The People of Sparks (The City of Ember)

The People of Sparks

I give the book The People of Sparks a 4 star rating because I think that it is a book that anyone can enjoy. It is a fun, suspenseful story that is a very well written book. The best part of the book was the breath taking feeling that the main characters Doon and Lina must have had in some situations. But none the less there were a few parts of the book that needed a bit more finishing up.

This novel was about two children finding a way out of the underground city that they call home. Their city was falling to pieces of lack of electricity and food. The great machine that held their city together was falling apart. Doon and Lina find a way out of the falling city and alert the others. When they came to the surface they were stunned to see a blue sky,trees,grass and many rolling hills. All the 400 people of the underground city walk for many miles till they find a town they ask for shelter and food, will the city take them in.....or will they have to live on their own in the wilderness knowing nothing about the real world that they're on?

My favorite part of the whole book was the begining when they emerged from the cave that they lived in and saw so many strange things that they have never even dreamed about! Like trees, grasses, hills and even animals, that would be like us living in a world that everything was upside down. The roots of plant would be above ground and the leaves and branches were underground. I couldn't imagine seeing a bird flying or a furry beast on all four of its legs eating grass or drinking from a pond! Overall i think that everyone and anyone can read the People of Sparks.

JAKE D.

I am a 6th grade student. "The People of Sparks" was an amazing book. It was about a girl and boy, Lina and Doon, who found an exit out of the dying city of Ember. Ember was dying because they were losing electricity so they would be underground surrounded by darkness if they did not leave Ember. The Emberites had to walk many days until they found the City of Sparks. It takes place after a disaster almost wipes out the whole human race. So a few people load up supplies to look for survivors and their car breaks down and sparks fly out of their car so they start a town called Sparks. They have to start over making society and begin a new town. They saw many things that they had never seen before. Two out of the three town leaders voted the four hundred Emberties could stay for six months. Most Emberites stayed in the Pioneer hotel. The others stayed with members of Sparks. Lina, Poppy and Mrs. Murdo stayed at the Sparks' doctor's house. She lived there with her nephew, Torren. Torren doesn't like the idea of the Emberites staying in his room. Doon lives in a hotel room with his father and some other residents of Ember. Soon the Emberites are not getting enough food and the people of Sparks are calling them names. They are also thought to be dumb because they have never seen these things before. Will the two groups survive together? Read and find out!

I recommend this book to anyone who likes books about nature. This book is very exciting and it puts a perfect image in your head. I hope my review has helped you choose to read The People of Sparks.

The People of Sparks is the sequel to the book The City of Ember. Lina and Doon have led the Emberites out of Ember and into an unknown land, called Sparks. The story is about the people of Sparks living with and excepting the Emberites.

Sparks is a unique land compared to Ember. They do not have any electricity, and many of the plants in Ember are unheard of in Sparks, as well as the other way around. As the Emberites start to learn, before Sparks there was something called the Disaster that nearly wiped everything out. Some things that the Emberites had in Ember were extinct in Sparks.

Sparks was only one town; there were many other cities that were destroyed in the Disaster. There used to be animals and other people, but now only the people of Sparks and the roamers are left. The Emberites remember how their life used to be, and that memory helps them adapt in this new land.

Sparks has many normal features of a town as we know it, but with so many things gone because of the Disaster, it seems so different. It is fun to compare our world, Sparks, and Ember, because there are so many differences. The people of Sparks are amazed when the Emberites don't know about so many things.

The People of Sparks is a very good book. I would give it a 4 star rating, because the start was a little slow, but it got very exciting in the end. I think Jeanne DuPrau does an excellent job of continuing the story of The City of Ember in this story. I would recommend this book to people who want to see what happened after The City of Ember. It kept me reading until the book was finished.

I am a sixth grade student. "The People of Sparks" was an amazing book. It was about a girl and boy, Lina and Doon, who found an exit out of the dying city of Ember. Ember was dying because they were losing electricity so they would be underground surrounded by darkness if they did not leave Ember. The Emberites had to walk many days until they found the City of Sparks. It takes place after a disaster almost wipes out the whole human race. So a few people load up supplies to look for survivors and their car breaks down and sparks fly out of their car so they start a town called Sparks. They have to start over making society and begin a new town. They saw many things that they had never seen before. Two out of the three town leaders voted the four hundred Emberties could stay for six months. Most Emberites stayed in the Pioneer hotel. The others stayed with members of Sparks. Lina, Poppy and Mrs. Murdo stayed at the Sparks' doctor's house. She lived there with her nephew, Torren. Torren doesn't like the idea of the Emberites staying in his room. Doon lives in a hotel room with his father and some other residents of Ember. Soon the Emberites are not getting enough food and the people of Sparks are calling them names. They are also thought to be dumb because they have never seen these things before. Will the two groups survive together? Read and find out!

I recommend this book to anyone who likes books about nature. This book is very exciting and it puts a perfect image in your head. I hope my review has helped you choose to read The People of Sparks.

Although this is a very different book than The City of Ember, it is a perfect sequel, and not disappointing in the least. While The City of Ember may have been more inventive, in terms of an underground city that was on its last leg, this is infinitely more profound.

It's still inventive, though. A terrible Disaster has befallen the Earth, and the Emberites learn that they were sent to live below the Earth, in the event that the Disaster did, in fact, occur, and so that one day they could return to the surface and repopulate the world. If that isn't a terrific idea, I'm not sure what is.

The Emberites luckily find themselves in one of the more prosperous towns. As most in the town of Sparks are good and decent people, they agree to feed these strange newcomers for a certain amount of time, and while doing so teach them basic survival skills. As one can imagine, no Emberite possesses the skills to survive on the surface. All they knew was Ember, and the simple rules that governed survival in that city.

Sparks has its own governing rules, and Ms. DuPrau really shows a deft hand at creating intriguing cultures. It's obvious that she gave considerable thought to a post-apocalyptic world, and her vision of it is refreshing and true.

Sadly, greed raises its ugly head, on both sides, and the cultures have a terrible clash. But an important lesson is learned. It may seem trite to some, but it really is a powerful message. Paraphrased, it goes something like this: If someone does something mean to you, instead of doing something mean in return, try and do something good for them. The opportunity for such a deed presents itself, and we see this good faith effort in action. If I say more, it will be too revealing.

The ending of the book caused odd salty drops to fall from my eyes, because it brought the entire sequence full circle. The Emberites, we see, had something to teach the people of Sparks - and perhaps the whole world. Together, they are stronger than they are apart.

It's a heartwarming and beautiful story. I look forward to her next book with immense anticipation.

