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The People of Sparks
- By Jeanne DuPrau
- Genre: Science Fiction
Common Sense Media says
A simple, clear look at the slippery slope to war.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
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.
What's the story?
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.
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.
What families can talk about
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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AGE
This book is amazing!!!!
I think that the people of sparks was an amazing book, the clash between the sparks and the embers, each had their special talents, it tied in perfectley with The City Of Ember. It also teaches us not to lose our cool. I would totally recommend it to anyone.
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AGE
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.
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AGE
A Must Read For Young Teens!
I read "The City Of Ember" when I was in grade seven, and when I was in grade eight I read the sequel "The People Of Sparks." I loved both of the books, and I couldn't put the book down! It shows how fast conflict can escalate, and how the easy way of doing things isn't right. This book is also Science-Fiction, so it has that bit of fantasy without being somewhere off in space. The people of Ember emerge from their underground city, and find the small village of Sparks. The people of Ember are overwhelmed with the new things on the surface, but when tension rises between the two groups of people, this new world on the surface isn't as lovely as they thought.
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AGE
Bad book to read!!!!
I did not like the book because it was slow of a book. The book was broing so I always put the book down and I could not pick the book back up.
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AGE
luv it!
this book is so amazing....we read the city of ember in class and a read the second one at home it was awesome!!!!! i would recomend this to anyone!!!!
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AGE
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.
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AGE
Venturing into the sunlight....
This is the sequel to "The City of Ember". It is an interesting story of what it could be like after a whole world war.
It shows 2 brave, young, people can be heroes in their own special ways.
It also shows how only 2 people can cause a war but it takes only one to stop it.
Very well written.
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AGE
Wonerful Wonderful Wonderful!
A second book in a 3 book series, the people of Ember find themselves on the surface of the Earth after 247 or so years.Their city population is 417 people. They wonder around to a small town of Sparks and settle. The people there will let them stay for 6 months, teaching them all they know about growing a city. After a long time, trouble is begining in Sparks and the two peopels are about to start a war. Will they be able to stop fightiing or take on the actrs of their ansestors?
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| Author: | Jeanne DuPrau |
| Book type: | Fiction |
| Genre: | Science Fiction |
| Publisher: | Random House |
| Publication date: | July 18, 2004 |
| Number of pages: | 338 |
| Hardcover price: | $15.95 |
| Publisher's recommended age(s): | 10 - 13 |
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