Synopses & Reviews
Eli and his family have lived in the underground Compound for six years. The world they knew is gone, and theyve become accustomed to their new life. Accustomed, but not happy. No amount of luxury can stifle the dull routine of living in the same place, with only his two sisters, only his father and mother, doing the same thing day after day after day. As problems with their carefully planned existence threaten to destroy their sanctuary—and their sanity—Eli cant help but wonder if hed rather take his chances outside. Elis father built the Compound to keep them safe. But are they safe—really? The Compound is a 2009 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.
Review
“Bodeen, acclaimed as the writer of such picture books as Elizabeti's Doll, turns out a high-wire act of a first novel, a thriller that exerts an ever-tighter grip on readers. Eli, the 15-year-old son of a billionaire techno-preneur, has spent the last six years with his family in the massive underground shelter his father has built, knowing that nuclear war has destroyed the world he knows—and killed his grandmother and his twin brother, who couldn't reach the compound in time. With nine years to go before the air outside will be safe to breathe again, the food supply shows signs of running out, but Eli's father has a solution—provided they jettison all morals and ethics. Repulsed and already suspicious, Eli begins investigating his father's claims, and sets up a family death match against a man who grows increasingly irrational and sinister but no less powerful. As far-fetched as the premise may be, Bodeen keeps Eli's actions true to life and uses clues planted fairly and in plain sight. The audience will feel the pressure closing in on them as they, like the characters, race through hairpin turns in the plot toward a breathless climax.”
—Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Debut novelist Bodeen effectively builds the claustrophobic suspense with each chapter as readers slowly discover the Compound is not the refuge it seems. Combining elements of Margaret Peterson Haddixs Running Out of Time (1995) and Kazuo Ishiguros Never Let Me Go (2005), published for adults, this post-apocalyptic thriller will also pique the interest of Nancy Werlin and L.J. Adlington fans.”—Booklist
“Suspenseful and riveting, this debut novel raises serious issues about what it means to survive.”—Kirkus Reviews
Review
* “A high-wire act of a first novel, a thriller that exerts an ever-tighter grip on readers. . . . The audience will feel the pressure closing in on them as they, like the characters, race through hairpin turns in the plot toward a breathless climax.”—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
“Debut novelist Bodeen effectively builds the claustrophobic suspense with each chapter as readers slowly discover the Compound is not the refuge it seems. Combining elements of Margaret Peterson Haddixs Running Out of Time (1995) and Kazuo Ishiguros Never Let Me Go (2005), published for adults, this post-apocalyptic thriller will also pique the interest of Nancy Werlin and L.J. Adlington fans.”—Booklist
“Suspenseful and riveting, this debut novel raises serious issues about what it means to survive.”—Kirkus Reviews
Review
"Nonstop action, family strife, Pacific Northwest Native mythology and a likable hero combine in an unbeatable combination for fans of the fantastic."--
Kirkus "Readers of the first volume in the Raven Duet will enjoy this second and concluding one."--Booklist
"The juxtaposition of magic with science is fascinating, and the waking dreams into the spirit world will keep readers riveted."--School Library Journal
Synopsis
Elis father built the Compound to keep their family safe. Now, they cant get out. He wont let them.
Synopsis
Eli and his family have lived in the Compound for six years.
The world they knew is gone.
Eli's father built the Compound to keep them safe. Now, they can't get out.
He won't let them.
The Compound is a 2009 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.
Synopsis
Eli and his family have lived in the Compound for six years. The world they knew is gone. Elis father built the Compound to keep them safe. Now, they cant get out. He wont let them. The Compound is a 2009 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.
Synopsis
The fantastical journey begun in Trickster's Girl continues across the wilds of Alaska as Jason, a Native American teen, helps Raven, now a beautiful girl, use ancient magic to heal the earth and save humanity.
Synopsis
In Trickster's Girl, when Kesla's journey comes to an end, she passes the pouch and the quest on to someone else. She picks Jason, a native boy she thinks will be able to finish the job. But in fact, a family feud has cut Jason off from his traditional roots, and he is even more doubtful and resistant than Kesla was. But Raven, now a beautiful girl, is quite persuasive and manages to convince Jason this is something not only that he can do, but that he must if he wants to heal his family and the earth.
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About the Author
S.A. Bodeen is the author of The Gardener and several picture books, including Elizabetis Doll, winner of the Ezra Jack Keats Award. The Compound earned her an ALA Quick Pick for Young Adults, a Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year, and a Publishers Weekly "Flying Start." Bodeen grew up on a dairy farm in Wisconsin. Her first friends were cows, which she named after characters in books. From there she went on to be a Peace Corps volunteer in East Africa, and has lived in seven states, as well as a remote Pacific island. She adores books and is a big fan of cheese. She lives in Oregon.