Will They Ever Go Back Home?

 “You have to wait for good things to happen—wait and wait and work so hard—but bad things occur out of the blue, like fire alarms triggered in the dead of night, blaring randomly, a shock of sound, a chatter of current from which there is no turning back." ~Gennifer Choldenko

Siblings, Finn, India, and Mouse are devastated when they learn they must move out of their home because it's being foreclosed upon. They are moving to Colorado to live with their Uncle Red, which means they will also be far away from their mom (a teacher) until the school year ends, and she can move out there. The kids have to take a plane by themselves in order to get to their new home. Along the way, smart Mouse, socially concerned India, and rule abiding Finn, struggle to get along with each other. When their plane drops them off in a strange place they're surprised their uncle isn’t waiting for them. They take a taxi driven by a guy named Chuck, who looks way too young to be driving. None of them can figure out what is going on. Everyone around them is cheering for them, treating them like celebrities. Even stranger, they are each given a clock with a set amount of time on it, but no one will tell them what it means. They each go to a new home with a new mom or dad, and it's just like they've always imagined their perfect life would be. The homes seem tailored to their preferences, but something seems off to Finn and Mouse. They struggle through the new surroundings, fighting against time. The amount of time is different for the three siblings, and when they find out they each have to make a critical decision, they will be put to the test, and so will their family. Once they make their decision will they be able to face the challenge? Where exactly are they? Will they ever seen Uncle Red or their mom again? You have to read this far out tale to find out what happens!

No Passengers Beyond This Point is a book that I wanted to read for a long time based on the very cool cover. The book did not disappoint! Each chapter was told from a different point of view. I enjoyed this because India was such a typical teenager, Finn was so much the brother who wants to help everybody, and Mouse was a little girl who knew a ton of facts, but had some social struggles. I felt terrible for them when they lost their home and had to move. I felt even worse when they had to struggle through their new home and strange land. No one would give them any answers, and they had so much to figure out! I kept thinking about it and wondering if I had it all correct, but I wasn't really sure until the end. And even then, there is a little mystery (I don’t want to give anything away). This is a book that will make you think. It made me realize that it's our will to live and our will to survive that gets us to where we are. I recommend this book to kids in fourth grade and up, and to people who have a sense of adventure. What would you do if you were in a new place and had to decide if you should stay or go?

Has anyone else read No Passengers Beyond This Point? Or have you read another book by Gennifer Choldenko? We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Happy Reading!
~L

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