School Library Journal Review
Gr 4--7--Pelling, a small, isolated, fictional island near Seattle, is a utopia. At least, that's what Hannah Steele thinks. Life for Hannah is safe and simple, so much so she hardly worries when she forgets her emergency inhaler for her asthma while babysitting her neighbor's children, Zoe and Oscar. Hannah feels prepared because she's 13, has taken a babysitting course, has her phone if there's a real emergency, and knows home is less than a mile away. Her biggest issues are her mother, who babies her, and her concern that her best friend is ignoring her. Then the shaking starts. After the earthquake, Hannah discovers Pelling is completely cut off from the mainland and the phone towers are down. Her only lifeline is the emergency services broadcasts on the radio. With no adults, Hannah, Zoe, and Oscar must use all their resources to survive. Even as the action steadily increases, the characters behave realistically. Hannah and her charges have reasonable amounts of working knowledge for the emergency but react in an age-appropriate manner to the escalating danger. After reading Behrens's informative, riveting portrayal of earthquakes and their aftermath, readers may learn how to respond in a similar situation. VERDICT A realistic, engrossing survival story that's perfect for aspiring babysitters and fans of John Macfarlane's Stormstruck!, Sherry Shahan's Ice Island, or Wesley King's A World Below.--Kaetlyn Phillips, Yorkton, Sask.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Behrens's natural disaster--themed epic portrays a young person's grace under pressure. Hannah, 13, is embroiled in typical early teen drama with friends, school, and her parents. She's also worried about her second-ever babysitting gig, which will be for a neighbor on the small island of Pelling, near Seattle. Reality exceeds her imagined worst-case scenario after an earthquake traps her and her two young charges--10-year-old Zoe and her younger brother, Oscar--on the island without power, a working phone, or adult guidance. It's up to Hannah, despite asthma and serious injuries, to keep them safe. Her extraordinary resourcefulness and courage in deadly situations highlight her burgeoning maturity. Behrens (When Audrey Met Alice) uses immersive details and situations effectively viewed from Hannah's perspective to create a suspenseful, vivid story filled with lessons about responsibility and overcoming adversity. Ages 8--12. Agent: Suzie Townsend, New Leaf Literary. (Oct.)
Kirkus Review
A simple afternoon of babysitting turns into a battle for survival.Hannah Steele, 13, is babysitting for only the second time, which makes her a little nervous, especially when she realizes she's forgotten her rescue inhaler. But she's just going to be watching Zoe and Oscar Matlock, who live next doorso what's there to be nervous about? After all, they live on peaceful (and fictional) Pelling Island, a half hour from Seattlea place Hannah considers utopic, where "nothing really bad ever happens." But then a powerful earthquake strikes the Pacific Northwest. There's no power, no phones, no internet, and no parents, leaving Hannah entirely on her own. Over three thrilling, tension-filled days, Hannah must cope with serious injuries to both Zoe and Oscar as well as little food and water. Moreover, damage to the Matlock house means it's unsafe to stay there. There's a close call with a bear, the stress and exhaustion give her asthma attacks, and Hannah's not sure what to do. Earnest Hannah narrates in a credibly 13-year-old voice, her friendship woes giving her an Everykid feel even as disaster-related action keeps pages flipping. Names suggest some diversity in the community, but Hannah, Zoe, and Oscar present white.A believable heroine finds her strength during a disaster. (Thriller. 9-13) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Thirteen-year-old Hannah Steele loves her tiny, utopian island home just across the bridge from Seattle. But when the Pacific Northwest is rocked by a massive 8.0 earthquake during her first real babysitting gig trapping her and her two young charges (and a guinea pig) on the island, while their parents remain on the mainland her safe haven becomes unrecognizable. Without cell service to call for help or the internet to search for how to treat a broken leg or infected gash, Hannah finds her babysitter's training (""If it's a real emergency, get an adult!"") quickly falling short as the harrowing hours turn into grueling days. Fans of survival thrillers in the vein of Gary Paulsen's Hatchet will enjoy this tense, honest tale of bravery. Hannah battles not just external dangers, such as a gas leak and downed power lines, but also internal temptations to give up hope or lash out in fear, making this an excellent (and refreshingly not didactic) teaching tool on natural-disaster preparedness.--Eleanor Roth Copyright 2010 Booklist
