Identify this kids' book--all the grownups die off?

November 8, 2004 12:38 PM

After watching "Dawn Of the Dead" the other night, I was reminded of a story I remember from my elementary school days. Naturally, I can't remember the title. Here's the catch - I can't remember if this was a novel we read in school, or some sort of PBS series we saw in school (After giving it a bit more thought, I suppose it could be both, eh?). All I remember is the following key plot point: all adults (I believe it was anyone over age 'n') die off. No zombies or anything. [A few more details inside]

Bonus details:

- Kids initially run amok.
- Some kids learn to drive cars.
- At some point, the kids who have learned to drive travel out to a distant farm.
- Eventually the kids end up fortifying their local schools.
- Internal politics eventually divide the school.

posted by adamkempa to writing & language (15 comments total)

Your initial description reminded me of a Star Trek episode, but it looks like the book you're thinking of might be The Girl Who Owned a City.
posted by ruddhist at 12:52 PM on November 8, 2004

I doubt this is what you're referring to since it's only 5 years old - but The Tribe is a TV series with a similar post-adult basis.
posted by hugsnkisses at 1:06 PM on November 8, 2004

"All adults die" is also the scenario of "Jeremiah," a comic book by Hermann Huppen that was recently made into a Showtime TV series (which apparently bears little resemblance to the comic). The survivors have grown up by the time the story starts, though (at least in the TV series).
posted by kindall at 1:09 PM on November 8, 2004

Yes, if you're looking for a book, I think ruddhist is right - The Girl Who Owned a City. I remember it too from years ago and I think it matches all your plot points/criteria.
posted by Melinika at 4:32 PM on November 8, 2004

Red Dawn?
posted by Miles Long at 5:00 PM on November 8, 2004

Interesting...didn't realize there was a whole genre of "adults all dead, kids rule." But come to think of it:

Children of the Corn
Lord of the Flies
Island of the Blue Dolphins
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 5:49 PM on November 8, 2004

Seriously, is there anything that ask.metafilter CAN'T do?

It was indeed "The Girl Who Owned a City."

I'll admit to snickering through an episode of "The Tribe" once, and I too am kind of taken aback by the proliferance of this sort of plot. This thread is a sociology / lit class waiting to happen.
posted by adamkempa at 7:22 PM on November 8, 2004

Has no one on Metafilter seen "Logan's Run"?
posted by Captain_Tenille at 11:45 PM on November 8, 2004

Captain--that was what i thought of, but there's no real *kids* in the run. just young adults!
posted by crush-onastick at 6:59 AM on November 9, 2004

Holy cow, I read this book in sixth grade and remember how strongly it affected me (I was at a point when I wished all adults were dead). I'll have to read it again.

(Captain, that's what I thought of initially as well. I love that movie and recently re-read the book.)
posted by deborah at 9:07 AM on November 9, 2004

Similar is Empty World by John Christopher.
posted by emmling at 9:08 AM on November 9, 2004

"...there's no real *kids* in the run. just young adults"

That was true of the movie. In the book, people were executed at age 21, not age 30. Therefore the overwhelming majority of the population were in fact children.
posted by tdismukes at 10:10 AM on November 9, 2004

Night of the Comet
posted by NortonDC at 1:59 PM on November 9, 2004

tdismukes--i had (obviously) no idea. didn't know it was a book, either. i'll have to check it out. (my friends all had run or renew parties where appropriate and the idea that logan's run was anything other than cheesy 70's teevee never occured to me). is it any good?
posted by crush-onastick at 2:56 PM on November 9, 2004

crush-onastic - I enjoyed the book at the time (I was young), but by my current standards I wouldn't call it that great. It was about 20 times as original as the movie, however.
posted by tdismukes at 7:12 AM on November 19, 2004