The People of Sparks is Book Two in the Ember series and tells the story of what happens after the people of Ember find their way into the regular world. They find their way to a village called Sparks where the community has just managed to prosper in the post-apocolyptic Earth. Things start off well, with the people of Sparks trying to help the Emberites adjust to the world in the sun, but not everyone is thrilled and the stress of supporting 400 people grows. Can Lina and Doon find a way to keep the peace before a war erupts?

This book is interesting because it explores what would happen if a group of people who have worked so hard and suffered so much to create their village are forced to suddenly take care of a large group of people without the ability to support themselves. But though the topic is interesting, the novel progresses very slowly. It takes a long time for the story to really find its voice and find the interesting things.

This story felt a little more preachy than the first one, it had more of an obvious message. It's still good and interesting, especially if you are like me and want to know what happens next with the characters.

The People of Sparks, the sequel to The City of Ember, is even better than the first book. This can't-put-it-down story makes the reader feel as if he, too, is living in Sparks and struggling alongside the survivors of Ember and the townspeople of Sparks who are looking for a viable solution to their problem. Exactly what is the solution for a city of 417 people who come from a dying underground city to an agricultural community of 300 hardworking people who had just managed to build their economy to the point that no one had to go hungry? Where will the Emberites live? Will their be enough food? Will the people of Sparks continue to welcome the people of Ember when it means going hungry themselves?

All of this takes place in a post-global-disaster setting where electricity and motor cars are magical things of the past. "Roamers" search through the vast array of abandoned homes, buildings, and cities for useful items to trade for food. Villagers anxiously await the arrival of the next Roamer in hopes of trading for something needed, such as soap, clothing, or much-coveted matches (five matches are worth two pairs of shoes).

When conflict arises between the Emberites and the people of Sparks, will they be able to peacefully resolve their problems or are they doomed to repeat the violence which resulted in disaster two centuries before? This book is a wonderful treasure with an all-important underlying moral.

Lighting the people around you!, July 16, 2005
A Kid's Review
Lina & Doon lead their people into a world where the sky is blue and light comes from the sky. But when they finally find civilization they have more things coming than they think!
They had found out about the disaster (the tree plagues and 4 wars) which they guess is why Ember was built. But when the people of Sparks and people of Ember find differences between each other, Tick (some guy from Ember) plans the have war. At first, Doon thought it was a good idea but then when his father said what might happen he breaks away from Tick.
Meanwhile, Lina snuck on a roamers truck (it belonged to the brother of a kid from Sparks who was searching for a treasure) and discovered some more things like this poem:

Remember the city, the city remember
where treasure is hidden under ground
the city the city always remember
that's where the treasure will be found

Try and figure that one out!

Now it is up to Doon and Lina (when she gets back) to find a way to settled the differences between Sparks and Ember.

To find out if they succeed, read the marvelous sequel to the City of Ember - The People of Sparks!!!

This second Book of Ember examines what happens next after Lina and Doon lead the citizens of Ember out into the light of the real world. They find other survivors who are not exactly happy to see them. In the fight for scarce resources, the Emberites nearly wear out their welcome with the People of Sparks. Of course, it's all about learning to live together eventually.

The People of Sparks did not knock my socks off but it is a worthy sequel and I was interested in learning what happened when the citizens of Ember had to confront the harsh reality of life outside their former cocoon-like existence. DuPrau's story is good metaphor for growing up--one that tries a bit too hard sometime but a very worthy read.

The overall series is strong with one notable misfire: I give The City of Ember (Books of Ember) 5 stars; The People of Sparks 3.5 stars; the misbegotten and unnecessary prequel The Prophet of Yonwood (Books of Ember) 1 star; and the redemptive finale The Diamond of Darkhold: The Fourth Book of Ember (Books of Ember) 4 stars. Recommended for thoughtful readers ages 8-12.

The People of Sparks is the worthy sequel to the The City of Ember. Although the two books have very different themes and plots, the People of Sparks has a very clear theme. This awesome book starts with the people of the underground city, Ember, starting a new life in the land above, with the People of Sparks.

But, aboveground, much had happened. Wars and sicknesses had destroyed almost all humans off the face of Earth. The People of Sparks were the few towns that were prospering after the Great Diaster. But, because of the trouble of training the people of Ember to learn how to survive and with the food draining, the tension between the people of Ember and the people of Sparks grow and grow until war explodes between the two groups.

DuPrau has outdone herself in The People of Sparks. It expresses the horror that can happen to us, humans, if we do not work together in harmony and survive together. I loved the ending of this book as the people of Ember and Sparks come together to erase their mistakes and to teach each other their talents. Also in the end, hope sparks up again as one of our main character bring electricity aboveground again.

I think that the City of Ember and the People of Sparks are rare books with interesting plots that drives readers on. I love DuPrau's imagination for our future and her warning for readers. Read this book!

This book picks up immediately where The City of Ember left off. The people of Ember find Doon and Lina's note and have made it to the surface just as the lights in Ember were going out for good. They follow Lina and Doon through the strange new world and end up weary and dazed at the town of Sparks. It turns out that this town is one of the largest and most thriving settlements since after the disaster/war that has nearly wiped out mankind. At first the townsfolk cannot believe anything about an underground city with lights that the Ember populace tell them about. But their pale skins, small sizes and ragged overly heavy clothing convinces the Sparks elders that this could be from living without sun and maybe the Emberites are truthful.

The elders have to decide what to do with the Emberites since turning them away would surely mean their death. The Emberites have no skills related to building and farming and no livestock to sustain them. However, the people of Sparks have just enough food for their own populace and an extra 400 people would mean hard times and shortages for them. They decide to let the Emberites stay for 6 months during which they will be taught all the skills to live on their own and can then leave to build their own town elsewhere.

This turns out to be a problem as the Emberites are not used to hard toil, changing weather climates, sun, insects, etc. and therefore start to take a long time to adjust. The differences in the two townsfolk cause extreme animosity between the two groups that may lead to a "war." Doon and Lina saved the people of Ember once and have their work cut out for them this time to do it again.

The book is a little bit slower than the first book but is a good story nonetheless. It shows that a little bit of hatred can blow a minor incident out of proportion, especially where people pre-judge the incident without knowing the facts. That one misunderstood incident could lead to a war.

The book does give us a clue as to what happened to the rest of the world and seem to resolve most of its issues by the end. I would recommend reading the first book prior to reading this one though, to get a better flavor of the Emberites and what their culture was like.

The book The People of Sparks by Jeanne DuPrau is a book that I liked. I liked it because of the plot and the conflict.

