The Final Six

January 1, 2018

Gr 9 Up-In this tale of terror and dystopia, Earth faces its last days. No one knows how long they have. Humans are finally working together because they have a common enemy-the climate. Of course, the fate of humanity lies in the hands of six teenagers from around the world. The only answer is to force 24 teens (affectionately known as The Twenty-Four) to compete for six prized spots on a trip to Jupiter's moon, Europa, where they will begin to colonize it-unless it is already inhabited by intelligent life, but no one bothered to look that far ahead. Monir handles her action scenes elegantly, creating moments so intense the pages practically fly by. However, these moments are few and far between and struggle to be heard over the rest of the book. This sci-fi adventure is written from the first-person point of view of two narrators. The two protagonists, Naomi and Leo, though clearly meant to have distinct personalities, are difficult to tell apart. Leo stops using his distinct Italian words and phrases early on while Naomi's narrative never had something to distinguish it to begin with. The plot is also heavily reliant on popular young adult tropes and lacks originality, despite the possibility of aliens. VERDICT This is not standout; for large collections only.-Ruth Shaw, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2017
Teens become astronauts in record time for an inaugural space mission.After losing his family to "the greatest flood Rome has ever known," skilled white Italian swimmer Leo Danieli would never have expected that in his darkest moment he would be drafted by the European Space Agency to attend the International Space Training Camp, where teens will train to terraform and colonize Jupiter's moon Europa for human settlement. California native Naomi Ardalan, a second-generation Iranian-American, has also been chosen for her expertise in science and technology. During a period of violent climate change worldwide, Earth's governments are desperate to draft teens for a space mission for which they have only a few weeks in which to prepare. Twenty-four teen finalists, many orphaned by cataclysmic natural disasters, have been chosen from all over the world to compete for this space colonization mission. Warnings come to Leo and Naomi that there is a more sinister aspect to this mission, especially after things go tragically awry with other candidates during the training. The relationship that develops between Naomi and Leo feels forced, as if their meeting necessitates speedy deployment of a romantic cliche. The use of predictable plot devices, along with the fundamentally ludicrous premise, undermines any believability that would make a reader invest in such an elaborate space journey.The shelves are already crowded with teens-training-for-space stories; there's no need to make room for this one. (Science fiction. 14-17)

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November 15, 2017
Grades 8-11 In a future Earth hopelessly devastated by climactic disasters, all scientific resources are diverted to the mission of colonizing a new planet. The brightest of Earth's remaining young adults are drafted and forced to compete against one another to prove their value to the mission. Leo is desperate to escape Earth, while Naomi wants to stay home and take her chances, mistrustful of scientists ready to risk anything to prevent humanity's extinction. As liftoff nears, the two teens must turn to each other for solace and survival. The book's opening grips the reader with powerful, emotional descriptions of the climate's toll. Soon, though, the story moves to a less striking laboratory-dormitory setting, along with a more familiar drama. The emerging conspiracy plot holds few surprises, although the outcome of the mission is left in suspense for a potential sequel. Considering that the book has already been optioned for film, cinematic action and an appealing romance are a given, and its multinational, multiethnic characters are a bonus.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)