Elemental

September 10, 2012
In this postapocalyptic tale, first in a planned trilogy, a small colony of 15 survives on the island of Hatteras off the coast of North Carolina, their return to the mainland prevented by plague. Sixteen-year-old Thomas is treated like an untouchable by the colony’s Guardians because he is the only person on the island who lacks the power to control one of the four elements—earth, wind, water, or fire. When a hurricane threatens, Thomas and the colony’s other youths are sent to shelter on nearby Roanoke Island, only to discover that they have thus escaped a surprise attack by pirates whose captain believes that Thomas or his deaf brother holds the key to ending the plague. When Thomas and the others fight back, he learns he is not as powerless as he thought. John (Five Flavors of Dumb) hits several standard postapocalyptic tropes (plague, isolated community as sole bastion of civilization, scapegoated protagonist uncovering secrets), but creates engaging characters and provides plenty of mystery, adventure, and action. Ages 12–up. Agent: Ted Malawer, Upstart Crow Literary.

October 15, 2012
The lost colony of Roanoke Island meets Captain Kidd. Sixteen-year-old Thomas lives on Hatteras Island in a colony protected by the Guardians, a group of elders with magical powers fueled by the elements: water, fire, wind and water. Their children have inherited their special gifts--except for Thomas. His deaf younger brother, Griffin, however, is a seer who has visions of the future that are sometimes horrific and cause him to have seizures. The Guardians moved the colony to Hatteras to escape a plague that wiped out all other human life on the mainland. Now the colony is under siege by pirates who have kidnapped everyone but Thomas, Griffin and three other kids. John's post-apocalyptic alternate history starts off with a whine, but the pace and the mystery pick up once the adults are captured and the kids are left on their own. Characterizations don't dip too far below the surface, except when G-rated sparks flicker between Thomas and one of the teen girls stranded with him. Enter Captain Dare, the cutthroat leader of the pirates who attacked the colony. His presence, along with some old maps and paper fragments with the name "Virginia" scrawled on them point to a sequel. Readers may not catch all the loose historical connections, but they'll like the action in this occasionally exciting story of survival. (Post-apocalyptic adventure. 12-16)

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January 1, 2013

Gr 6-10-When plague hit the mainland United States, a few people managed to escape to the Outer Banks. Now, 16-year-old Thomas is the only person on Hatteras Island without an Element, the supernatural ability to manipulate air, fire, earth, or water. When pirates kidnap the adults and attempt to take the island for their own, Thomas; his deaf younger brother; his best friend, Alice; his would-be girlfriend, Rose; and Rose's little brother hide out on Roanoke Island, where an abandoned community has been reduced to rubble in the wake of the plague and treacherous storms. As they defend themselves against desperate pirates, the teens slowly discover that their Guardians have been hiding secrets-particularly about Thomas-that could cost all of them their lives. A confusing start makes way for plenty of action for readers who enjoy survival stories with a twist of the supernatural and a hint of romance. Thomas and Alice are the focal characters as both are instrumental in defending the island. The eerie setting, with its skeletal buildings and mysterious past, is practically a character in itself. The mystery builds so slowly that some readers might abandon Elemental before the action really kicks in. For that reason, it is best recommended to patient readers who, like the characters, will fight for answers that don't come easily.-Leigh Collazo, Ed Willkie Middle School, Fort Worth, TX

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2012
Grades 7-10 At 16, Thomas is used to being the first of his kind born without an elemental powerearth, water, wind, or firebut that doesn't make his life any easier. Thom's world is one decimated by plague and now fractured into bands of people still terrified of becoming ill. Thom has become an object of derision to the powerful residents of his tiny Outer Banks home, with the exception of his closest friends, Rose and Alice. Everything changes abruptly one day when a fearsome storm hits and pirates abduct all the Guardians, leaving the younger people to rely upon their own limited knowledge to survive in a harsh landscape. Muddled during the first several chapters, the plot and mysteries slowly untangle throughout the narrative as the pace picks up. A tendency toward melodrama on Thom's part may frustrate older readers, although younger ones may empathize with his seemingly rebellious attitudes. The uncommon first-person male point of view, rare in the wildly popular dystopian subgenre, should appeal to boys in particular, although female genre fans will also likely pick it up.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)