The Night Is for Hunting

October 29, 2001
The adventures of five Australian teenagers continue in the sixth installment in the Tomorrow series, The Night Is for Hunting by John Marsden. While trying to care for a group of ungrateful orphans, Ellie and her friends struggle to survive against enemy invaders.

October 1, 2001
Gr 7 Up-Marsden continues the saga that began in Tomorrow When the War Began (Houghton, 1995), in which Australia was invaded and occupied by an unknown enemy and a group of teens organized a guerrilla campaign against the invaders. New Zealand has since been drawn into the war, but the setting of this sixth installment is largely in "Hell," a part of the Australian outback used by the young partisans as a safe haven when they aren't launching attacks against the enemy. Ellie and her comrades take in "ferals," children who have been left to run wild in the streets of a nearby town. The kids are not receptive to being cared for, and the teens' attempts at building a sense of community and family sometimes allow for a few lighthearted moments. The war, of course, is never far away. There are plenty of dramatic, fast-paced battle scenes with lots of action and carnage, which is vividly depicted. Ellie wrestles with her conscience throughout the story. Does she have the right to kill others in order to survive? Marsden offers no definitive answer to such questions, leaving readers to make up their own minds. Although this story picks up where Darkness, Be My Friend (Houghton, 2001) left off, it stands on its own well enough for readers unfamiliar with the series to appreciate it. The main audience for the book, however, is likely to be those who have followed the war from the beginning.-Edward Sullivan, White Pine School, TN

Copyright 2001 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2001
Gr. 8-12. Although the eagerly awaited sixth book in the Tomorrow series will not disappoint avid fans, it's obvious that Marsden is winding down his story. The five remaining teens, who have fought relentlessly against the enemy invading Australia, are fighting personal battles of loneliness and isolation, while war and death are their constant companions. At the same time, they are creating a broader family by rescuing and trying to care for a group of feral children. The rescue creates reading excitement and the wild chases, narrow escapes, and gun battles are trademark Marsden. Once again, Ellie is the leader of the brave, compassionate band of marauders, and the parenting that they undertake is an interesting twist to the story. As the book ends, readers will be left with the nagging suspicion that the bush wilderness is no longer safe, and with the bittersweet anticipation of rescue and victory.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2001, American Library Association.)