Duck and Cover

Gr 9 Up–It’s 1955, and the constant “duck-and-cover drills” that teach students to take shelter under a school desk in the event of an emergency have paid off. Children are the only ones to survive a nuclear attack on the United States that leaves them blaming Russia and grasping for answers as they adjust to their new dystopian landscape. They soon realize that this attack is far more serious than a war with Russia, and a small group of teens, who were sometimes at odds before the bomb strike, team up and flee while trying to remain one step ahead of a deadly new enemy. Snyder and Albuquerque blend several genres to create a magnificent tribute to science fiction; those who enjoy The War of the Worlds, Red Dawn, or Mad Max will be especially delighted with this. Set in the Cold War era, the story unfolds quickly and relentlessly, while providing plenty of character development through backstories and future plans to hook and invest readers in the teens’ survival. Between racial tension, teenage drama, a catastrophic war, and giant insects, the story flies along, and encouragingly leaves the end open for future volumes.