The plot is awesome! the people of Ember have come to meet other people above ground. The people from above ground are nice at first, but then they start to turn against each other. The main plot is the growing friction between the people of Sparks and the people of Ember. THe groups are silently detesting each other until a couple of things happen and the hate turns into a full-scale riot. There's an interesting twist at the end of the story.

The conflicts in The People of Sparks are big and small. If you've read the first book then you know who Doon and Lina are. They start to become distant after a while. A great disaster in the city of Sparks is what it takes to bring the once friends together again. The other conflict is the one mentioned earlier, the one between Sparks and Ember. There are other conflicts, but they are insignificant and would take forever to describe.

You've read a brief description of the great book called The People of Sparks by Jeanne DuPrau. If you had any sense, you'd read it!

What follows is a review of The People of Sparks from Madelyn, one of my wonderful 4th grade students.....

My teacher gave me this book to read during guided reading and I thought it would be horrible, but I really liked it. I would recommend the People of Sparks to any kids from age 8 and up who like mysteries and adventure.

It starts out when friends Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow find the way out of their dying city, The City of Ember. I don't think I could have ever done anything like that. Things turn out to be not so good when The People of Ember are forced to leave the City of Sparks. Will they leave? Or find a way to stay? Find out in this sequel to "The City of Ember", "The People of Sparks".

I like this book because it is full of adventure and mystery. It is like no book I have ever read before. I wonder what gave Jeanne DuPrau the idea for these books.

Upon finishing the City of Ember, the first amazing book of the series, I was curious to learn what would happen next. I had high hopes considering how wonderful The City of Ember was. I was not disappointed - it included all the aspects I enjoyed about the first book.

The book covers the struggle to exist peacefully together and avoid war. The Emberites leave their home and enter the city of Sparks, where they meet many challenges with a huge group of over four-hundred people. The reluctant Sparks come to their aid, providing shelter and food for the new people. However, tensions soon arise, beginning with food and then shifting to a wider range of problems. Soon their is a lurking hostility between the Emberites and the people of Sparks, led on by unknown attacks to both sides. Soon the two groups are on the edge of war - and again, it is up to Lina and Doon to save the day.

We also meet a wide variety of new and interesting characters. The city's three mayors - the kind Mary Waters, the harsh and cold Ben Barlow, and the undecided Wilmer Dent struggle to decide what to do about the people of Ember in the hard times between them. We meet the city's one and only doctor, the busy and absent-minded Dr. Hester, and her nephew who lives with her, the mean and destructive Torren. We learn more about old characters as well, and meet a new Emberite, a boy called Tick who is the leader in the soon-to-be war between the Emberites and the People of Sparks.

This book is fantasy and adventure themed, but also teaches lessons about how war is destructive, and destroys things. We find more out about Ember and what protection it served, as well as what destroyed so much hundreds of years before. All in all, it is a great addition to the series, and a great book.

I have to admit that I didn't finish this book. The big reason why I didn't was that I was reading it the same week that Harry Potter 7 came out. I knew that if I hadn't finished it and then picked up HP7 that my interest in this story would have waned by the time I was done. I was right.

Don't get me wrong, the story of Lina and Doon and the Emberites trying to carve out a life for themselves in the newfound village called Sparks was interesting. But, overall I didn't have the same charge from it that I had reading Ember, no pun intended. I might still have found this story dull, HP7 not withstanding. Whereas that story was fun and eventful this story feels lackluster and cold, and the morality lessons that are preached here are just predictable. I didn't really have the desire to power through it in time for HP7, and I don't really have the desire to read the prequel "The Prophet of Yonwood" either. I really liked the beginning of the book, but the end just lost steam.

"The People of Sparks" ~ Jeanne DuPrau

This book was the sequel to "The City of Ember," a book that I reviewed exceptionally favorably. This book...well, I was disappointed. Not to say that it wasn't good, it was just...different than the first I suppose.

I will not be putting in a synopsis of the book as I did the last one because of the extreme possibility of spoilers. That being said, I just felt that this book moved slower than the first. I was not on the edge of my seat the way I was with the first, and therefore, the book lost a lot of its spark (no pun intended).

The overall message of the book was phenomenal: "Make love not war," and considering the audience it was written for (pre-teens) it is exceptionally deep and thought-provoking with many incidents leading up to the final conflict that make the reader stop and think.

The bottom line is...it was ok. I expected more after the first book however.

Three stars.

Awesome Book!
Jeanne DuPrau's book, The People of Sparks, was marvelous. I personally and emotionally loved it! It moved me in so many ways, and it taught me an important message;Don't be afraid to stand out! Another thing it taught me was: Never call someone "weird" unless you get to know their side of the story, too. For example, when Doon and Lina came to Sparks, people acted like they had "Cave Disease."
The plot of her story also affected me greatly. My favorite part was when Doon and Lina finally proved that they could be trusted. I thought the people would never accept them. However, I was completely wrong. They actually accepted them! I almost screamed!
Out of all of the characters, my favorite was Doon. He's brave, honest, and friendly. My second favorite would have to be Lina. They both can be friendly, and are very nice. Thank-you for writing this book, Jeanne!

I hadn't read City of Ember and this book read fine. The story starts with the note that Lina and Doon sent back to their city. The message gets through and many people from Ember climb to the surface and wander out to explore their new world. Luckily they come to the City of Sparks before they die of starvation and exposure.

The theme running through People of Sparks is war. The story is set in the distopian future, after a Disaster somehow destroyed all of civilization. The descendants of survivors have founded the city of Sparks, where they have finally achieved stability after years of subsistence farming and starvation. Ember was apparently a giant bomb shelter designed to ensure the continued existence of the human race. No one who remembers the Disaster is still alive, but everyone knows it was bad.

Limited resources (food) ensure that there will be tension from the beginning. The populations of both cities are similar and so the people from Sparks will have half as much food as they had planned on. They agree to host the people from Ember for six months and teach them farming skills. Some of the people from Ember are housed in a vacant hotel and some stay in houses with Sparks families. Here Lina (main female character from City of Ember) and Doon (main male character from City of Ember) are separated. Lina lives with the town doctor and Doon lives in the hotel. Lina and her adoptive mother and younger sister become a part of the doctor's family, while Doon and the people in the hotel feel very much as if they are still their own city.

The people from Ember are given small rations. They begin to complain. The people from Sparks begin to complain about having less food for themselves and not getting any gratitude in exchange. One bad turn deserves another slightly worse turn, and soon it looks as if history will repeat itself with another war.

The moral is definitely easy to identify here. Side comments by minor characters connect the present conflict with the Disaster and help Lina and Doon independently piece together a way to prevent war in the city of Sparks. So this has a slightly deeper way of saying war is bad. Frequently we see that both sides are in the right but clearly they have to change direction. There is a lot of moral ambiguity when it comes to characters - no villains. To make it short: The moralizing here did not feel heavy handed.

