Our children’s book of the month for May is Crater Lake by Jennifer Killick. Whatever you do, don’t fall asleep!
Crater Lake – the blurb
Who is the mysterious bloodstained man who stops their coach? Why is no one around when Lance and the rest of Year Six arrive at the brand new Crater Lake activity centre? But this is just the beginning of the school trip from hell; a fight for survival that sees five pupils band together to save their classmates from an alien fate far worse than death. But whatever happens, they must Never. Ever. Fall asleep!
Flying solo
After our ‘girlie’ book last month I was determined to choose something totally different this month. Cue Crater Lake a horror/thriller style book with Lance ‘Fang’ at the center. I was flying solo this month with no actual hands on book club. The comments below are therefore mine and mine only as a 38 year old woman, not as an 11 boy which the story is more probably aimed at.
Are we in America?
As I was reading I had to check and re-check the setting of the book. There was a definite whiff of USA about it. Whilst Killick stopped short of referring to trainers as sneakers, names such as Lance, Trent and Adrianne had an American feel, as did the use of words such as dorms and freaking. Even the yellow school bus on the back cover screamed America. I don’t know if the intent was deliberate to enable the book to appeal to a larger market but I personally would have liked to have seen it routed a little more in England.
Authentic dialogue
Language was also an issue for me. The style used just didn’t feel like it would authentically come from the mouths of children – examining relationship dynamics, using the phrase ‘night clothes’ and explaining what Irises are – would children really take the time to say ‘their irises (the coloured part in the middle of the eye) have changed’ rather than just saying ‘their eyes!’ It jarred with me throughout the book. As did the excessive use of nicknames. Chips, Fangs, Big Mak, Chets. It felt at times like we were discussing a fast food shop rather than children. God that makes me sound old.
Plot niggles
I’m aware this is coming across quite negative and I have to stress I have not discussed this book with the book club this month, it’s all me. There is every chance the kids would love all this and the book is OF COURSE written for them not me. But little things like Trent being too much of a caricature and plot niggles really annoyed me. Why would the kids leave the bus and walk with their luggage? Could the bus driver not drop it off later?
It will be interesting to see what the children make of Crater Lake as a sci/fi-horror style book is something we haven’t done before and is something I think they would find really appealing. It’s just a pity I wasn’t able to share it with them.
Book club questions
+++ These questions contain spoilers and should only be used if you have read the book already!+++
- The game ‘Geek, Robot, Overlord’ features quite heavily in the book. It’s based upon the game ‘Rock, Paper, Scissors’. Can you make your own version of this game up?
- The book is is a mixture of horror, thriller and sci-fi. Did you like the style? Did it make you scared? Have you read books like this previously? Would you read one again?
- Each of the group is withholding information about themselves as they are embarrassed about what their friends will think of them. Why do they choose to reveal their secrets at Crater Lake?
- Lance confesses to locking Trent in the toilet to protect Chet. Similarly he tried to protect Chet against a wasp when they first met. Adrianne believes that sometimes it’s better to experience things for yourself so that you realize it’s not so bad. Is she right?
- Out of the group, who do you think you are most like? What would your job be when trying to take out the bug-eyes? (page 220)
- On page 228 Digger changes from human into an alien type creature. Using the description in the book can you draw what you think he ends up looking like?
If you would like to join in with our Children’s Book of the Month keep your eyes peeled when we announce June’s book in a few days time, Our review with book club questions is usually posted on the last Monday of the month and you can check out previous book of the months such as Orion Lost by Alastair Chisholm by clicking on the Young Adult/Kids button at the top of our Home Page.
