BookFilter: Apocalypse novels for children
April 14, 2014 4:29 PM Subscribe
Back in 1987 or so, I read a children's/YA book that begins with a young girl who survives an end-of-the-world event (nuclear? meteor?) alone with her father and brother in a huge nuclear bunker. The second half of the book is about a girl with the same name who is a descendant of the survivors. Can you help me figure out what this book was?
First half: The girl's dad is some sort of engineer (?) and he's brought the children to work with him on a regular day so they can check it out. It's just the three of them. They realize there's some sort of nuclear(?) event, so they spend months (or maybe even years) waiting out the radiation, which is fine because the bunker is fully stocked for hundreds and there's just the three of them. The kids ride these huge tricycles to get from one part of the enormous bunker to the other. Eventually they open the hatch to the bunker and set out to find other survivors.
The second half: The new protagonist has the same name as the first girl. She lives in a small village where they all live in these rudimentary houses and survive through basic agriculture. There is no glass for the windows, but the people cover the windows with paper and then oil the paper so it lets in more light. They raise rabbits as pets and food.
Thanks!
First half: The girl's dad is some sort of engineer (?) and he's brought the children to work with him on a regular day so they can check it out. It's just the three of them. They realize there's some sort of nuclear(?) event, so they spend months (or maybe even years) waiting out the radiation, which is fine because the bunker is fully stocked for hundreds and there's just the three of them. The kids ride these huge tricycles to get from one part of the enormous bunker to the other. Eventually they open the hatch to the bunker and set out to find other survivors.
The second half: The new protagonist has the same name as the first girl. She lives in a small village where they all live in these rudimentary houses and survive through basic agriculture. There is no glass for the windows, but the people cover the windows with paper and then oil the paper so it lets in more light. They raise rabbits as pets and food.
Thanks!
I first thought Children of the Dust too, but judging from the detailed wikipedia description I don't think it's right. (also the part I remember most was part one, Sarah's, with all the kids running home from school after the bomb was dropped -- so affecting! but doesn't fit)
(oh god and the dog crying outside)
posted by changeling at 6:55 PM on April 14, 2014
(oh god and the dog crying outside)
posted by changeling at 6:55 PM on April 14, 2014
Tomorrow When the war Began? The plot sounds vaguely familiar and that is the only ya text I know of with that type of storyline. By John Marsden.
posted by jojobobo at 8:18 PM on April 14, 2014
posted by jojobobo at 8:18 PM on April 14, 2014
Z is for Zachariah? I never read it, but I remember the blurbs for it in the backs of my Dell paperbacks.
posted by brujita at 8:54 PM on April 14, 2014
posted by brujita at 8:54 PM on April 14, 2014
It's not 'Tomorrow' or 'Z', I know both of those books well and reading the question I'm hoping you get an answer so I can check it out.
posted by Youremyworld at 8:56 PM on April 14, 2014
posted by Youremyworld at 8:56 PM on April 14, 2014
Best answer: Strange Tomorrow, Jean Karl.
posted by maryrussell at 5:26 AM on April 15, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by maryrussell at 5:26 AM on April 15, 2014 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: It's Strange Tomorrow! I didn't remember the aliens at all!
Thank you maryrussell!
posted by mochapickle at 7:26 AM on April 15, 2014
Thank you maryrussell!
posted by mochapickle at 7:26 AM on April 15, 2014
This thread is closed to new comments.
I swear I have a copy, but cannot find it.
posted by maryrussell at 6:43 PM on April 14, 2014