Overall this is a good book. The message is one that is difficult to present without being extremely cheesey. Here is has been pulled off. This is good for children who can grasp concepts like a grey area between right and wrong - so maybe around fifth grade and older. There are many small details that I think would have appealed to me as a child and it was still a good read for me as an adult.

The People of Sparks was an exellent novel in many ways and the perfect ending to the novel that started it all , The City of Ember. The second novel, The people of Sparks, ended all question as to what happens to all the people coming up from the under ground city and seeing the land that they have missed out on for the first time in many generations. However, I do have to say that I enjoyed Duprau's first novel, The City of Ember, more than its sequal because of all the suspense and the fast pace reading i did juts to see what was going to happen next. The People of Sparks, like The City of Ember, had an unexpected ending and realistic characters that were easy to relate to. The suprising truths that come out of Doon and Lina throughout the novel are ones that I would never have thought would occur. I enjoyed this novel and hope to read another similar book from Jeanne Duprau.

I think the readers will read this book if they like action and adventure.they should read this book because it tells how the people of Ember emerges from their city to the outside world they don't know.Then the Sparks showed them around and let the emberites stay,but as time passes,they get mad at each other and a fight started.My thoughts about the protagonist (Lina) was amazed at the outside world and learned things fast also took some risks.M85y thoughts about the antagonist (Tick) is that all he wanted was war.He also was smart and sly.My thoughts about this book is like (for example) Bob doesn't like Joe,but Bob helped Joe on his math homework because Bob thought Joe didn't know how.then when Joe turned his math homework in,he bragged he got an A at Bob.then a fight started.his is sort of what this book is about.

I am a fourth grade language arts teacher who is always looking for well-written, appropriate, relevant books. I had previously read "The City of Ember" which tells the story of an unknown, underground city on the verge of collapse. The ending left me hanging ... I needed to find out what happened next! So I ordered "The People of Sparks' and it did not disappoint. In fact, I think I liked it even better than the first book. The author does a great job portraying characters that 10 year olds to adults can identify with. The issues addressed are relevant to today's society and emotions. War, anger, empathy, friendship are all addressed in a way that makes the reader relate to the characters without being too didactic. The story will make you really think about today's world and the consequences of our actions. It would be great to use for extension into other subjects (science, government, writing). It's a fascinating read, I could hardly put it down.

I was a bit skeptical when my children, with whom I had read the "City of Ember," came to me asking for the sequel. It seemed to me that book was in a way complete, and had dealt with the issues it had to deal with in a very thoughtful and intelligent and readable way. I didn't think there was much mileage to be gotten from putting the same people in a new situation to see how they fared there. I was wrong; as a sequel this book performs admirably, taking the characters from the first into a new set of interesting struggles and raising a number of very important but new issues along the way. In the first book, we find our heroes in an underground city, which we discover was prepared for them to protect them from a catastrophe. In this book we discover more about the nature of that catastrophe - both war and environmental disaster. More importantly, the situations in this book prepare the reader to ask why such disasters occur in the first place and how they can be avoided. Reading this book provided an excellent opportunity to speak with my children about the motivations of war and conflict -- issues that they can't help but face in today's world. The book also prepares the reader, without sentimentality or preaching, to consider what it would take to resolve conflicts without killing each other and ourselves.

The is the second in the Ember series.

The first in the series was better. This one was OK.

Here, the people of Ember all get out into the outside world and meet the people of Sparks. Things there are not really easy. The appearance of the people of Ember causes problems pretty quickly - limited resources and all that. How do they get things to settle down? Read it and find out. Along the way, some interesting things happen.

This book is aimed at a young audience but it could be liked by adults. It is very "real" world for younger children I think - lots of fighting for one thing.

Two others follow in the series - at least so far. I wonder how it all turns out. Number three is a prequel though.

Four hundred people from Ember have made it into the outside world, to a town where they've decided to integrate. The people of Sparks, however, have different ideas. They feed, house, and train the refugees, but supplies are dwindling and tension is rising.

Jeanne DuPrau brings up some big issues in a non-preachy way. Warfare, refugees, greed, hunger, toil, secrets, and lies are all major players, but the characters make these elements work. Lina and Doon are definitely flawed, but stick with them and they'll come through. Realistic, relevant, thoughtful, entertaining, and emotional, THE PEOPLE OF SPARKS is a brilliant sequel to tough-to-beat THE CITY OF EMBER. I've already reserved my copy of THE DIAMOND OF DARKHOLD...

In this version we are in the City of Sparks. I won't tell you where that is or how we get here. I enjoyed the first book better than the this one but this one is still good. Again the narrator is awesome, but some of the voices that she uses for the new characters are bit annoying i.e. Tick). I'd say the first half of the book moved too slow for me, even in a short audio, but the second half more than made up for it. I really found myself constantly switching sides and I think the issues expressed are difficult ones. I love the message of this story and found it very telling of human nature. I think this is a great discussion book for middle grades.

I went in search of this book after finishing "The City of Ember" in paperback, which contains the first chapter of the sequel. I was hoping that some of the things I was bothered by in "The City of Ember" would be corrected in this second novel. Unfortunately, they were not.

It seems to be Ms. DuPrau's style to hit her readers over the head with the moral of the story. Now, granted, I am about 10 years older than the people for whom the story was intended, but I think that if I, at 12 years old, had read this, I would have been offended at the lack of subtlety on the author's part in conveying her message.

That doesn't detract from the fact that this was a very entertaining book, however. The plot was really interesting, and because I had already met and grown to know the characters in the first book, I cared a great deal about what happened to them in this book.

Also, what I really enjoyed was the fact that Lina and Doon have been portrayed as equals throughout both of these novels. Both have moral issues they need to resolve, both are involved in heroic acts. While the character development leads me to believe that there is the potential of a more romantic relationship between the two, the fact that there isn't does not detract from the plot (i.e. no tension that isn't about friendship).

I would definitely recommend "The People of Sparks" to fans of the first book, and fans of good YA fiction.

Lina and Doon are on a mission to find a way to get out of Ember, a city underground. They find the way out and they arrive in a city called Sparks. The Emberites are amazed by the green grass, the blue sky, and the clouds. The people that live in Sparks don't want the people of Ember to live there. They live there anyway. The people of Sparks and Ember hate eachother.

Lina takes a journey with a roamer to find a hidden treasure in an ancient city. A roamer is a person that looks for rare items. When she gets back, the people of the two cities are ready to start a war. The Sparks used their most secret weapon. This makes everything catch on fire. Everyone works together to put it out. Then at the end of the story, something happens that you thought would never happen between the Emberites and the Sparks.

