Description
Fern and her mother have lived at the Ranch for six years, since Fern was six. It’s a hard life with lots of work, but Fern believes Dr. Ben is a brilliant man leading them to a great future. They grow their own food and avoid chemicals, electronics, and other things destroying the Earth. Her mother wakes her one night and tells Fern they must go on a secret mission, and they leave the Ranch. They get an old junker and drive for days. Mom tells Fern they will never go back, and that Dr. Ben is dangerous. Fern doesn’t believe her and sets about trying to contact Dr. Ben to come and get them. Can she do it? Should she do it?
Kate O’Shaughnessy has written a real page-turner with important messages for young readers about family, love, friendship, and more. The characters are well-founded and believable, the first-person point-of-view in Fern’s voice is pitch-perfect, and the writing is lovely. The idea of how a cult can take over one’s life might seem an odd choice for a middle-grade story, but it highlights many issues young people face. This is an important book that deserves a wide readership.