I’ve joined up with the IT’S MONDAY! WHAT ARE YOU READING? kid-lit edition, hosted by Unleashing Readers.
Today I’m featuring AWAY by Megan E. Freeman, the exciting follow-up to ALONE!
Read on for my review of the book, and then make sure you also check out the author’s list of top ten addictions to find out more about her!
Away by Megan E. Freeman Published by Aladdin on February 11, 2025
Genres: Action & Adventure, Dystopian, Middle Grade
Pages: 480
Source: Purchased, The Publisher
Cover Artist: Pascal Campion
My rating:
A group of children investigate the threat that prompted large-scale evacuations in this powerful and dramatic companion novel to the New York Times bestselling Alone told in multiple POVs.
After an imminent yet unnamed danger forces people across Colorado to leave their homes, a group of kids including an aspiring filmmaker and a budding journalist find themselves in the same evacuation camp. As they cope with the aftermath of having their world upended, they grow curious about the mysterious threat.
And as they begin to investigate, they start to discover that there’s less truth and more cover-up to what they’re being told. Can they get to the root of the conspiracy, expose the bad actors, and bring an end to the upheaval before it’s too late?
Buy from Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Bookshop.org
This book is a perfect companion to ALONE, for all those readers who loved the original story but wanted to know more about what the “imminent threat” was and exactly why everyone was evacuated! This book could also certainly stand on its own (or it could be read before Alone) because the action in this story takes place at the same time as the action in the first book.
The story follows four kids who are suddenly evacuated from their homes and sent to an emergency relocation camp. (One of the characters will be familiar to readers of Alone!) There, they stumble upon evidence that doesn’t match up with what the authorities are telling everyone, and they go on a quest to uncover the secrets of the imminent threat supposedly happening in their hometowns. The book is told in multiple formats—verse, letters and text messages, news articles and bulletins, and even scripts—which makes for an engaging journey of exploration for the reader and a very quick read. This is one of those stories that pulls the reader into the mystery so they don’t want to stop turning the pages—and the formatting makes it possible to read in just a few sittings. There’s plenty of action and mystery, but also a whole lot of heart, as readers will fall in love with these characters and be rooting for them the whole time (I especially loved sensitive Grandin and his quest to find his father after they get separated).
A fantastic companion novel, but also a riveting read in its own right!
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy! (But I also bought a copy of my own!)
About the Author
Megan E. Freeman attended an elementary school where poets visited her classroom every week to teach poetry, and she has been a writer ever since. Her New York Times bestselling novel in verse, ALONE, won the Colorado Book Award, the Illinois, Indiana, Japan, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nebraska, and Vermont Children’s Book Awards, is an NCTE Notable Verse Novel, and is included on over two dozen “best of” and state reading lists. Megan is also a Pushcart Prize-nominated poet, and her poetry chapbook, Lessons on Sleeping Alone, was published by Liquid Light Press. Her latest novel, AWAY, releases in February 2025 from Simon & Schuster and is a companion novel to ALONE.
MG posts since my last IMWAYR:
- Not exactly a typical MG post, but I did write up a post about the release party for my debut MG novel if you’re interested in seeing pics and hearing about that!
- Also, over at the Middle Grade Escapades blog, you can read a post from Cassandra Federman, who talks about her debut MG Graphic Novel, STORY SPINNERS!
What I’m currently reading:
Right now I’m actually listening to an adult novel (imagine that!): The Women by Kristin Hannah. SO many customers at Barens & Noble professed their love for this book that I just had to jump on the hype train—and I’m very glad I did. It’s one of those books that I’ve stayed up way too late listening to!! (I actually fell asleep last night while listening and woke up at a crucial moment in the plot and then couldn’t go back to sleep until I found out what happened!!)
What are some of your favorite books written in interesting formats? I want to know!
I’m glad you enjoyed Away so much and that it can be read as a stand-alone. Kasey at The Story Sanctuary reviewed it too. She really recommends it like you.
Yes – I still recommend reading ALONE (because it’s a great read!), but this can be read on its own for sure.