Life as we knew it by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Age 13+ A meteor hits the moon and sets off a world wide catastrophe: cities flood, electricity disappears, petrol is no longer available and there is no food left in the shops. This is the enthralling story of one family and how they cope through the devastation of life as they knew it.

Pfeffer maintains a high level of suspense throughout the novel. The reader becomes so involved with Miranda, the 16 year old main protagonist, and her family members, that the book begs to be read in one sitting. Their struggle for survival: foraging for food, gathering wood, learning to live without electricity and combating deadly influenza while services such as schools, hospitals and police have broken down, is totally engrossing.

Miranda faithfully records the disintegration of society in her diary. Her initial entries as a selfish adolescent worrying about friends and not being asked to the Prom, gradually change as she matures into a strong, loving young woman who does her best to keep her family alive. Her mother is single minded about providing for her family alone and her two brothers, Matt and Jonny are engaging.

The reader is left pondering many questions that stay in the mind for a long time after finishing the book. Would you chose one person to be kept alive if there isn't enough food for everyone? Should you share your meagre resources with your neighbours in a disaster? Would you eat your family pet to stay alive?

This is an ALA Best Book for Young Adults and is sure to keep readers totally engrossed.
Pat Pledger