Module 5- Science Fiction and Fantasy: NUM8ERS by Rachel Ward

*Summary:

When 15-year old Jem looks into someone’s eyes she is met with a harsh reality: she can see the date on which that person will die, their death date. Jem has always stayed to herself, because it is too difficult to get close to someone when you know you have so little time with them, until she meets a boy named Spider. Spider and Jem form a friendship, and one day while they are skipping school they decide to go ride a giant Ferris Wheel called The London Eye. When Jem and Spider get to the ride, Jem sees that everyone she sees has the same death date: today. The London Eye becomes victim to a terrorists’ bomb and Jem and Spider become the prime suspect, they go on the run, and fall in love along the way. The only problem is that Spider’s death date is only a few days away. 

*Bibliography:

Ward, R. (2010). Num8ers. New York: Chicken House/Scholastic.

*My Rating:

WOW! I loved this book! Once again, I am somewhat of a science fiction fan, so I may be a little biased, but I loved the story line in this book. The story had just the perfect amount of romance, action, and drama. I really bought into the characters in the story and found myself sad with the ending, which I wanted to be a happy ending. You know a book is good when you don’t want it to end. I think a lot of my students would enjoy this book. It would probably be most appropriate for high school students. It is also cool because it takes place in London, so kids are also exposed to a different culture. 

*Reviews:

Fifteen-year-old Jem Marsh has an unusual ability to see the exact date of someone's death when she looks into their eyes. A troubled teen in and out of foster homes, Jem avoids relationships because of her psychic ability, and even though she tries to resist the overtures of Spider Dawson, their paths become inextricably intertwined. When Jem sees the same death date for a crowd of tourists at the London Eye Ferris wheel, she and Spider flee the scene. Tracked as criminals, they hide out and ultimately are discovered. Coomes reads with a thick Cockney accent, nuanced for the two main characters. She artfully conveys both Jem's stalwart nature and her growing inner warmth and softness. With perfect pacing for dialogue and description, Coomes brings listeners into the gripping unfolding details and stunning conclusion. Also available in Playaway ($54.99). -Patricia Austin

Austin, P. (2010). Numbers. The Booklist, 106(19), 112. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/503559757?accountid=7113

*Uses in a library:

A librarian could set up a “Science Fiction Station,” which would essentially be a listening station.  The librarian could record readings of excerpts from NUM8ERS and other similar science fiction books. This would be a way to do a library display that is more interactive.