"Reynolds twines earth-shattering emotions with a larger-than-life plot, balancing the intensity—including explorations of mental health and suicide—with humor." — Publishers Weekly
"Reynolds poignantly explores the complexities of depression and grief." — Kirkus Reviews
"An emotionally powerful novel wrapped up in an action-packed science fiction survival story." — School Library Journal
“Both heartbreaking and hopeful at the same time, this story has grief, love, and acceptance in its center, encased in an alien adventure that us impossible to put down!” — Beth Revis, New York Times bestselling author of Star Wars: Rebel Rising
“With rapid fire pacing this powerful book does not shy away from hard topics like grief and anxiety but instead shines a light on them, showing everyone that the key to facing the hardest truths is to do it with love in your heart. K. A. Reynold proves, once again, that if you listen to what the universe is telling you, you can do anything. Even save the world.” — Ally Malinenko, author of This Appearing House
“Fierce and tender, funny and tenacious, Izzy at the End of the World is the disabled-kids-save-the-world story of my dreams.” — Cindy Baldwin, author of Where the Watermelons Grow
“K.A. Reynolds’s writing grabs you with its magic and holds on tight. You’ll love open-hearted Izzy and her disastrous dog Akka, and you’ll carry their hope and courage with you like an amulet long after you’ve turned the last page.” — Jacqueline West, New York Times bestselling author of The Books of Elsewhere and Long Lost
“In Izzy and Raven, K.A. Reynolds has written the heroes we all need right now. Izzy at the End of the World is a fun, fast-paced sci-fi adventure that's filled to the brim with heart and hope.” — Samantha M Clark, author of Arrow and The Boy, The Boat, and the Beast
“The ones who love us never really leave us, even at the end of the world; Izzy's adventure is like listening to the one song that keeps you believing on repeat.” — Sarah Cannon, author of Oddity
“An action-packed apocalyptic adventure with a beautiful message at its heart, Izzy at the End of the World is both heart-pounding and heart-filling. A book about death that thrums with exuberant life.” — Hayley Chewins, author of The Sisters of Straygarden Place
02/10/2023
Gr 5 Up—Fourteen-year-old Izzy's life takes a dramatic turn when her grandparents and sister, Maple, disappear after white lights appear in the sky over her home in Vermont. After surviving an attack by the "gray uglies" that arrived on mysterious spaceships that appeared in the sky, Izzy takes her dog Akka and sets out to find her family. While packing, Izzy discovers an old journal written by her mother along with a CD of her favorite songs. As she seeks to escape the uglies, she learns that her mother, though gone, experienced abductions by these same aliens and has left clues behind in her journal and on the CD. She finds a truck just before meeting Raven, another survivor. Clues found at the local library lead the two up Mount Equinox to find a crashed UFO and hopefully, their families. In addition to fighting off the uglies they keep running into, Izzy struggles with the newfound knowledge of her mother's suicide, her own panic attacks and anxiety, and her growing feelings for Raven. Izzy's story packs a punch in terms of both Izzy's struggle to cope despite her autism and the desperate situation she and Raven find themselves facing. Issues related to both teens' bisexuality, social differences, uncaring fathers, and bullying also come up as they face their anxieties and the possible end of the world. VERDICT An emotionally powerful novel wrapped up in an action-packed science fiction survival story. Consider purchasing where sci-fi and/or novels deftly touching on such topics are needed.—Heidi Grange
2022-11-16
An autistic girl must rescue her family after alien monsters crash to Earth.
Fourteen-year-old Isadora Wilder is enjoying a cozy evening with her grandparents and Maple, her beloved little sister, when suddenly, eerie lights beam down from the sky and her family inexplicably vanishes. Only Izzy and her loyal dog, Akka, remain. But she’s not alone; vicious monsters have landed in Vermont, intent on destroying Earth. Though autism and anxiety make it difficult for Izzy to process loud noises and other stimuli, she’s determined to find her family. She receives unexpected aid via mementos of her mother, who died of cancer a year before and who, like Izzy, had depression: A journal filled with cryptic clues and a CD of strangely pertinent songs map the way to her family’s possible location—but what else will Izzy find there? Her mother’s presence persists as Izzy battles monsters and navigates a desolate landscape. Along the way, she befriends fellow survivor Raven Barradell, an asthmatic gender-nonconforming boy who is also bisexual and has anxiety. But when Izzy makes a devastating discovery, her resolve threatens to crumble, endangering them both. Readers may connect the dots well before Izzy, and the frequent assistance of her mother’s spirit, though comforting, slightly dampens the suspense. However, Reynolds poignantly explores the complexities of depression and grief. Raven has tan skin and black hair; Izzy and her family default to White.
A somewhat predictable tale enlivened by vivid emotions. (author’s note) (Science fiction. 8-13)
