Crossing the Barrier

“The air outside the Barrier seems different, seems to hum with possibility. And every time I draw a breath of it I feel as though I’m leaving behind who I used to be and becoming something else.”

In The Dead-Tossed Waves, a companion book to The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan, Gabry and a group of her friends sneak outside the protective Barrier around their town and face the horror of the Mudo, people infected by a deadly virus that kills them and then brings them back to viciously attack, bite, and spread the infection.

I picked up The Forest of Hands and Teeth last summer because I was intrigued by the title, and after I read it, I passed it on to my sister and my nephew. We all shivered at the thought of those ferocious former humans out in the wilderness, waiting.

As this summer winds down, our two sons and many of their cousins and friends are packing and planning and preparing for new adventures in the exciting world outside the protection of the homes they’ve always known, leaving behind who they used to be and becoming something else.

Good luck, you guys! Stick together in the wilderness. Know that you can always come back to the comfort and safety of home. And watch out for the Mudo!

JoAnn Early Macken

P.S. You still have until 11 p.m. (CST) to enter our giveaway drawing for Miss Brooks Loves Books (and I don’t), written by Barbara Bottner and illustrated by Michael Emberley. See April's interview of Barbara for details.