Genre: Science Fiction (apocalyptic, dystopian, giant man-eating grasshoppers)
Subjects: Young Adult fiction - humor, social issues, adventure, insect, survival, friendship, gender identity, LGBTQ, coming of age
Audience: 14 & up
Austin Szerba is a 16 year old hormonal and confused teenager in a small Iowa town. He is telling the story of his history which just happens to also be the end of the world. Austin and his best friend Robby are skateboarding behind the mall when they are attacked by the school bullies led by Grant. Robby wipes his bloody nose on the cement. Grant throws their shoes and skateboards on the roof. Later that night, the boys go back to the mall to retrieve their things and discover a trap door into the store where Austin works part time. They go into the store and into the boss' office to see what the boss is hiding and find several items in glass jars such as a two-headed baby, hands, and a glowing green globe. Grant and his friends return and Austin and Robby hide. Grant takes the glowing globe and when they leave, he accidentally drops it into the blood releasing a plague that immediately begins to infect the townsfolk turning them into giant man-eating preying mantises that only want to eat and have sex. Austin and Robby go to Austin's girlfriend Shann's house where they find a machine typing a message that tells them the virus is in the air and they need to go to the silo. At the silo, they discover a shelter that explains the origin of the plague, and contains everything they need to survive. Using the information from the silo, they work together with Shann's parents, and Robby's mom and boyfriend to kill the creatures and are eventually successful even though they are to late to save the town. During the disaster, Austin is a hormonal teenager that acts like the creatures - thinking about sex all of the time. He can't decide if he wants Shann or Robby and eventually has both. As the story flashes into the future, we see that Austin and Shann have a child and are raising it together but Robby and Austin are a couple. Smith has written a humorous story reminiscent of old science fiction B movies that is full of normal adolescent questions about social issues, acceptance, and sexual identity while displaying plenty of teenage angst. This book is better suited for older teens as it contains profanity, alcohol & drug use, and sexual situations.
Awards:
Michael L. Printz Award Honor (2015)
Milwaukee County Teen Book Award Nominee (2015)
Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Fiction (2014)
The Inky Awards Nominee for Silver Inky (2015)
The Kitschies for Red Tentacle (Novel) (2014)
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