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The People of Sparks

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 8, age appropriate for kids over 9; suggested age 9.

  • Is it any good?

    4.0

  • Common Sense says

    A simple, clear look at the slippery slope to war.

updated 02.09.10

Why We Rated This on for Ages 9 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    There is a strongly felt anti war message throughout this thoughtful examination of the path to war.

  • Role models:

    The heroes behave nobly: others behave very badly, deliberately inciting violence with lies.

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    A small riot, a mob confrontation, some fighting, firing of an ancient weapon that injures the user and ignites a fire.

  • Sex:

    Not an issue.

  • Language:

    Not an issue.

  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.

What Parents Need to Know

This review of The People of Sparks was written by Matt Berman

Parents need to know that this story lays out, in microcosm and in simple, easily understood steps, the path to war. Though the solution is a bit too convenient, this should provoke serious thought and lively debate.

Families Can Talk About

Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
  • Families can talk about war.
  • How has war affected Sparks and Ember?
  • How are greed and corruption leading to new conflict?
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More on The People of Sparks

Book Summary

Having emerged from hundreds of years in an underground city, the 400 survivors of Ember can't go back, but have no idea how to survive on the surface. Wandering for days, exhausted and hungry, they come across the village of Sparks. The people of this small village reluctantly agree to take in the refugees temporarily, just long enough to teach them to survive on their own.

But food is tight, the Emberites don't seem to know anything, and the villagers soon begin to resent having to take care of them. As tensions mount a mysterious series of acts of vandalism heightens the anger on both sides, until conflict seems inevitable.
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Is It Any Good?

The first book, The City of Ember, was a fun but unexceptional story -- underground city is failing, children have to find a way out before it's too late. This sequel goes in a more thought-provoking direction. It traces, in a clear and reasonably believable fashion, the steps that lead otherwise decent people to war and, more simplistically, what decent people can do to stop it. It helps kids to begin to fathom some of what is going on in the world today.

Again it is the unassuming Lina and Doon who find the way, though both are initially led astray. But they share a common impulse to care for others, which propels them to find and take the difficult steps necessary to avert conflict. Unlike so many fantasies, this is not about good versus evil, but rather thoughtfulness and compassion versus unreasoning hate. And, as the author makes very clear, love takes a lot more strength and bravery than anger.
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Publisher’s Details

Publisher: Random House, Publication date: 7/18/2004
Number of pages: 338, Price: $15.95 (hardcover)
Read Aloud: 9+, Read Alone: 9+

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    jeffirwin
    I rate this title on for age 7 and give it 4.0

    picks up halfway though

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate
  2. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    buddy12127
    Lives in Georgia
    I rate this title on for age 6 and give it 5.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    Morally great too.

    I think it had a very good message for everyone and we should all read it and know that we should be like Lina and Doon.

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate
  3. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    esiri
    Lives in Illinois
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 1.0

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate
  4. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    ref4
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title on for age 8 and give it 2.0

    Sequel to City of Ember

    I found this book rather boring. It's way too easy to guess what's going to happen, the plot moves too slowly, and the dialogue sounds fake. It takes alot of talent to make dialogue sound real, and the author does not have that talent, apparently.

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate
  5. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    books.are.cool
    Lives in Virginia
    I rate this title on for age 17 and give it 5.0

    The awesome

    ......???

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate

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