Instructions for the End of the World

September 21, 2015
Kain follows The Good Sister with another story of sisters—one dutiful, one rebellious—stuck in a family that is falling apart. Nicole and Isabel’s father is an obsessive survivalist who drags the whole family to live in an abandoned house in the woods and makes 16-year-old Nicole hunt game for dinner. When the girls’ mother can’t take it anymore, she drives off, their father goes after her, and the girls are left alone to fend for themselves with little money, no transportation, and dwindling resources. With the help of Wolf, an intriguing boy who lives at a nearby commune, Nicole and Isabel fight to survive in a crumbling house and learn to rely on each other. Kain gives Nicole, Isabel, and Wolf strong narrative voices, though occasional passages from the perspective of Laurel (a friend of Wolf) feel out of place. The novel shines when Kain probes the destructive tensions and jealousies that can arise between siblings, and the ways in which families dissemble and find ways to mend. Ages 13–up. Agent: Annelise Robey, Jane Rotrosen Agency.

September 15, 2015
Four teens may have more similarities than they realize as they navigate adolescence-what seems like the end of the world. The solitude of the communal spiritual retreat where Wolf lives is interrupted when shotgun-toting, possibly brainwashed Nicole moves to the adjacent property to live off the grid with her survivalist father, Khmer Rouge-survivor mother, and boy-crazy younger sister, Isabel. Added to the mix is Laurel, who lost her parents when they left the commune in an acid-induced haze and now idolizes Wolf's addict mother. Told from the teens' varying perspectives, the story begins to unfold when Nicole and Isabel's restless mother disappears and their controlling father takes off to find her. As the four teens weave in and out of each other's lives during the summer and face a disaster not even a survivalist can prepare for, they find both resilience and respect for each other. While Laurel's and Isabel's narratives are interesting, they serve more to promote Wolf and Nicole's initial friendship, which builds to first love. The teens often exude a quiet, adult wisdom that will resonate with thoughtful readers, who will discover the connections among the seemingly different characters. For soul searchers. (Fiction. 14 & up)

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November 1, 2015

Gr 9 Up-Nicole and Isabel's father relocates their family to a remote area of the Sierra Foothills, where he plans to set up camp to survive the end of the world. Nicole has bought into his plans a bit and knows how to hunt and has some basic survival skills. Isabel, the younger sister, likes her cell phone, pedicures, magazines, and typical teen activities. Moving to this house without modern conveniences is too much for their mom, who leaves the family in the middle of the night. Their father goes to find her, leaving his daughters to fend for themselves at home. While the end of the world is not actually near, Nicole and Izzy are faced with problems, as their food runs out, the water isn't working in the house, and forest fires rage nearby. Nicole befriends Wolf, a boy from the neighboring spiritual retreat village, for whom she soon develops feelings. Isabel also develops a relationship with Kiva, another boy from the same village. The point of view shifts among Nicole, Isabel, Wolf, and another minor character are awkward at times. The narrative lacks character development, and some plot threads are not fully fleshed out. A nonconsensual sexual situation makes this title appropriate for mature readers. VERDICT An additional purchase.-Sarah Polace, Cuyahoga Public Library System, OH

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2015
Grades 7-10 The Reed family's newly inherited ramshackle safe house deep in the California Sierra foothills is in stark contrast to the neighboring commune, called Sadhana Village and Spiritual Retreat. But Nicole and Isabel's Great Santini-esque survivalist dad's marriage to their mom, a Killing Fields Cambodian refugee, brings even more discord to the teens' world. When Mom, a quick study who deftly embraced first-world amenities, sees their new homestead, she drives off and out of sight. And when Lt. Col. Dad goes after her, that leaves steadfast 16-year-old Nicole in charge. Thankfully, she is locked and loaded with groceries, an instruction manual, discontented 14-year-old Isabel, and the impossibly delectable Wolf, a tree-hugging product of the Sadhana hippie counterculture. Told in first-person accounts, Kain nimbly weaves together contrasts in personality and philosophy. Her insight extends beyond respect for her maturing characters to her readers, who will find themselves deeply empathizing with the Reeds during their transformative summer.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)