This is one of the best books I have ever read. I think this book is for middle school readers.

Even though I was excited to read this sequel, I was a little disappointed. It may be because I'm reading what I would consider a "heavy" book at the same time. The people of sparks seemed high and mighty to me because the Emberites had little knowledge about above ground happenings. That really shouldn't have been a reason for them to act like they did though. The "cave dwellers" have their own special knowledge that the Sparks villagers wouldn't know about either. I hate that both sides would jump into war so easily when they are post apocalyptic and there aren't really that many humans left to begin with.

I enjoyed this sequel to The City of Ember immensely. In addition to being a well written story with great character depth, it also taught valuable lessons. It taught how easy it is for wars to get started, and how sometimes you have to be the better person. It taught not to assume the worst about someone just because they are unfamiliar to you. And it taught that sometimes the best treasure is other people.

I loved this series so much, I read all 4 in 4 days. I wish the series kept going, but I was pleased with the entire ending, overall.

In this book they are rebuilding their city after finding out that they have lived underground for 240+ years, and find the village of Sparks and start to unite their two groups. This is the struggle of two kids who just want to help their people and their new village through the hard times of the winter.

The science-fiction book "The People of Sparks" by Jeanne DuPrau is my favorite book. My favorite characters are Torren and Poppy. I like Torren even though he's a jerk because he's only a jerk because of his family issues, and a lot of people can relate. I like Poppy though because she's the cute little baby that's fun-loving and sometimes can be a troublemaker. DuPrau's writing style is good at describing feelings and things. She knows how to keep the action going and can put you on the edge of your seat. I love this book because it's creative and it's a good idea. There's action, fires, new people, and worse tempers. I didn't want to put it down. DuPrau's writing is very descriptive and well-written. You can feel the emotions she writes in this book. It takes you places in your mind you weren't before. Kids probably around 8-15 might be interested in this book.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was a great continuance to The City of Ember. The characters of Lina & Doon are so intriguing. The book was a little predictable, but I don't fault it for that, it is a young reader's novel after all. I loved the way the people of Ember had no clue about things on earth. Or the concept of earth! They had never seen a cow or the sun, had no clue about seasons. I also really enjoyed Torren's "treasures" and the experiment Doon performs at the end. A very uplifting book that I would recommend to anyone. I have read negative reviews about the next book in the series, so I may skip ahead to the fourth one.

After having read "City of Ember" with my 9-year-old son, we were both looking forward to this second installment in the series.

Unfortunately, we started this book, but did not finish it as the author indulged a little too much in social commentary that will doubtless be consistent with some parents' world views, while inconsistent with others (such as myself).

It was quite a shame, really, because author Jeanne Duprau had set the stage so wonderfully in the prequel, City of Ember, that we could hardly wait for the sequel. In fact, I was glad my son brought the first book home after this sequel had already been published. That way we didn't have to wait - we immediately checked out this book to continue the story.

In The People of Sparks, the heroes of our last story, 12-year-old Lina Mayfleet and her friend Doon Harrow, have led the population of the city of Ember from beneath the earth, where it has existed in total isolation for several centuries, to a world completely unknown to the city's 400 remaining inhabitants: the surface. Sky, sunlight, trees, birds, animals, and countless other "discoveries" greet the Emberites along with something even more surprising: a race of surface-dwelling people.

The book takes the reader on a journey of how these two races must learn to get along, avoiding war in the process, and discussing the horrific nuclear war that nearly destroyed civilization in the first place, driving Ember's ancestors underground to preserve the human race many centuries before.

The problem that I had with this book was not the plot, the dialog, or the quality of the story. Ms. Duprau is an accomplished writer and demonstrated her formidable talent in the prequel to this book. My problem, as noted earlier, was that she allowed her political views to spill over heavily into this book, and these views may not necessarily be consistent with those of the young reader's parents.

My son and I tried to discuss these issues as the book proceeded, but frankly, both of us lost interest as the story bogged down and became more and more of a social commentary, in sharp contrast to the excitement Ms. Duprau had given us in "Ember." Kids of all ages can't resist a scavenger hunt, and that's exactly what we got in the first book as Lina and Doon pieced together clues that eventually led them and their fellow Emberites to the new world.

I don't intend to criticize Ms. Duprau's worldview or politics. I merely point out that they come through heavily in this book, and those views may not coincide with the parents' views. At minimum, parents should read this book with their children to discuss the issues raised. Better yet, read the book first as a parent and then decide if it is suitable for your child. If so, read it together and discuss it.

So, for the reasons noted above, I'm only giving the book 2 stars. Neither my son nor I found this one to be as exciting or enjoyable as the first book. So much so, that we both decided it was too boring to finish.

The City of Ember was an O.K. book so I sort of wanted to read the sequel to it. I thought it would be just as good as its predecessor, but I was soooo wrong.

When I read a book, I go for the storyline, not the morals. Adding morals would be a good idea, but storyline always goes first. The People of Sparks reverses that whole idea: It has a strong sense of moralization, but a bad storyline.

There wasn't very much storyline at all. There was no character development. And there was Deus ex Machina ending and a lot of coincidences. Another thing was a whole pointless part. Nothing happened. Maybe it was just there to make the book longer. Or it was there to show how bad the Disaster was. Which didn't provoke anything in me. (What was the whole point of Lina's city, anyway?)

As you read the book, we are repeated the message, "OMG!!!!!!! YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING NICE TO THE PEOPLE WHO DO BAD THINGS TO YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OTHERWISE WE'LL ALL DIE!!!!!!!11111111337111111ohnoes!!!!1 That whole theme was so prevailent and obvious through the entire book. Why couldn't it be like the video game Tales of Symphonia? That game managed to subtlety put it in there with the quote, "Hate breeds more hate." They don't shove it down your throat like this book does. In fact, I think that the game makes better moral points (If that's even a thing) than this whole book! (Sort of... But hey, it's not shoved down your throat and so obvious!)

And I think that the people of Sparks and Ember sort of overreacted to the whole thing. Why didn't they just have some sort of talk or something? And why were they all following a command of a teenager?

Horrible as it is, we all still wonder what happened to Doon and Lina. Do NOT buy this book, get it out of your local library or borrow it from a friend. I don't believe Ms. DuPrau deserves money for a horrible, un-subtle, cliched, and juvenile book with a Deus ex Machina ending. The only redeeming feature was this book's good descriptions. But it's not good enough to pull this book's score in to a two.

