Tomorrow, When the War Began (Tomorrow Series #1)

by John Marsden

Overview

When Ellie and six of her friends return home from a camping trip deep in the bush, they find things hideously wrong -- their families gone, houses empty and abandoned, pets and stock dead. Gradually they begin to comprehend that their country has been invaded and everyone in the town has been taken prisoner. As the horrible reality of the situation becomes evident they have to make a life-and-death decision: to run back into the bush and hide, to give themselves up to be with their families, or to stay and try to fight. This reveting, tautly-drawn novel seems at times to be only a step away from today's headlines.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780547511979
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	03/27/1995
Series:	Tomorrow Series , #1
Sold by:	HARPERCOLLINS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	288
Lexile:	850L (what's this?)
File size:	266 KB
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

John Marsden’s highly praised series concludes in this thrilling installment that will bring readers to the edge of their seats and keep them there until the last page is turned. John Marsden is one of Australia’s best-known writers for young adults. His work has received critical acclaim and has earned a cultlike following worldwide. The popular Tomorrow series has been translated into seven languages and has sold over one million copies in Australia alone.

Editorial Reviews

Australian friends return from a camping trip in the outback to discover that enemy forces have invaded the country and imprisoned everyone in town. A gripping tale, told with Marsden's customary incisiveness. Ages 12-up. (Dec.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Scholastic will reissue the first two volumes in John Marsden's the Tomorrow series-Tomorrow, When the War Began and The Dead of Night-this month, and will feature them in its on-line summer-reading campaign (see Children's Bookshelf, June 8). One additional title will appear every other month. PW called the story of some Australian friends who return from a camping trip to discover that enemy forces have invaded the country and imprisoned everyone in town "a gripping tale." Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

Gr 8 Up-Australian teenager Ellie and six of her friends return from a winter break camping trip to find their homes burned or deserted, their families imprisoned, and their country occupied by a foreign military force in league with a band of disaffected Australians. As their shock wears off, the seven decide they must stick together if they are to survive. After a life-threatening skirmish with the occupiers, the teens retreat to their isolated campsite in the bush country and make plans to fight a guerilla war against the invaders. Writing in a distinct voice and showing rare intelligence and sensitivity, Ellie recounts their courageous battles against the Goliath in control of their land. She also records her feelings and observations about the romantic partnerships that develop within her small circle of friends, and shows how they mature and blossom during this time of crisis. Though readers are left wondering whether these heroes and heroines will survive (one is severely wounded at the end of the novel), Ellie's uncommonly honest and clear narration makes this coming-of-age adventure a story they won't forget. Fast-paced and provocative, it's a natural for book talking.-Jack Forman, Mesa College Library, San Diego

School Library Journal

When Ellie and her friends return from a camping trip deep in the bush, they find that their country has been invaded and their families taken prisoner. A fax left by one of their parents warns them to "go bush," but that is easier said than done. First, they have to evade patrols, rescue one of their crew, blow up the bridge that serves as the main artery for the invading forces, and, eventually, grow up. In the midst of all the action, Marsden manages to work in a Swiss Family Robinson survival element, a little romance, and a lot of internal turmoil about man's justifications for hurting other human beings. In short, this suspenseful adventure story has something for everyone and just enough insight into what makes us tick in times of stress to allow readers to overlook the implausibility of the premise. It also provides an interesting look at the lives and concerns of Australian teens.

Jeanne Triner

"A riveting adventure through which Marsden explores the capacity for evil and the necessity of working together to oppose it." Horn Book, Starred

From the Publisher

Ellie and six of her friends are on holiday camping in the Australian bush when their country is invaded by a foreign enemy. They return home to discover that their friends and families have been herded into prison camps, their pets starving or killed outright. Thus begins a seven-book saga chronicling the adventures of a small band of teens determined to stay free and fight against impossible odds. Since their publication in the mid-1990s, the "Tomorrow" books have remained one of the best-selling series in Australia. Although the fictional invading army is never identified, the impact of war on civilians rings nonetheless true.—Angelina Benedetti, "35 Going on 13," BookSmack! 8/19/10

Library Journal

The author combines a story of a WWIII invasion with a romance among several teenage couples. Narrator Suzi Dougherty's voice has the raspy scratch of a heavy smoker and the accent of the Australian bush. She assumes the part of Ellie, a precocious student knocking on the door of adulthood who discovers that her town has been taken over by an unknown military. At first, Dougherty’s fast pace and Australian vocabulary of wombats, wallabies, and roustabouts may leave American listeners spinning, but with a little time she comes into focus. Her delivery of the dialogue of Ellie's mates differentiates them more by their unique attitudes than by distinctive voices. Her narrative style and the author's adroit descriptions create more entertainment than the thin plot. J.A.H. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

APR/MAY 08 - AudioFile