The Last Book in the Universe

by Rodman Philbrick

Overview

This fast-paced action novel is set in a future where the world has been almost destroyed. Newbery Honor Author Rodman Philbrick is at his very best.

The Last Book in the Universe joins the Scholastic Gold line, which features award-winning and beloved novels. Includes exclusive bonus content!

Nobody around here reads anymore. Why bother, when you can just shoot all the images and excitement straight into your brain? I've heard of books, but they were long before I was born, in the backtimes before the Big Shake...

In a world where people only use mindprobes for entertainment, a teenaged boy is one of the rare human beings who can see life for what is really is. Cruelly nicknamed "Spaz", he is subject to random seizures that make it impossible for him to use the brain-drain tech. But what sets him apart eventually becomes his salvation.

After meeting an old man called Ryter, Spaz begins to learn about how the world used to be before the catastrophic earthquake that changed everything. There is a story of a promised land, rich in its bounties, that can cure any ailment and more beautiful than any place left in the desolate wasteland humanity calls home. The two set off to find Eden in the hopes of saving Spaz's dying sister, and together, seek to bring some good back to the world.

Fahrenheit 451 meets The Giver in this action-packed thriller from the author of the bestselling novel Freak the Mighty.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780439087599
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	03/01/2002
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	240
Sales rank:	78,792
Product dimensions:	7.36(w) x 11.06(h) x 0.58(d)
Lexile:	740L (what's this?)
Age Range:	10 - 14 Years

About the Author

Newbery Honor author Rodman Philbrick has written more than a dozen novels for young readers. In 1993, he published his first children's book, Freak the Mighty, which became an instant classic, and was made into a feature film. The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg was a 2010 Newbery Honor Book. Philbrick's other acclaimed novels include Max the Mighty, The Young Man and the Sea, The Last Book in the Universe, Zane and the Hurricane, and Wildfire. Philbrick divides his time between Maine and the Florida Keys. You can learn more about him on his website: rodmanphilbrick.com.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for The Last Book in the Universe:"[T]here is much to admire in Philbrick's tale of a postapocalyptic future... Despite the dark turn of events, however, there's stubborn hope and strength of conviction in the book's moving conclusion." — Booklist"Philbrick...has again created a compelling set of characters that engage the reader with their courage and kindness in a painful world that offers hope." — Kirkus ReviewsPraise for Rodman Philbrick:* "Outstanding suspense." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review for Wildfire* "A rip-roaring adventure"—Publishers Weekly, starred review for Newbery Honor book The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg* "This excellent maritime bildungsroman has all the makings of a juvenile classic." — School Library Journal, starred review for The Young Man and the Sea

From the Publisher

"Philbrick's latest misfit protagonist embarks on an adventure in a fantastic and often frightening alternative world," said PW. "The creation of a futuristic dialect, combined with striking descriptions of a postmodern civilization, will convincingly transport readers." Ages 10-14. (Mar.) Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

Gr 5-8-Spaz, a boy who lives on the fringes of his surreal future world, partly because epilepsy prevents him from using the mind probes most people use to blot out reality, sets out on a classic quest to save his ill foster sister. To do so, he must cross forbidden territory and face frightening gangs and their leaders. He picks up companions as he travels: Ryter, a philosophic old man whose treasure is the book he is writing despite knowing that books and reading are of the past; Littleface, a young almost speechless child; and Linnea, a "prove" (genetically improved person). In saving his sister, Spaz learns about himself and his parentage. This action-packed story has some strong and provocative messages. It should prove popular among middle school listeners. Jeremy Davies' reading of Rodman Philbrick's text (Blue Sky Press, 2001) is very good. His soft, almost whispery voice usually suits the story well, but in the action scenes it is a little too subdued. This is a minor quibble. This is a good story to use with middle schoolers along with such titles as Lois Lowry's The Giver (HM, 1993) and Monica Hughes' Introduction to the Game (S&S, 1990). Public libraries will find it popular among science fiction fans as well as those wanting a good adventure story.-Louise L. Sherman, Anna C. Scott School, Leonia, NJ Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

School Library Journal