Pfeffer, Susan Beth (2007). Life as We Knew It. New York, New York: Harcourt Books. ISBN: 9780152061548
360 pages
Classification: Fiction
Genre: Science Fiction
Age Level: 15-19
Stars: 5 stars
Subjects: Meteors, Future, Dystopia, Catastrophe, Family
Reader's Annotation
When an asteroid hits the moon and pushes it closer to Earth, the result is disastrous for everyone including 16-year-old Miranda and her family as they struggle to get by with little food, states closing borders, and a swiftly approaching winter that could prove fatal to those she loves.
Summary
This story takes place in Pennsylvania and focuses on the story of 16-year-old Miranda before catastrophe strikes. She is a normal teen, concerned with school, friends, and boys, until reports of an asteroid striking the moon become more and more frequent. When this happens, the moon is pushed closer to Earth and there are tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions that kill millions of people and destroy vast portions of Earth. In the United States, supermarkets run out of food, gas prices rise astronomically and limits are imposed, and states are closing their entrances. She, her family, and her friends struggle to cope with the new world they find themselves living in as they are now focused solely on survival through the winter.
Notes
Throughout this story, the problems of being a teen are told, and this is the strength of the narrative. Even in the face of disaster, petty fights with her mother occur, and that realism seeps through this narrative, drawing the reader in deeper and deeper.
Awards
2007 Best Books for Young Adults
Andre Norton Award Finalist
Quill Awards Finalist
Hal Clement Award Finalist
Other Information
Readers who enjoy this book should also look into Pfeffer's The Dead and the Gone, which follows the same premise as this book but shifts locations to New York City and follows 17-year-old Alex Morales.
Author Information
