Book Trailer for The City of Ember by Jeanne Duprau

The City of Ember, published in 2003, is a mysterious and captivating novel written for young adults. Even so, most adults thoroughly enjoy the book. This trailer serves to get you interested in reading the book and does not have any spoilers. There are three more books in the series: The People of Sparks, The Prophet of Yonwood, and The Diamond of Darkhold. In 2008, a movie was made based on the book. The story opens with a 12 year girl named Lina who lives in a world with no natural light, only the light provided by lamps in the streets of her city. The lamps are beginning to fail and the whole city begins to fear the inevitable - living in complete darkness. As this compelling story unfolds, more and more is learned and the suspense builds. The author is skilled at creating extremely well-developed characters. She also makes great use of figurative language. Major characters include Doon - Lina's classmate, Poppy - Lina's sister, Lina's grandmother, the mayor of the city, and Mrs. Murdo - Lina's neighbor. Other minor but important characters include Lizzy - Lina's friend and Doon's father.

There are several themes present in The City of Ember. One is to satisfy the human need to serve a purpose and to make a difference in our world. Another is whether to question authority and the information that is expected to be believed because it has always been that way. The ongoing theme of caring for others and feeling a sense of responsibility for the outcome of a situation is reoccurring throughout the story. Other important topics addressed are courage, families and social structures, friendship, leadership, and responsibility.

Like movie trailers, book trailers are short and to the point. They can be exciting and fast-paced, or just the opposite. Some have music with lots of pictures, while others are narrated and show a video. Book trailers can be made using many types of software programs. This one was created with Photostory which can be downloaded for free on the web. Animoto is an excellent tool for creating booktrailers, but there is a cost of $30 a year to start. If you love books and want to share your favorites, booktrailers provide a creative way of doing it.

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely breathtaking..., March 5, 2004 By Vampyress I read this book straight through in one sitting, because I simply couldn't put it down. It was quite simply one of the most beautiful stories I've ever read - I place it in the ranks of Pullman's His Dark Materials.

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Start To A Fantastic Series, September 28, 2008 By LexiJane This is the type of book that gets you hooked. You start reading and are enjoying it, but then the more you read the better it gets, the more you like it, you feel involved in the drama and action and want to help the characters, help them solve the mysteries and problems. I highly reccommend this book. It has an air of mystery and intrigue about it that fills you with curiosity for what will happen next.

· Kirkus ~ Contains a satisfying mystery, a breathtaking escape over rooftops in darkness, a harrowing journey in the unknown, and cryptic messages for readers to decipher... The cliffhanger ending will leave readers clamoring for the next installment.

· USA Today ~ DuPrau's first foray into fiction creates a realistic post-apocalyptic world where everyone has lived underground for so long that they assume it has always been that way. . . . Reminiscent of post-apocalypse fiction like Robert O'Brien's Z for Zachariah, DuPrau's book leaves Doon and Lina on the verge of the undiscovered country and readers wanting more.

· VOYA ~ Starred Review. While Ember is colorless and dark, the book itself is rich with description. . . . Part mystery, part adventure story, this novel provides science fiction for those who do not like science fiction.

· American Library Association Notable Book

· Kirkus 2003 Editor's Choice

· Publisher's Weekly Flying Start

· Borders Original Voices

· Several weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List (Children's Paperback Fiction)

· New York Public Library's 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing

· Child Magazine, Best Children's Books of 2003

· Winner for children's literature, California Book Awards, Commonwealth Club of California

· Chapman Award for Shared Reading (Esmé Raji Codell)

· State readers' choice award winner in: Florida, New Jersey, Connecticut, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Kansas, Indiana, Nevada, Missouri, New Mexico

http://www.jeanneduprau.com/books.shtml

http://www.bookbrowse.com/reviews/index.cfm/book_number/1638/the-city-of-ember

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/