The Boys of Fire and Ash

Gr 6 Up—In the Ikkuma Pit, the Brothers stick together and look out for each other in a world with no mothers (or women in general) and it takes everything they have to survive. When their Leaving Day arrives, they go out into the world, never to return, and another young boy mysteriously appears to replace them. Urgle is a young man trying to keep himself and his "little brother" Cubby alive. He is suspicious about the outside world, and he is equally suspicious of Blaze, a Brother who has returned to the Ikkuma Pit after leaving. Blaze speaks of monsters who chased him over the wall and back into the Pit. When those same monsters kidnap Cubby and drag him into the outside world, Urgle, along with an unlikely group of Ikkuma brothers, embark on a journey to rescue Cubby and eventually find out what is waiting for them in the outside world. McIsaac's debut fantasy novel is fast-paced and heartstopping. Her world is fully formed (although it does take a while before the parameters of this universe truly comes into focus). The characters are fleshed out and feel authentic. This is a great stepping stone for those tweens looking for a postapocalyptic novel without diving head first into the violence and social mores of similar YA titles. There is a hint of romance, appropriate for the intended audience.