Pfeffer, S. (2006). Life as We Knew It. Orlando, FL: Harcourt. ISBN: 9780152058265
Plot Summary: Sixteen-year old Miranda and her neighbors are excited about watching an asteroid trajectory into Earth’s space. Yet instead of it being a great science lesson, the asteroid knocks the moon out of orbit and causes catastrophic changes to life on Earth. Panic ensues and Miranda’s family prepares for the worst emergency, stocking up on food and supplies.
As the situation becomes worse and people begin fighting for survival, Miranda starts to understand the full gravity of worrying about her father’s new family, the responsibility she must share in looking after her loved ones and the inevitable death of people she knows. Rallying with her mother and two brothers, as well as their beloved neighbor, to conserve resources and adjust their life for a year in order to survive becomes a life lesson in self-sacrifice, courage and enduring family love. Her previous life as a carefree teen mutates into a very adult world in which there is constant uncertainty and her every decision can make a difference between life and death.
Miranda is on the verge of starvation and is convinced that she cannot save her ailing family, yet the story ends on an uplifting, optimistic note when she finally finds help among some remaining people who will provide aid until things get better. It's an ordeal of sadness and loss, yet also a lesson about finding joy in simple things that should not be taken for granted.
Critical Evaluation: A riveting book written as a series of diary entries that I didn’t expect to like as much as I did. Instead of focusing only on the tragedy, this book is well-paced and examines the changes that occur in the main characters. Miranda begins as a typical teen with normal concerns about friendships, finding a boyfriend, dealing with her mixed feelings about family members and enjoying ice skating at the pond. After the catastrophy, the full impact of the devastation is well developed and the fight to survive by her family is poignant and heart-wrenching. We see how Miranda must become a responsible and caring adult much before her time and how she must cope with the everpresent fear of extinction in a world that has become very small, unforgiving and ultimately silent. Her vacillating relationship with her mother and siblings is revealing and readers will relate to her viewpoint. It’s an absorbing, informative and imaginative book that leaves a lasting impression.
Reader’s Annotation: The world seems to be ending for 16-year old Miranda. A freak accident between an asteroid and the moon means that everything on Earth has changed and everyone is afraid there won’t be enough food and supplies. Things get worse and she is starting to lose friends and those she cares about. Will she have the courage and maturity to help her family survive such a catastrophy?
Information About the Author: Susan Beth Pfeffer was born in New York City in 1948. When she was six, her father wrote and published a book on constitutional law. It was then that she decided to be a writer, too. Her first book was published when she was a student at New York University. Since then, she has been a full-time writer of young adult books and has won numerous awards and honors for her lifetime of contributions to the field, including the South Carolina Young Adult Book Award and the American Library Association’s 100 Best Books for Teenagers written between 1968-1993. When not working, she enjoys watching movies, both new and old, collecting movie memorabilia, reading biographies and histories, and eating foods that are bad for her. She lives in Middletown, New York, with her two cats, Alexander and Emily.
Genre:
Teen Issues: Death and Deadly Disease
Contemporary Life: Coming of Age
Adventure: Survival
Science Fiction: Post Apocalyptic
Alternative Format: Diaries and Journals
Curriculum Ties: English class, Book clubs, Social Clubs, Emergency Preparedness Instruction, Natural Science class, Recommendations for Young Adult Female and Reluctant Readers
Booktalking Ideas:
1.) What would you do if the world seemed to be ended by a catastrophic event?
2.) Dealing with fear that you and your family will die of starvation or disease
3.) Learning to appreciate life, friends and family
4.) Imagine a life of solitude, sacrifice and constant worry
5.) How the main characters stop fighting and pull together in order to survive and protect each other
Reading Level/Interest Age: Grades 9-12
Challenge Issues/Defenses:
Potential Challenges:
• Graphic depictions of death and disease
• Depiction of suicide
• Discussions of kissing, menstruation and premarital sex
Defense Strategy:
• Provide advisory reviews for parents that confirm age appropriate and nononjectionable content: http://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/Life-as-We-Knew.html
• Provide our Collection Development Policy (which includes Young Adult scope): http://ww2.cityofpasadena.net/library/collection.asp
• Refer to book reviews and awards earned by this book:
http://www.bookbrowse.com/reviews/index.cfm/book_number/1928/Life-As-We-Knew-It
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Life-as-We-Knew-It/Susan-Beth-Pfeffer/e/9780152058265
• Provide the publisher’s Discussion Guide for this book:
file http://www.harcourtbooks.com/images/pdf/guides/life_as_we_knew_it_dg.pdf.
Why This Book Was Included: Susan Beth Pfeffer has been around a long time and I remember reading her books as a teen. I wanted to read a more recent book and this one did not disappoint. It’s a captivating, intense and tearful story but one that is thought-provoking and instructive for teens about how lucky they are in life today.
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