Grasshopper Jungle

Smith, A. (2014). Grasshopper jungle. New York: Dutton.

Austin is struggling with his own sexual identity because he as feelings for his best friend, Robby and his girlfriend, Shann.  While skateboarding and smoking cigarettes, Austin and Robby are attack and beat up by a gang of neighborhood bullies near Ealing Mall.   Robby is beat up pretty badly and bleeds all over the asphalt.  The bullies then proceed to steal their skateboards and shoes, then they throw their stuff onto the roof of a nearby store.  The boys go and get Shann then head back to the store to get their things.  As they climb onto the roof, they decide to sneak into the store through the roof.  As they are exploring the store, they come across some vials especially one labeled Contained MI Plague Strain 412E.  The neighborhood bullies break into the store and break one of the vials outside the store onto Robby’s blood stain spot.  The strain begins to take control of its first victims.  Infected citizens begin to shed their human skin and transform into giant, man-eating praying mantises.  Creatures just want to eat and mate.  They find films that were left from the strain’s creators.  Austin, Robby and Shann, then discover a safe, abandoned silo that is known as Eden.  The kids learn from an attack onto Robby that his blood is the only thing that can be used to defeat the giant praying mantises who were called “unstoppable soldiers” by the creators.  Robby’s blood is drawn and placed into paint balls but then as discover that it is too late, the creators have taking over the world.  An apocalypse had occurred and that there is no way to reverse the plague.  The only safe place for Austin, Robby, and Shann and their families is to live in the underground silo.  At the end of the novel, readers discover that Shann gives birth to Austin’s son, Arek. 

This science fiction, apocalyptic young adult readers will enjoy the author’s writing style and captivating plot.  Readers also see the inner struggles of Austin and his love for Robby and Shann.  The novel tends to focus on Austin’s sexual desires.  This novel does contain strong language and sexual content, so I recommend this book for 11^th grade and 12^th grade readers.