All We Have Is Now

April 1, 2015
Two homeless teens wander Portland, Oregon, as they await the impact of an asteroid that will kill them and all other inhabitants of the American northwest. Emerson, a white girl, has been hanging with Vince, an African-American boy, even since she left home. She and Vince decide to jump from a bridge rather than die in the asteroid impact, but then they meet Carl, a man who has chosen to spend his final hours helping people. He gives them his wallet, stuffed with cash. Vince and Emerson decide to continue Carl's mission and look for people they can help. They find a boy with a dream of becoming a rock star and locate an active karaoke bar. They find a woman who dreams of visiting Paris and take her to a bistro. She gives them her car, and they use it to take two children to an amusement park. Meanwhile, Emerson's family frantically searches for her, hoping to find her before the end. Vince focuses on the good that can be experienced in their last hours. Schroeder also focuses on the positive in this spin on the end-times theme. Interspersed snatches of free verse express the emotions of her characters and make her point that life is best lived in the moment. If the book's conclusion takes some liberties with coincidence, who cares? Uplifting. (Science fiction. 12-18)

May 1, 2015

Gr 9 Up-What would you do if you only had 24 hours left to live? This is the dilemma confronting Emerson and Vince, two teens living on the streets of Portland, OR, awaiting an asteroid on a crash course with the United States. Unfortunately, readers will find an unlikely and all-too-convenient circle of events as the teen characters try to "pay forward" a good deed. "Stay positive no matter what," seems to be the underlying theme, but given the impending disaster, it feels a bit too sappy and unrealistic. Plot holes and questionable character decisions undermine the internal logic. The relationships between the teens and their parents are thinly developed. VERDICT For teens looking for a thoughtful and engaging end-of-the-world story, hand them Susan Beth Pfeffer's Life As We Knew It (HMH, 2006).-Allison Silva, England High School, AR

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2015
Grades 9-12 Teens Vince and Emerson have been living on the streets for almost two years, so the imminent approach of an asteroid that promises to destroy most of North America leads them to plan their deaths. However, the gift of a BMW and a wallet full of cash from middle-aged Carl, accompanied by his wish that they are used to help others, changes the teens' direction, and glimmers of hope and promise suddenly appear. As the asteroid's arrival time nears, Vince and Emerson seek to repair relationships and find ways to make the time count, while discovering what living in the moment truly means. Cleverly plotted with strong characters and interspersed with Emerson's free-verse poetry, this at times far-fetched novel will capture many teen readers' hearts. Schroeder deftly explores a variety of themesfamily, romance, forgiveness, friendshipand uses wit and the promise of hope to keep the story from becoming overwhelming. Perfect for fans of Michael Grant and Susan Beth Pfeffer.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)