The City of Ember

The First Book of Ember

By: Jeanne DuPrau

Narrated by: Wendy Dillon

Ember is the only light in a dark world. But when its lamps begin to flicker, two friends must race to escape the dark. This highly acclaimed adventure series is a modern-day classic—with over 4 MILLION copies sold!

The city of Ember was built as a last refuge for the human race. Two hundred years later, the great lamps that light the city are beginning to dim. When Lina finds part of an ancient message, she’s sure it holds a secret that will save the city. Now, she and her friend Doon must race to figure out the clues to keep the lights on. If they succeed, they will have to convince everyone to follow them into danger. But if they fail? The lights will burn out and the darkness will close in forever.

Nominated to 28 State Award Lists!
An American Library Association Notable Children’s Book
A New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing Selection
A Kirkus Reviews Editors’ Choice
A Child Magazine Best Children’s Book
A Mark Twain Award Winner
A William Allen White Children’s Book Award Winner

“A realistic post-apocalyptic world. DuPrau’s book leaves Doon and Lina on the verge of undiscovered country and readers wanting more.” —USA Today

“An electric debut.” —Publishers Weekly, Starred

“While Ember is colorless and dark, the book itself is rich with description.” —VOYA, Starred

“A harrowing journey into the unknown, and cryptic messages for readers to decipher.” —Kirkus Reviews, Starred

Critic reviews

USA Today
"DuPrau’s first foray into fiction creates a realistic post-apocalyptic world. Reminiscent of 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."

Starred Review, Publishers Weekly
"Thanks to full-blooded characters every bit as compelling as the plot, Lina and Doon’s search parallels the universal adolescent quest for answers. An electric debut!"

Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews
"Well-paced, this contains a satisfying mystery, a breathtaking escape over rooftops in darkness, a harrowing journey into the unknown, and cryptic messages for readers to decipher. The likeable protagonists are not only courageous but also believably flawed by human pride. The cliffhanger ending will leave readers clamoring for the next installment."

Starred Review, Voice of Youth Advocates
"While Ember is colorless and dark, the book itself is rich with description. DuPrau uses the puzzle, suspenseful action, and lots of evil characters to entice readers into the story. They will find the teen characters believable and gutsy. Part mystery, part adventure story."

The Horn Book Magazine
"The device of a hidden letter, complete with missing words, is used with such disarming forthrightness that readers will be eagerly deciphering it right alongside Doon and Lina."

An ALA Notable Children’s Book

A Kirkus Reviews Editors’ Choice

A New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing Selection

How do you know what you know?

How do you know what you know? If your entire experience is one context; if your community's entire shared and accumulated knowledge is one unvarying existence; can you be responsible for what you do not know outside your own world? What reasons would you have to look for new knowledge about your world?

Very good opportunities in the book to discuss lessons with the kids and to think about implications for yourself. What would life be like without telephones? What if electricity came on only at certain times? This is how many people in the world live today.

Excellent book to listen to with the family on a road trip. The prologue hooked the kids and the story never let up. The kids are already asking to listen to the sequels.

A new family classic

My 9 year old son and I choose a book every month to listen to when we travel to and from places. He heard great things about City of Ember. We were both at the edge of our seats. Excellent book!! Enjoyable for all ages.

A Modern Children's Classic

I first heard of this story back in 2008 when the movie came out, but it took until the second time my mom and I watched it (and some disappointment when we realized they weren't making a sequel) to check and see if it was based on a book. My mom read the books first and enjoyed them, but we talk about our books so I ended up needing to wait a few years until I'd forgotten what mom said about the sequels so I could read them myself.

This first book in the series was very fun. I enjoyed the puzzle aspect (that's part of what I enjoyed about the movie, too) and I love how the main characters work together to solve the problem that almost everyone else has become too complacent to bother with. Bonus points that it's an almost-teen girl and boy working together without any romance whatsoever! Woot woot!

I thought the interactions between Lina and Doon and their friends and family were done well. For one thing, I liked that they *had* family to interact with and they clearly loved their families and wanted to help make things better for them as much as for everyone else. Lina was so patient and loving with her baby sister and strange grandmother. While Doon had a little friction with his father I appreciated that his father wasn't portrayed as stupid or wrong. It was simply a difference in personality and outlook.

I also enjoyed seeing what it might be like for people who'd never known anything but the underground to see things like (view spoiler)

While this isn't the deepest middle grade book I've ever read, nor is it my favorite one ever, I feel it was appropriate for its target audience while also being enjoyable for an adult like me who hasn't been a tween for a while. I give it 4 stars and am looking forward to the rest of the series.

Fabulous book for both young and old

Engaging story that moved along quickly, mysterious enough for both kids and adults. Really enjoyed and am looking forward to the next book

It was amazing

The book is great, I loved every second of it, it was so interesting and the storyline of it was great.