"The People of Sparks"

"The People of Sparks" is the second "Book of Ember" in a series written by Jeanne Duprau.  If I remember correctly, I discovered the first book, "The City of Ember," because my ten year old granddaughter was reading the series and it looked interesting to me.  So....although this is a young reader's book, it appealed to me, too.

In the first book Lina and Doon lead their people up from an underground city, Ember, because the systems in the city that sustain them are beginning to fail.  They find the clues to getting their people out of the city but are bewildered by a world above ground.  They walk until they find another city, Sparks.  In the book, "The People of Sparks" are just as bewildered by a group of people who have never lived above ground as the Emberites are by all they are finding above ground.

The People of Sparks agree to take in the Emberites for a period of 6 months while sharing their food with them and teaching them the survival skills they'll need to grow food and build shelters.  They are mostly housed in an old building and assigned to families who share food with them.  As time goes on, both sides begin to be disgruntled -- Sparks citizens at having to share with these people when they have just begun to reach the point that they've been able to put a little food ahead for lean years.  Emberites are unhappy with the small portions of food they are given and their treatment.

In the meantime Lina takes off on an adventure and discovers a ruined city and begins to undertand what happened that led to the destruction of this world and why her people were sent to live underground for survival.  She also receives wisdom from a fellow traveler about what leads to war and ways that might have prevented it.

While she is gone, Doon is accused of something he didn't do and tensions begin to grow even more between the two cities.  Tick, from Ember, has put together a group that he wants to lead into a fight and as hard feelings escalate, the Emberites are asked to leave.  But...where will they go and how will they survive?

A dramatic event brings everything to a head and choices have to be made that will either lead to fighting and death for some of the citizens of both cities or peace that will allow them to co-exist.

Duprau has a gift for sharing ways to stand up for oneself nonviolently and the ability to describe the consequences of violence -- excellent lessons for youth to learn -- OR all of us to learn!  pazt