The Only Ones by Aaron Starmer

The only ones who survived after people disappeared were the children that were forgotten.  They were alone, doing their own thing, and when they came back to the real world and to find their families, they weren't there anymore...

Random House Kids sent me a copy of this book for review (thank you).  It has been published, so check with your local bookstore for a copy.

This sci-fi story was a bit far-fetched to me but it kept me reading.  I couldn't figure out how the author was going to make this story work out or end the story.  When I finished the story, I sat shaking my head and saying, "Wow."  While this is a very unusual dystopian story, the author has created a world that seems realistic.  

Martin is left on an island, where he and his dad had lived as long as he could remember.  They raised their own vegetables and lived on the animals of the sea and forest.  They also work on building a machine.  When the machine needs one more part, his father goes to the mainland to get it.  Unfortunately, he never returns.

The author takes Martin to the mainland and while he's exploring there, he finds a small city that is occupied by children all his own age.  They are all a bit odd, all have a special talent of some kind, and they are surviving because of those skills.  No one has any idea where their parents or siblings have gone.

You won't forget this one after you read it.  It will sit at the back of your mind and you'll be thinking:  But how?  Why?  The one thing you do know is "who and what."  It's an interesting journey down an unknown path that will intrigue you.  Give it a try.

Happy reading.