Before there was Ember&;there was Yonwood. Discover the prophecy that started it all in this prequel to the The City of Ember&;a modern-day classic with over 4 MILLION copies sold!

Nickie will grow up to be one of the first citizens of the city of Ember. But for now, she is a girl who has just moved to the town of Yonwood. There, she discovers a place full of suspicion, where one citizen&;s visions of fire and destruction have turned everyone against each other. Eager to take her mind off her father&;s absence as he works on a mysterious government project, Nickie reads her great-grandfather&;s peculiar journals, spies on a reclusive neighbor who studies the heavens, and meets a strange boy who is fascinated with snakes&; all while keeping an eye out for trouble. But is it already too late to avoid a devastating war?
Praise for the City of Ember books:

Nominated to 28 State Award Lists!
An American Library Association Notable Children&;s Book
A New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing Selection
A Kirkus Reviews Editors&; Choice
A Child Magazine Best Children&;s Book
A Mark Twain Award Winner
A William Allen White Children&;s Book Award Winner
 
&;A realistic post-apocalyptic world. DuPrau&;s book leaves Doon and Lina on the verge of undiscovered country and readers wanting more.&; &;USA Today
 
&;An electric debut.&; &;Publishers Weekly, Starred
 
&;While Ember is colorless and dark, the book itself is rich with description.&; &;VOYA, Starred
 
&;A harrowing journey into the unknown, and cryptic messages for readers to decipher.&; &;Kirkus Reviews, Starred

While visiting the small town of Yonwood, North Carolina, eleven-year-old Nickie makes some decisions about how to identify both good and evil when she witnesses the townspeople's reactions to the apocalyptic visions of one of their neighbors.