little bit annoying, but I liked Eleanor's best friend, Mack.
I probably won't recommend it and probably won't re-read it either.
2/5 stars
A very anxious middle school girl finds a website that says a meteor is going to hit the earth and she uses her prepper skills learned from grandpa to get a group of kids ready. The end of the world plot was not my favorite but I did enjoy the relationships she had and the ones she developed. She seemed pretty lonely and kind of like she hated school and life, so it was nice to see her grow. However, parts seemed a little unrealistic and the adults in her life seemed to fail her. I did like the shout out to the media specialist for teaching how to find reliable sources, although that didn’t seem to help Elle. There is some light humor which is appreciated as Elle seems to spiral out of control. 6th grade and up.
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes