I remember sitting in class and hearing about The City of Ember for the first time. How could I like a book that was in the science
fiction category? I do NOT like science
fiction! Even when my instructor told
the class how much he loved the book, still I was not convinced. Not only was there one book, but I soon
learned that there was a sequel as well.
Reading two science fiction books sounded like pure torture to me. Perhaps a bit skeptically, I went ahead and
purchased the books for myself. In my
mind, I was thinking that these may be good books to own for the boys in my
future classroom. I was convinced that
these would not be books for me.
Ashamedly, I must admit that once I opened The City of Ember, I did not put it down until I had read the entire
book. I read the second book, The People of Sparks, the next day and was
left longing to know more. Since then, I
have checked out the third and fourth book from the local library, and I finished
the third book yesterday. This is
definitely one of my new favorite series.
Not only is the plot engaging and suspenseful, but the characters come to
life as you read the books. DuPrau
allows the reader to enter in the world of her characters and connect with them
on their many adventures and journeys. I
found myself trying to figure out the secret instructions along with Lina, I
was working with Doon down in the Pipe Works, and I was riding in the boat with
them as they escaped from Ember. DuPrau’s
descriptive writing allows the reader to enter into this world.
The City of Ember was more than just a fascinating read. It was a story that touches upon realistic,
every-day issues such as children growing up without parents, death of a family
member, friendships, relationships, and fighting for what you believe. Lina and Doon face many issues that today’s
adolescents also face. Lina and Doon
both triumph despite the obstacles that stood in their way. They solved the mysterious instructions, they
escaped the guards, and they overcame the river and darkness to find their
freedom.
The People of Sparks continues the story of Lina and Doon, but also
introduces the ever-growing struggle to live in a world where we must share and
find ways to live peacefully with our neighbors. It appears that the people of Ember had more
comforts and technology underground than the people who live aboveground. The people of Ember and the people of Sparks
are constantly arguing, and just when it seems that all hope for living in
unity is lost, Lina steps up to help the people of both towns connect. This is a story for all mankind to show that fighting
is not the answer to problems. Fighting only
leads to more trouble and difficulties. No matter how grim and desolate a situation
may appear there is always hope if people are willing to work together and
support each other. As I read through
the last chapters of the book, I found myself saddened when the people of Ember
were prepared to fight the people of Sparks, I cheered on Lina as she stepped
up to help to extinguish the fire, and I was relieved when the people of both
towns agreed to build a life together.
There is a vast amount of lessons that can be taught and learned through
reading these books. Teachers can use
the books to teach about descriptive writing, point of view, character
development, setting, and creating a captivating plot. Students can not only learn about these
things, but they can also learn many life lessons in these books. The importance of friendship, family, and
hard work are just a few examples of life lessons presented in DuPrau’s
books.
I am currently using The City of
Ember as one of the American Literature novels for one of the homeschool
students that I teach. This particular
student does not like reading and is hard to persuade to consider reading books
that she is not familiar with. After I
gave her an exciting “book trailer”, she was begging me to let her read The City of Ember. She was so intrigued by the book, that she
bought the movie. She later told me that
she is enjoying reading the book much more than watching the movie. These are words that made me proud to be her
teacher. I found the following website
to be particularly helpful in lesson planning for The City of Ember: http://www.mce.k12tn.net/reading52/city_of_ember.htm There are questions, activities, and writing lessons that complement the book nicely.
DuPrau, J. (2003). The city of ember. New York, NY: Yearling.
DuPrau, J. (2004). The people of sparks. New York, NY:
Random House Children’s Books.
Miller, G. (2008, June 26). The city of ember. Retrieved from
No comments:
Post a Comment