about the book
Devin and his grandfather were fortunate to live on a small, self-sustaining farm where the land was still rich. They were part of the lucky few. Climate change has devastated the rest of the planet and water is scarce. But now that granddad is dead, Devin can’t manage the farm alone.
Looking for help in the city, he sees that deceit, anarchy, and chaos reign. Kit, a thieving girl with a dark past, befriends Devin.
Soon they meet Roman, who offers them a safe haven at the Gabriel H. Penn Home for Childhood—a place with unlimited food, toys, and hope. Devin quickly realizes something is wrong. He has a condition called synesthesia which causes his senses to overlap. Colors have sounds and noises bring physical sensations. The Administrator tells Devin he is saving him for something “special”, which creeps him out. Devin notices some kids are listless and that others exhibit strange behavior. Devin is told to ignore it.
Devin and Kit eventually discover a zombie-like sickness taking over the Home. Imprisoned, they must find a way out before the sickness infects them, too.
about the author
Each year for Christmas, a young Tania Unsworth would write a story and give it to her father, who was a writer. At that time, though, she didn’t necessarily think she would end up an author. “I remember wanting to be a vet. Also, an archeologist,” she says. In the end, the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. “…I’ve never been serious about anything except writing,” she says.
Her family travelled around Greece and Turkey when she was young, and eventually settled in England. The experience left Tania with the feeling she wasn’t sure where home was. “Ever since then, I’ve been caught between wanting to roam the world and wanting to stay safe,” she says. “My writing reflects this.”
Tania has written two adult books and has recently completed her second young adult book. “It took me a while to realize that I’m better suited to writing for children,” she confesses. Tania understands the value of getting it wrong, whether it be the audience she’s writing for or the draft she’s working on. Making changes turns one into a better writer, she believes.
She considers herself a British author living in Boston, Massachusetts. She shares her home with her husband, two sons, a dog named Plum, and a pair of cats.
Sources:
Author website
Author interview: The Guardian
Author reflection: My Book, The Movie
Book trailer: The One Safe Place
Also by Tania Unsworth:
Brightwood. Algonquin Young Readers. 2016.
read more!
Brightwood by Tania Unsworth
Living alone with her wealthy mother in their decaying mansion, Daisy doesn’t know of life outside Brightwood Hall. She passes the time with her pet rat Tar and imaginary friends. After her mother leaves the house and doesn’t return, Daisy is left to fend for herself until a man claiming to be a relative shows up. He is more interested in the house than Daisy; it turns out there was a reason her mother was afraid to let her out of the house.
The Guardians by John Christopher
Two worlds divide Great Britain: the Conurb, a crumbling city where technology rules and the people survive week to week, and the Country, a land with pristine green fields, and farmland. After his father dies, Rob is sent to a horrible Conurb boarding school. Discovering that his mother was once from the Country, he crosses the barrier in search of a better life. Once Rob discovers that the Country only looks like a utopia, he must decide where he’d rather live.
The Supernaturalist by Eoin Colfer
When fourteen-year-old Cosmo Hill tries to escape from the Clarissa Frayne Institute for Parentally Challenged Boys, his plan goes terribly wrong. Strange blue parasites attack him, and he is near death when he is rescued by a gang of…kids? Is he hallucinating…or is this for real?