Written as a diary, Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer (Harcourt 2006) tells the survival story of sixteen year old Miranda and her family.  When a meteor collides with the moon, everything on Earth changes.  The moon is pushed closer to the Earth and the change in gravitational pull causes massive worldwide destruction– tides rise, magma surfaces, tectonic plates shift, and soon the earth is enveloped by natural disasters–tsunamis, volcanoes, earthquakes.  Volcanic ash darkens the sky, temperatures plummet, crops fail. 

Evacuations, power outages, food and fuel shortages close school.  Lines of communication shut down–no radio, internet, cell phones, tv.  Sixteen year old Miranda and her family aren’t sure who is alive, who is dead, who has evacuated.  Their Pennsylvania town becomes a lawless wasteland where looters and black market thugs abound.  Suddenly life is all about survival, and Miranda’s typical teen concerns–prom, guys, driving–don’t much matter. 

 What is essential?  What is important?  If life all changed tomorrow,  what would really matter?  Life as We Knew It is a gripping read that makes you think about what your priorities are–and what they should be.

For those of you who loved The Hunger Games, author Suzanne Collins has written a sequel, Catching Fire (Scholastic, 2009).  The story picks up where Hunger Games left off, with Katniss awkwardly trying to choose between Peeta and Gale and living a life of ease as a Hunger Games champion.

But things start to fall apart when Katniss discovers that her and Peeta’s dual survival was seen as an act of rebellion and has encouraged uprisings in several districts.  The Capitol cracks down and life becomes even more oppressive, something Katniss thought impossible.  Not surprisingly, Katniss’ first instinct is to survive, to stay out of trouble and keep her family alive.

But the President  of the Capitol is determined to make Katniss pay, and once again she finds herself in the Arena.  She is selected to compete in the Quarterly Quell, a fight-to-the-death battle that occurs every twenty-five years, only this time competitors are chosen from prior Hunger Games champions.

Katniss must battle against the best of the best.  And the Capitol government fully intends to use the Quell to display their absolute power and to kill Katniss as a public and painful example of what happens to those who defy the Capitol.  

Again Katniss must use her skill and wits in an attempt to survive the Arena.  Is there anyone she can trust?  Does she dare form alliances?  Does it even matter, since the Capitol seems bent on destroying her and everyone she loves?

Catching Fire is Book Two of what will be a trilogy.  Most of the reviews I have read feel that Catching Fire is not quite as gripping as The Hunger Games, and I agree.  However, the cliff-hanger ending will leave you dying (figuratively speaking, of course) for the sequel.