Another review you should see is behappy2005k's bad 2nd to a wonderful 1st.

This book is even better than the first book in the series. Lina and Doon have saved the people of ember, now that everyone is above ground what will they do?
Will they find safety in a town called Sparks or will there be problems?
Guaranteed to be a book that will be enjoyed by readers of all ashes

I've read many fantastic books, but my favorite of all is The People of Sparks by Jeannue DuPrau. When the people of Ember come from underground they meet the people of Sparks and they help the Emberites to live. The only problem is that the village of Sparks can't hold and feed the Emberites forever. When the people of Ember find out that the village of Sparks want them to leave and have to build their own village from scratch they get filled with rage. Will the Emberites calm down and agree to build their village from scratch or will they have war to eat and live there forever.

The second Book of Ember was better than the first. Like the first book, Lina and Doon continue to show incredible courage. They teach the reader that all people are able to lead by example. Through challenges, Lina and Doon come out even stronger than before. DuPrau does an excellent job of showing her readers how easily misunderstandings can turn into anger and that violence is never the answer. This is a great read for children of all ages.

I found out about this book after I'd used the previous book for a book report. I liked that book so much that I gave this one try. The People of Sparks picked up right where the last book left off. It also introduced many new, colourful characters. This book was as intresting and entertaining as the last book, but also was very tricky. The author left clues everywhere, but you wouldn't expect a thing until a plan unfolded. The People Of Sparks is fantasy, mystery, adventure, and much more, wrapped up in one. This is a total page turner! And it all started with a book report. =)

Usually sequels are a real let down, especially volume #2. This however is one of the best sequels I've encountered. It is good enough to stand on it's own but paired with the first volume, City of Ember it's sparkling characters are a treasure. Indeed Lina and Doon are so real and well developed you can't help but be drawn into their birth into a whole new world. This book really speaks to the unique cultural differences between the villagers and the new arrivals and how hard it can be to get along.

This would be a great middle school literature unit.

I'm a HUGE fan of the first book (read my review and you'll see), so I was very eager to read the sequal and when it finally arrived I couldn't wait to start it.

Sadly, it didn't live up to my expectations. I felt that almost everything I loved about the first book was missing.

The biggest problem I had with this book was that I felt, almost the whole time, that the purpose of the story was to teach me a lesson. This is fine, but I've always believed that good fiction should entertain first and be concerned with thematic and moral issues second. The lesson in this book was so heavy-handed and obvious and I felt that it was driven in over and over again until I just wanted to go to sleep. Worst of all, I could see where it was going to end from a mile away. This contrasts with the first book, where I was frantically turning pages to see how the story would end.

The moralizing in this book seemed to have an effect on characterization as well. Doon, most of all, seemed to lose much of what made him interesting in the first book. There were some well written additions to the cast, though. Torren was my favorite of the new characters, and Maddy was also interesting.

I really wanted to see more of the new world and the cities mentioned throughout the book. The idea of the Roamers was inventive and I enjoyed that subplot the best. if only it would have been explored further.

I want to make it clear that I'm not critiquing the message of the book. Equality and civil rights are absolutely imperitive in any society. I'm just concerned that a story with a lot of potential was sacrificed in order to teach the reader a lesson that they probably already knew in the first place.

I really enjoyed the 1st book in the Ember series, so I had no doubt that I'd read this one. I didn't write a review for The City of Ember, but I'd give it 4 to 4.5 stars. I didn't like The People of Sparks as much. DuPrau's style is still here, so I enjoyed the characters and setting (she does a fabulous job with description and dialog). But the story seems drawn out and didn't hold the same level of suspense for me that The City of Ember did.

I had some issues with the rushed ending of Ember, and I think this book would've been better if shortened to 1/4 its length and simply made into the final chapters of Ember. For me, that would've been a more well-rounded story that still left room for a sequel or two.

I'll let the kids' reviews decide how good this book is for its target audience. But it definitely spoke to issues I'm wrestling with as a middle-aged mother, living in a neighborhood that is struggling with sudden racial and economic changes. Sentiments expressed by the people of Ember and of Sparks sounded uncomfortably familiar--not just from my immediate situation but from far more infamous parts of the world and of history. I think the author has done a great job of addressing multiple issues of nonviolence in a creative setting that portrays human nature very realistically. Nonviolent problem solving is so much more complex than "make love not war." This book recognizes that and gives some sobering food for thought.

After reading The City of Ember, this was a great addition. Athough Lina and Doon are seperated in most of this book, you have the opportunity to travel around and find out what the surrounding area around Sparks is like.

Certainly different then the first book, not quite as action packed, but good. My 8 year old daughter loved it, She gave it 5 stars. Myself, I would have to say entertaining and good, but not as good as the first. I missed the interaction and problem solving presented in the first book.

I found this book to have many of the similar problems that other sequels encounter--there's not much interesting. The odd thing is, this is typically due to a sequel serving as a bridge between books, but honestly, I'm not seeing very much that'll come in use for future books. We'll see though. Although Lina and Doon are still characters, I felt like they didn't get nearly enough page-time. Too many new secondary characters were introduced, and while some of them had personalities that were interesting enough, others did not. We still don't have any new information about the mythology, which is disappointing. The book's boredom was aggravated by the fact that it moved slower than the first fast-paced book. A lot of time was dedicated to necessary but overly preachy social and political commentary. I don't know if a child would have the patience to sit through this, particularly when I can see many of the social/political references completely going over their heads. I would love to see a return to Ember, or something that somehow connects to the first book, other than the characters. It's easy to understand: this book was too simple and too predictable to truly have been enjoyable.

