Dry
By Michael Berry,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Gripping disaster novel imagines California without water.
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Based on 6 parent reviews
Amazing
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the best book!
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What's the Story?
At the start of DRY, the simple act of turning on a water faucet heralds the arrival of a major diaster. Alyssa's parents assure her and her younger brother, Garrett, that everything will be fine once the authorities arrive with fresh water. But their odd neighbor, survivalist Kelton, believes it will be every person for herself. As people get more desperate and discomfort suddenly veers into tragedy, Alyssa, Garrett, Kelton, and others set out to find a refuge where they'll be safe. To get there, they'll test their courage and humanity, struggling not to descend into mindless violence.
Is It Any Good?
Lots of readers have climate change on their minds, and this gripping, sophisticated disaster novel vividly shows the perils of rising temperatures. In Dry, the father-son Shusterman team steadily builds the level of suspense as their complex and surprising characters fight to survive. Each member of the cast is multidimensional, and the authors take pains to present them with moral questions that have no easy answers. The novel's ending may strike some readers as a little too easy, but it's satisfying to see these characters mostly rewarded for their bravery.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Dry depicts the sudden loss of water in Southern California. How soon might society break down in the total absence of drinking water?
What resources can be used to be better prepared to deal with a natural disaster? How can neighbors cooperate to ensure each other's safety?
How should people decide who receives a portion of a scarce commodity? Should sharing be "all or nothing"? Is it right to use deadly force to protect emergency supplies?
Book Details
- Authors: Neal Shusterman, Jarrod Shusterman
- Genre: Adventure
- Topics: Adventures, Brothers and Sisters, Friendship, Great Girl Role Models
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
- Publication date: October 2, 2018
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 12 - 18
- Number of pages: 352
- Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: September 25, 2020
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