Lurkers -- with purchase get the complimentary Teacher's Guide

Author: Lindsay Below

Genre: Tween MuseItYoung Sci-fi Fantasy

Release: July 22, 2011

Editor: Lea Schizas

Line editor: Penny Ehrenkranz

Cover artist: Delilah K. Stephans

Word count: 46472

Pages: 136

ISBN: 978-1-927085-18-9

Price: $5.50

Warning: PG13

Blurb:

To say Kayla is bad at science would be a colossal understatement. So why does she carry the responsibility to figure out what went wrong? In the blink of an eye, everything she knows has changed. Her parents -- along with the rest of the adults in Toronto -- have disappeared, leaving her saddled with her whiny little brother. Luckily, she meets Jackson Sullivan, a fifteen-year-old scientific genius bent on finding out what happened. But he wants her help. How is she supposed to help sort out all this science stuff when she can barely pass her tenth grade science class?

Excerpt:

“What are we going to do?” she whispered.

She figured he knew what she was talking about—their parents. “I need more information,” he muttered. “We should go out into the city and find more people like us.”

“More people?” she gaped. “You think there are still people out there, besides us?”

He laughed. It was quick, and he covered his mouth with his hand, but she heard it. “You thought we were the only people left in the city,” he mumbled through his fingers.

She scowled. He made it sound like she was an idiot. “I didn’t see anybody else,” she snapped. It wasn’t so far-fetched to think that she, Josh, and Jackson were the only people left.

“I’ve had three separate calls today,” he informed her. “All from kids. None could find their parents. Not everybody is gone, only the adults. How many other kids do you think there are in the city?”

“You think this is happening to everybody?”

He raised his eyebrows. “Of course.” He lifted his hand, listing the points on his fingers. “No buses. No cars. No television. No radio.” He leaned back. “I’m almost surprised we have electricity. Although, depending on how many people use it, we should have enough stored up for a while.”

Kayla frowned to herself, thinking. “But why would all the adults leave? Why wouldn’t they take us with them? They’re our parents.”

Reviews:

MEET THE AUTHOR

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Customer Reviews:

I enjoyed Lurkers, but it was like sitting in a dark room watching the teenagers split up and go down to the basement to check things out. You're screaming "DON'T GO THERE!" But they do anyway.rnrnWith Lurkers, however, I was saying out loud (to which my husband responds, 'huh?') "Why don't you use the car. It's sitting in the freaking driveway!"rnrnMy damnable organized adult person has to sit back and think that these are teens. Don't expect them to do anything rational. But they do lots of rational things to solve the riddle of why all the adults suddenly disappear from the face of the earth one night. rnrnI found Kayla, the protagonist, to be a bit too dense, not understanding some pretty easy stuff (I don't care that she hated science class). That kept me slightly annoyed with her rather than sympathetic to her plight. I will give her the patience of Job with her 8-year-old brother, Josh. He's such a sulky brat, I would have taken the opportunity to bash his head in, then act all innocent if the adults showed up again. Well, maybe not exactly kill him, but taping his mouth shut might be in my plans.rnrnBut the whole thing is saved by Jackson, who's the science whiz who'll figure out the mystery and even bring back the adults (despite his cousin Morris' objections). I liked Jackson. He's geeky and nerdy and smart. I understand Kayla taking a shine to him, so can't understand why she wouldn't want to be his "sidekick."rnrnWriting: ArnConcept: BrnCharacters: B- (Kayla drags down the class curve)rnResolution: C- (just a tad too contrived)rnrnThe good writing wins Lindsay four stars. Next time I hope to find a smarter MC, then I think the story (whatever Lindsay comes up with next) will kick butt.

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