The One Safe Place

February 10, 2014
In her first book for children, Unsworth takes readers inside the sinister and secretive world of the Gabriel H. Penn Home for Childhood—a refuge for specially chosen orphans in a bleak, scorching, and none-too-distant future. Devin has spent his young life on a secluded farm, “a pocket of richness” in an otherwise dry wasteland, with his grandfather. After his grandfather dies, Devin leaves for the city in order to survive. There he meets Kit—a girl with a dark past and quick, thieving hands—and Roman, who lures them both to the Home. With a photographic mind and heightened senses, Devin immediately suspects foul play at the Home, despite its extravagance and the too-good-to-be-true amenities it has to offer. Unsworth unravels the story with skilled deliberation, creating a page-turning mix of suspense, intrigue, and anxiety. The kids are genuine and quirky, just the right kind of mismatched misfits to snag readers’ hearts. This is a wholly enjoyable journey, and a dystopian vision with some great new twists. Ages 10–up. Agent: Rebecca Carter, Janklow & Nesbit.

Starred review from February 1, 2014
A group of orphans uncovers a sinister plot in this chilling and engrossing tale filled with detailed, sharply drawn characters. Sometime in a future rife with climate crisis and brutal polarization of wealth, Devin buries his beloved grandfather and sets out to find someone to help him maintain the farm on which he's grown up. In the city, he struggles to find enough food to live on until he meets a clever, street-wise girl named Kit. When Devin is invited by another boy to the Gabriel H. Penn Home for Childhood and insists that Kit be included too, the pair is initially delighted at the abundance of food and other comforts, but they rapidly begin to see that something terrible underpins the home. There are many familiar tropes here, the dystopian setting and the uncanny perfection of the orphanage among them. Yet Unsworth's use of unadorned but vivid language--such as her description of Devin's mind in a moment of panic being "battered by fear and confusion like a bird beating its wings against the bars of a cage"--is incredibly effective. Likewise, the straightforward third-person narration and the gradual resistance that builds among the children to the unique horrors at the home are convincingly well-paced. A standout in the genre's crowded landscape. (Dystopian thriller. 10-16)

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Starred review from March 1, 2014

Gr 5-8-Twelve-year-old Devin's loss of his grandfather leaves him unprepared to take care of their formerly self-sufficient farm-one of the precious few left on the face of the earth. He leaves this oasis hoping to find some willing hands to help him keep the farm going. Instead, the people he meets in the city are so devoid of morals or compassion that when Devin and his new friend, Kit, have a chance to go to the Gabriel H. Penn Home for Childhood, they seize the opportunity. It isn't long before Devin senses that this home is a little too good to be true. Though surrounded by amusements, beautiful grounds, and plenty of food, the other children are morose, nervous, and listless. Occasionally Devin runs across a child acting in a bizarre, disoriented fashion, yet he is advised by the other children to completely ignore these episodes and never mention them again. The Administrator of this institution interviews Devin and informs him that he is gifted in ways he never understood. His five senses overlap-for instance, visually perceived objects have accompanying sounds only Devin can hear. The Administrator closes the interview with the sinister words, "I'm saving you for something special." This book is reminiscent of Clive Barker's The Thief of Always(HarperCollins, 1992). The suspense and dread build as the mystery gradually unfolds, but it stops short of becoming truly horrific. The conclusion is fast-paced and gripping. An original dystopian story for middle-grade readers.-Kathy Cherniavsky, Ridgefield Library, CT

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

hummingbird1 - Devin and his grandfather have lived on their farm all of Devin's life. He has never been to the city, and his grandpa is the only person he knows. So when his grandfather dies and he is left by himself, he decides that he has to go to town and get some help for the farm. When he is there, he meets a girl named Kit. Kit helps him in the city, and they become fast friends. After a couple of days in the city, he gets an invitation to come to a place that the children of the city dream about. This place has unlimited food and water, warm clothes, and everything a child could ever want. Devin and Kit decide to go to this place. But once there, Devin realizes that what they thought was this magical place is actually a nightmare. All the children who live there go to a room and get a shot that puts them in "The Dream." When you are in The Dream, you act zombie-like for a day or two until you are back to normal again. As you are in The Dream more and more, you act more and more zombie-like until it takes over their body forever. Can Devin find a way for everybody to escape this horrible place before it is too late? I really enjoyed reading The One Safe Place. Tania Unsworth did a great job of writing this story. Whenever Devin is happy, I'm happy. Whenever he's scared, I'm scared. This book really shows the importance of friendship and teamwork, and I really enjoyed reading it. I recommend this book to boys and girls ages 11+.