Rating: 1.5/5

EMBER was a gripping novel. As soon as I finished it, I emailed the author begging to know what happened next. She wasn't telling, of course. "You'll have to wait for the sequel," she said. Man, was it worth the wait. I rarely tell people that they have to buy a book, that they must not let another week go by without reading a particular title. Literature is very subjective, after all. What I love, another reader may find uninspiring. SPARKS is an exception to this.
Three chapters in, I was literally teary-eyed at the lyricism of Duprau's writing. Six chapters in, I couldn't put it down. I lost SLEEP to finish this book - my ultimate testament to a really good read.
THE PEOPLE OF SPARKS is a post-apocolyptic view of the world, after wars, plague and famine have wiped out most of the human race and the few people left are struggling for survival. In the first book, THE CITY OF EMBER, the City Builders have constructed a small city deep underground and stocked it with supplies in vast storerooms, then sent 100 couples with two children each to live there. The Builders know the wars, etc. are coming, and this is how they will save us all. After 200 years, the city infrastructure is crumbling and the city leaders are corrupt, supplies are running out, and the massive generator that keeps the lights on is failing, about to doom the Emberites to permanent darkness, but two young people find the way out, the way to the surface.
This leads us to book two in the series. The kids have dropped a message back down to the people of Ember telling them the way out, but will anyone come? They do. And they inundate a small settlement, falling on the mercy of the people who live there, a bedraggled lot, starving, exhausted, unable to move on, and without the skills to be useful members of the new community, the tiny village of Sparks. The Emberites have never seen trees, you see, or birds, or large fields of cabbages, or adobe houses, and fire is a terrifying thing.
What ensues is a fantastic story of generosity, deprivation, jealousy, and violence that may lead to the destruction of both communities. The lesson: there are no winners in war, and making peace means taking giant risks. This book has been haunting me for the two days since I finished reading it. If there were a world-wide cataclysmic event, who would survive? Would anyone? Will we ever learn that war only leads to war, violence only to more violence? Can we do something that will take us off the course of self-destruction? Is there hope for the human race?
Buy this book. Buy a copy for your local library. Buy a class set and donate it to your kids' school. It's that good.(...)

The People of Sparks was a good book, but I wouldnt say that it was my favorite. This book was a sequel of The City of Ember. Although I havent read the first one, i could relate to it and also knew what was going on. One time on a regular day Doon sees that the town is having visitors and he freaks out. He runs to the towns peoples and tells them. Some how the word had gotten around town and everyone started running out into the street. Now the people have to get along with each other. That includes working together, living together,and everything else like that.

I think that you should read this book because it is very exciting and pretty interesting.

hmm... well, this book wasnt bad, but it wasnt super good either. it was just good. The prequel to this book, the city of ember is an AWESOME book, but i guess that's sorta off topic, so...now back to the people of sparks. the plot isnt as interesting as i thought itd be, considering how the plot in the city of ember was totally rockin' and the story sort of drags on in the middle, but other than that, the book was good. the middle of the book in my opinion had less interesting parts (like when Lina sneaks to go on a trip to the "city").i wouldnt call it a book that i cant bear to put down, but more of a book that was good and reccommendable.the beginning chapters of the book sucked me into the story, but as the middle neared, i lost the excitement i had in the beginning of the book. Overall, I would recommend this book, but wouldnt by like all excited about it.

This Book is a sequel to The City of Ember. When the people of ember came out they wandered around in this seemingly strange world. Torren who is from the nearby village of sparks saw them and hurried back home to alert the poeple of sparks. This book tells how the people of Ember get cruelly treated by doing the unwanted jobs and geting rotten food. What do they do???? You find out by reading the people of sparks. The people of sparks is good for adventure lovers but isn't as good as the city of ember because there isn't as much excitement.

The book ''The People of Sparks'' is a sequel from ''The City of Ember''.
It is a must read for young teens, because I found it educating in some ways.
Teens usually have some conflicts at school, and this book might help them to think about their daily situation, and how to be fair to their classmates.
I loved how this book brought out how important it is to help others, even if they are mean to us.
This book was an excellent book to talk about how our actions affect others.
Now, in the other hand. I found these books not interesting enough for over 13 years old.
It is definitely not a reading for grown ups. But That is just my opinion.
It all depends on people's style of reading, I guess.

This book is the sequal to The City of Ember. You need to read City of Ember first though, because the books begins where City of Ember left off. I think The People of Sparks was a great sequal, yet not as great as it's prequal. It's not as adventerous as the last book or exciting, but it was good and it has a great message in the end. It think this book was great especially if you read the city of Ember first. If you're giving this as a gift, great choice! But I would give The City of Ember along with it.

I am one of those Ember fans who anxiously awaited the release of the Sparks book since it was announced. I read it this Memorial Day weekend after first rereading Ember, to put me back in context.
The People of Sparks is a worthy sequel to The City of Ember, and I enjoyed reading it. Two things struck me as I read: 1st, The People of Sparks isn't as magical as The City of Ember. There is less mystery in Sparks than in Ember, and I was sad not to find it. That said, Sparks does a credible job addressing each of the unanswered questions raised in Ember. Had it not, I would have been disappointed.
The 2nd thing I noted is that Sparks obsessively ruminates on a few contemporary issues and their consequences - primarily war and conflict. Not that this is a bad thing; DuPrau does a fine job of crafting a story around issues her readers are certain to have questions about in real life.
If you enjoyed reading City of Ember, I highly recommend reading People of Sparks.

The first book, City of Ember, was really good. I had started reading it with my son at night. Soon I was continuing to read on after he went to bed and when I finished it, I couldn't wait to read the next installment.

I loved City of Ember, so approached this sequel warily. Obviously, the mystery of the first book has been solved, so where does the author go from there? Well, in this case, she wrote a book about the complicated choices that come "after" Happily Ever After. I loved the richness of this landscape and characters. Nothing is simple in this book, just like nothing is simple in life. The result was a reading experience that left me completely satisfied, and more than a little in awe of the author.

Mrs.Murdo found the note that Doon and Lina dropped from above.Then she had the very difficult task of explaining the instructions to the city of Ember. When they discovered this every thing went wrong.

As soon as they reached the surface they began to whoop with joy. but they had to walk many miles to reach the settlement closest to them. but when they learned that they are only allowed to stay for 6 months and they only had that long learn to farm raise animals and make shelters. But if you think that every thing was peaceful then you're wrong.

If you liked the city ember then this is definitely worth reading.

The second book of Ember

Though Ember is no more

The citizens who made the trip

Now have new things in store

They find a whole new world out there

With things they've never seen

Like sky and sun and other stuff

They'd not known where they'd been

The people of the town of Sparks

Survived the big disaster

Now faced with hundreds more to feed

Their stocks will run out faster

The Ember folk cannot adapt

There's no plumbing or power

No medicine or food in cans

It's not their finest hour

In six months they'll be on their own

It causes an uproar

People who forget the past

Are condemned evermore

Feuding, fighting, dirty tricks

A multitude of sins

Until they learn that in a war

Nobody ever wins

Amanda Richards, August 31, 2006

The story of the City of Ember continues. The residents of Ember have left their dying underground city and come to the surface to a new world. They are provided temporary assistance by the people of Sparks, but sparks soon begin to fly as resources and patience dwindle. It's up to our young heros to help the two communities overcome the growing suspicions and anger, in order to create a new people. A lovely book for 9 - 12 year olds.

I could not wait to read this book after reading The City of Ember! This is the second best book that I've ever read, right after The City of Ember. I was very excited to start reading. It seemed very cool that they had finally made it out of their dying underground city. It started of a little slow but soon became exiting. There is adventure and conflict and once again Lina and Doon are the heroes of the story. This is a perfect sequel to The City of Ember!!!

