  | City of Ember : the graphic novel Author: DuPrau, Jeanne | |
| Price: $20.28 | ||
Summary:
In the year 241, twelve-year-old Lina trades jobs on Assignment Day to be a Messenger to run to new places in her decaying but beloved city, perhaps even to glimpse Unknown Regions.
| Added Entry - Personal Name: | Middaugh, Dallas |
| Illustrator: | Asker, Niklas |
| Ashi, Bo |
Download a Teacher's Guide| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: MG Reading Level: 2.40 Points: 1.0 Quiz: 154837 |
Common Core Standards
Grade 3 → Reading → RL Literature → 3.RL Key Ideas & Details
Grade 4 → Reading → RL Literature → 4.RL Key Ideas & Details
Grade 4 → Reading → RL Literature → 4.RL Range of Reading & Level of Text Complexity
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (09/01/12)
School Library Journal (+) (11/01/12)
Booklist (10/15/12)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 10/15/2012 The city of Ember, the only light in a vast world of darkness, is dying, and two young teens might be the only ones who can find the way out of their darkening town—if they can escape the machinations of a corrupt mayor. DuPrau’s well-received dystopian and postapocalyptic middle-grade novel is ably adapted into graphic-novel form by Middaugh and Asker. Middaugh is not afraid to cut as needed, removing scenes and characters with the hand of a screenwriter. The result is a streamlined work that moves quickly while retaining the heart of the original story. Fans of the novel may notice the loss of some of the drama in the foreshortened scenes, but readers new and old will appreciate the muted colors of Asker’s artwork, which clearly shows the dinginess of Ember and the generic quality of people who have bred past specific races. The main characters are drawn young, but their maturity should help the graphic novel, like the book, cross over from elementary- to middle-school appeal. - Copyright 2012 Booklist.
School Library Journal - 11/01/2012 Gr 5–8—Lina and Doon have spent their entire lives surrounded by darkness. Lina is an optimist and a dreamer who just knows there is something beyond the city of her birth. Doon is much more practical. He knows that if he can just get a good look underground, he can fix the city's constant blackout problem. A chance encounter on Assignment Day allows the two children to meet and exchange jobs, essentially giving the other what they've always wanted. They start to unearth an evil plot by the city's obese and greedy mayor to steal away precious resources from the people who live there. Using clues left behind by Lina's late grandmother, they travel beneath Ember's tunnels in a desperate attempt to find a way out. Based on DuPrau's novel (Random, 2003), the story brings the city of Ember to life using many muted yellows and earth tones. While the interior vantage points from Lina's and Doon's perspectives make Ember's public buildings and homes seem large, advanced exterior shots surrounded entirely in black give readers a sense of just how isolated Ember is. Lina's wonder and Doon's frustration are easily visible through Asker's skill in detailing facial expressions, helping to visually elevate a story literally besieged by shadows. Dystopian stories can be dark, and this one is literally so, but its ultimately hopeful message will resonate.—Ryan P. Donovan, New York Public Library - Copyright 2012 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
