The City of Ember
Lights shine in the city of Ember—but at the city limits the light ends, and darkness takes over. Out there in the Unknown Regions, the darkness goes on forever in all directions. Ember—so its people believe—is the only light in the dark world.
And now the lights of the city are beginning to fail.
Is there a way to save the people of Ember? No one knows. But Lina Mayfleet has found a puzzling document, and Doon Harrow has made discoveries down in the Pipeworks. With these clues, they start their search.
"...Contains a satisfying mystery, a breathtaking escape over rooftops in darkness, a harrowing journey in the unknown, and cryptic messages for readers to decipher... The cliffhanger ending will leave readers clamoring for the next installment."
— Kirkus (starred review)
The People of Sparks
The people of Ember have come to a new world, arriving with hardly more than the clothes on their backs. But the people in the village of Sparks are willing to help them—at least at first.
This new world is strange to the Emberites. Why is it so empty? Why is there no electricity? What is the Disaster the people of Sparks talk of? Gradually the Emberites learn the answers to these questions. But the biggest question of all remains: Can they live with these people? Or are they heading for disaster again?
"This is a tighter tale than its predecessor, and the themes explored will provide much fuel for discussion. Readers willing to venture into the adventurous terrain of a world grown from ruin should start their journey here."
— Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
"...its immediacy and drive make it a good choice for even reluctant readers."
— School Library Journal (starred review)
The Prophet of Yonwood
It’s 50 years before the settlement of the city of Ember, and the world is in crisis. War looms on the horizon as 11-year-old Nickie and her aunt travel to the small town of Yonwood, North Carolina. There, one of the town’s respected citizens has had a terrible vision of fire and destruction. Her garbled words are taken as prophetic instruction on how to avoid the coming disaster. If only they can be interpreted correctly...
As the people of Yonwood scramble to make sense of the woman’s mysterious utterances, Nickie explores the oddities she finds around town—her great-grandfather’s peculiar journals and papers, a reclusive neighbor who studies the heavens, a strange boy who is fascinated with snakes—all while keeping an eye out for ways to help the world. Is this vision her chance? Or is it already too late to avoid a devastating war?
In this prequel to the acclaimed The City of Ember and The People of Sparks, Jeanne DuPrau investigates how, in a world that seems out of control, hope and comfort can be found in the strangest of places.
"...scary and action-filled"
— Horn Book
"...a provocative read with an appealingly conflicted protagonist."
— Kirkus Reviews
"...has a great deal of immediacy in light of current world events. It sharply brings home the idea of people blindly following a belief without questioning it."
— School Library Journal
Car Trouble
Duff Pringle is heading across the country, aiming for his new job in California. But his used Ford Escort barely makes it a hundred miles from home before breaking down. What's he supposed to do? Using his laptop and some quick thinking, he pieces together a way to continue his trip. What he doesn't plan on are the people he meets along the road. There's Stu, a hitchhiker with a secret; Bonnie, an aspiring singer with a con artist for a mother; two thugs looking for a trunkful of cash; and Moony, the terrier prone to carsickness.
"...A pleasingly zany caper peopled by amiably over-the-top characters... As always, it isn't the destination, it's the getting there that's all the fun."
— Kirkus Reviews