I remember exactly where I was when I read Meagan Freeman’s Middle Grade novel in verse, Alone. I was captivated and could not put the book down… and have been thinking about it and recommending it to others ever since. I audibly squealed when I saw that Away was coming out!

This book is not a sequel to Maddie’s story; Away takes place at the same time as Alone but is told from multiple perspectives of children in the same evacuee camp. All with different interests, homes, and personal histories, they come together in an effort to record and share what life is like during the camps. Each POV is very distinct, and the entire novel is not in verse this time. I thought it was incredibly clever (and fun to read) that one character who is an aspiring filmmaker’s chapters are all told as if you were reading a movie script and storyboards! The one downside to so many characters is that I didn’t feel the same strong connection to each one as I did in the first book. Personally I could have read an entire book about Teddy and/or Griffin on their own, but I understand the need for the additional characters, and they were very lovable.

Even though this book takes place over an extended period of time, there’s a very real sense of urgency, especially in the last third of the book. The story fills in the holes that we’re left wondering about at the end of Alone, and it’s excellently done. For me personally, I didn’t have the same electric connection that I did to the first book, but I think a lot of readers will. I will be purchasing this book for my library and recommending it to students!

This sequel to Megan Freeman's Alone allows readers to finally discover what transpired in the state of Colorado to force the evacuation of whole towns. The book follows 4 young people in a camp for people displaced by the evacuations. Through their different perspectives we learn about life in the camp and also the secret of why they have been evacuated. The story is told as a novel in verse, but also includes press releases, screen plays, zine articles and film notes. While this novel can stand alone or be read before Alone, it would be best if read after Alone.

In this novel in verse set in Colorado, things are not going well. It's hot, there's a threat of wildfires, and we meet four kids who all have different interests. Ashantae Johnson, whose mother is a doctor, is interested in mythology, and is planning an sleepover with her friends. Grandin Stone lives out on a farm and helps his parents with the livestock. Teddy Brenkert lives with his grandmother, and the two share a love of old movies and theater. Harmony Adams-Paul wants to be a journalist and not only writes letters to her Aunt Beckie, who is working in the field, but also is researching muckrakers and writing essays about them, as well as giving her own news reports. When evacuation orders are given for an unspecified cause, all four find themselves with very few possessions, being herded into camps and made to give up their cell phones. Grandin's father is unwilling to give up his phone, and leaves the camp. After being shuttled around, Teddy and Harmony meet at Camp Rogers, and work on trying to figure out what is going on and why everyone has been made to leave their homes. Ashantae's mother is working at the camp, and Grandin is there are well. The official reason for the relocation is that there has been a toxic substance that has rendered certain areas unlivable, and there is a video shared with the residents showing a world that is slowly drying up and falling apart. When the kids notice that all of the land that the government wants to buy back is a long the river, they suspect that something else is going on. Grandin runs away, and meets some other kids who are trying to solve the mystery as well, and soon the Camp Rogers kids are putting out a zine and trying to find answers. After several years, people are unhappy being stuck in the camp. Will the truth ever come out so that they can move on with their lives?
Strengths: The voices of the different characters are all very unique, and they are easy to tell apart. Ashantae doesn't use capitalization and references lots of mythology, Grandin is very matter-of-fact, Teddy often frames scenes as storyboards or film scripts, and Harmony's point of view is delivered in letters or news reports. The evacuation is realistically portrayed; if someone came to my door and told me I had to leave, and I saw all of my neighbors packing up, I probably would, too. Camp Rogers slowly evolves over the long time that people are there, with everyone pitching in to help out. Even though the school counselor wasn't great at science, at least the attempt was made to teach children! This is very different from Alone, but readers who picked up that story will find it interesting to see what the experience of others who were not abandoned was.
Weaknesses: I found it hard to believe that Grandin's father was the only one insistent about keeping his phone. The plot only works if no one has access to information, though. It's a bit far fetched that Grandin is the only one who tries to leave to find out the truth.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who like dystopian books like Hughes' A Crack in the Sky or Perry's Scavengers.

Alone is one of my all time favorite books. I am constantly recommending it. I was so excited to see a second book. And even happier to report I loved it as well. It is captivating and entertaining! Well done.

I cannot say enough about this book! I absolutely loved ALONE and could not keep it on my shelves when it was first released. It is still a go-to for student recommendations. AWAY can easily be a stand-alone novel or read along with ALONE. The format is perfect for reluctant readers and fans of prose. I really enjoyed the parts written like a script; it helped me visualize the book. I also feel several questions were answered, but I still want even more. This would be a great book as a group read-aloud and for a school book club. Students are going to want to discuss.

I read Megan Freeman's "Away" in one sitting. I enjoyed the different perspectives each character brought to the story. I was a huge fan of Megan's first book "Alone", so I was excited to see what this story brought. This is a perfect middle grade novel for students.

Fans of Megan E. Freeman's debut, ALONE: you absolutely must read this companion! Set during the same timeframe, it follows a group of children who are all evacuated and end up in the same camp. Told in alternating points of view, each with a unique voice, this story explores the reality (and reason) behind the evacuations and shares and important message about the importance of curiosity, determination, and standing up to those in power. (Readers will also love the nods to characters they first met in ALONE.)