The Vine: March 9, 2007 Part II
Hi,
I was wondering whether you or your readers could help me out with a book title I’ve forgotten. I read the book in early high school. It’s a dystopian science fiction novel about futuristic society in which children over the age of 14 aren’t permitted to live and instead are turned into a variety of creatures which patrol the streets and kill escapees (I’m not making this up). A group of about four kids manages to escape and live under the protection of some kind of creature which acts in a parental role. The name of this creature is the title of the book.
The book’s title is short — one word I think — something like “It” or “Thing,” though those obviously aren’t it. Each of the kids has some kind of special power (one can levitate things with him mind). I know this sounds really
obscure, but it’s been bothering me for months and the plot seems distinct enough that it might be easily recognizable to someone who has read the book.
Thanks,
K
Dear K,
Update since I posted this: the overwhelming majority of emailers said the book is Shade’s Children, by Garth Nix. Any alternative suggestions can go in the comments field.
Maybe this has been suggested before, but there’s a great website called What’s That Book which is a sort of discussion board where people describe books they’re trying to remember, and the most active section is devoted to children’s books.
Hmmm… sounds like Scott Westerberg’s “Uglies” only with more animals and less compulsory plastic surgery.
It is actually Shade’s Children. Thanks Sarah and readers!
I’ve also come upon another search-by-description book website: http://www.loganberrybooks.com. If you go there and then click on the “Nostalgia” tab and then scroll down to “Solved Mysteries”–I’ve found a couple of answers to nagging book-memory questions there.
Well, I’ve read the bits about Shade’s Children, and it sounds about right. However, it sounds as if iShade’s Children might owe at least a nod of acknowledgement, if not more, to Jamboree, a short story by Jack Williamson, published circa 1969, featuring the robotic “Pop,” which looked after the children until it was time to “recycle” them at age twelve, when they were becoming “too adult.” There are a lot of similarities.
Oh! Thank you La BellaDonna. K’s description almost sounded like something I’d read, but then…not. However, your description of Jamboree sounds a lot like something my sci-fi-loving uncle lent me when I was a kid.
And thanks for the links to the book finding sites. I’ve got this one in my head that I’ve never asked about because all I can remember is very hot chili and bikers. And maybe Atlantis? Or something? Heh, I’ll try those sites.