Years ago, the government dumped their nuclear waste in water and streams. They know better now, but in the small town of Richland, it bore consequence.
A sycamore tree drew it's energy from the waste in the earth, it's branches creeping and digging deeper and further. Then, when it could not survive on that energy alone, it found that it could live on the life force of humans, namely twelve year old boys. It didn't kill the boys, but kept them in a space between the living and the dead.
When Teddy Mathews moves to Richland, he wants to make new friends. His mom has a new job at the nuclear power plant and spends her time there. Teddy would rather stay inside and spend his days surfing the internet, but his mom wants him to make some friends, so he wonders and explores his new town.
He meets several boys, but whenever he goes back to see them, his surroundings change, develop, and it isn't long before he realizes that these boys are dead. They disappeared and were declared missing. Then there is the branches of the huge sycamore tree scratching at Teddy's window every night, trying to get in. Teddy is determined to solve the riddle and free the boys, until he realizes that Teddy is next. The tree wants Teddy and will stop at nothing to get him, even using Teddy's darkest fears to achieve it's goal.
The Dead Boys is a unique, yet chilling novel for young adults. The premise is logical, but the terror of the tree will leave you with goose bumps. A page-turning heart-thumping adventure for all ages!
Sounds like a unique and scary read. Thanks for sharing, Wendy!
ReplyDeleteSure sounds like a very scary book. Unfortunately, the premise is very real. I remember hearing of kids sledding down asbestos piles up in Canada. The companies knew the problems with that stuff, and yet money is more important than lives.
ReplyDeleteHow about the "Love" Canal up near Buffalo NY? So sad!