In this book Emberties came out of an underground and ended up in a small community. They start building a new life under the blue sky in a beautiful, mysterious, but at the same time dangerous world. This new world is deprived of electricity, and people's survival depends on heavy labor and vagaries of nature...Although, The City of Ember and People of Sparks have different plots, I found the sequel very interesting. The second book is more dynamic than the first one. The author perfectly described the feelings of people, so that you can feel what they feel. In the first book the main people's fear was a blackout, in this part Emberties have fear of being left on an empty lands without home and food.
The book gives us a clue as to what happened to the rest of the world, but even by the end of the book it seems unclear. I would recommend reading People of Sparks.

The book ''The People of Sparks'' is a sequel from ''The City of Ember''.
It is a must read for young teens, because I found it educating in some ways.
Teens usually have some conflicts at school, and this book might help them to think about their daily situation, and how to be fair to their classmates.
I loved how this book brought out how important it is to help others, even if they are mean to us.
This book was an excellent book to talk about how our actions affect others.
Now, in the other hand. I found these books not interesting enough for over 13 years old.
It is definitely not a reading for grown ups. But That is just my opinion.
It all depends on people's style of reading, I guess.

This book is the sequal to The City of Ember. You need to read City of Ember first though, because the books begins where City of Ember left off. I think The People of Sparks was a great sequal, yet not as great as it's prequal. It's not as adventerous as the last book or exciting, but it was good and it has a great message in the end. It think this book was great especially if you read the city of Ember first. If you're giving this as a gift, great choice! But I would give The City of Ember along with it.

I am one of those Ember fans who anxiously awaited the release of the Sparks book since it was announced. I read it this Memorial Day weekend after first rereading Ember, to put me back in context.
The People of Sparks is a worthy sequel to The City of Ember, and I enjoyed reading it. Two things struck me as I read: 1st, The People of Sparks isn't as magical as The City of Ember. There is less mystery in Sparks than in Ember, and I was sad not to find it. That said, Sparks does a credible job addressing each of the unanswered questions raised in Ember. Had it not, I would have been disappointed.
The 2nd thing I noted is that Sparks obsessively ruminates on a few contemporary issues and their consequences - primarily war and conflict. Not that this is a bad thing; DuPrau does a fine job of crafting a story around issues her readers are certain to have questions about in real life.
If you enjoyed reading City of Ember, I highly recommend reading People of Sparks.

The first book, City of Ember, was really good. I had started reading it with my son at night. Soon I was continuing to read on after he went to bed and when I finished it, I couldn't wait to read the next installment.

I loved City of Ember, so approached this sequel warily. Obviously, the mystery of the first book has been solved, so where does the author go from there? Well, in this case, she wrote a book about the complicated choices that come "after" Happily Ever After. I loved the richness of this landscape and characters. Nothing is simple in this book, just like nothing is simple in life. The result was a reading experience that left me completely satisfied, and more than a little in awe of the author.

Mrs.Murdo found the note that Doon and Lina dropped from above.Then she had the very difficult task of explaining the instructions to the city of Ember. When they discovered this every thing went wrong.

As soon as they reached the surface they began to whoop with joy. but they had to walk many miles to reach the settlement closest to them. but when they learned that they are only allowed to stay for 6 months and they only had that long learn to farm raise animals and make shelters. But if you think that every thing was peaceful then you're wrong.

If you liked the city ember then this is definitely worth reading.

I am a sixth grader from Cornwall, NY, who really enjoyed reading Jeanne DuPraus's novel, "The People of Sparks". "The People of Sparks" is a great mystery and a story about liking people for who they are.

Doon and Lina, twelve year old friends, have just found their way out of the city of Ember where they lived. Together, with their families, they discover the small village of Sparks. The town leaders of Sparks give the people of Ember the option to either stay with residents of Sparks or at an old hotel there. The plan is for the Sparks workers to teach the Emberites how to make their own homes and buildings before the winter solstice arrives. The Emberites will start a new village in the barren lands.

When the people of Ember don't get enough food to eat because there isn't enough for the two hundred people of Sparks and the four hundred Emberites, the people turn against each other. Everything goes wrong. Doon and Lina must stop the war between the Emberites and the people of Sparks.

Anyone who likes books with adventure and mystery, like me, should read "The People of Sparks". My favorite part of the book is when Lina gets to see the Ancient city and it isn't what she expected it to be. To explain why it isn't would give too much of the plot away. Other good parts are when Lina figures out what the treasure actually is and when Doon figures out who really starts the war between the people of Ember and Sparks.

This book made me wonder and question several things. For example, who spoiled the food supply? Who gives the Emberites poison oak? Where is the Ancient city? What is the treasure? Why do they have light bulbs in Sparks, but no electricity? Why is there so much barren land? And, why are some animals extinct, like elephants, and others, like oxen, are not?

Other books by Jeanne DuPraus which are similar to "The People of Sparks" include "The Prophet of Yonwood" and "The City of Ember". "The Prophet of Yonwood" is the prequel to "The City of Ember" and explains the extinction and mass deaths that occurred. "The City of Ember" describes how Doon and Lina find their way out of the dying city. "The People of Sparks", which is the book I've just reviewed, is the third book in this series. I highly recommend this book because of its important message and its easy readability.

D.G.

The second book of Ember

Though Ember is no more

The citizens who made the trip

Now have new things in store

They find a whole new world out there

With things they've never seen

Like sky and sun and other stuff

They'd not known where they'd been

The people of the town of Sparks

Survived the big disaster

Now faced with hundreds more to feed

Their stocks will run out faster

The Ember folk cannot adapt

There's no plumbing or power

No medicine or food in cans

It's not their finest hour

In six months they'll be on their own

It causes an uproar

People who forget the past

Are condemned evermore

Feuding, fighting, dirty tricks

A multitude of sins

Until they learn that in a war

Nobody ever wins

Amanda Richards, August 31, 2006

The story of the City of Ember continues. The residents of Ember have left their dying underground city and come to the surface to a new world. They are provided temporary assistance by the people of Sparks, but sparks soon begin to fly as resources and patience dwindle. It's up to our young heros to help the two communities overcome the growing suspicions and anger, in order to create a new people. A lovely book for 9 - 12 year olds.

I could not wait to read this book after reading The City of Ember! This is the second best book that I've ever read, right after The City of Ember. I was very excited to start reading. It seemed very cool that they had finally made it out of their dying underground city. It started of a little slow but soon became exiting. There is adventure and conflict and once again Lina and Doon are the heroes of the story. This is a perfect sequel to The City of Ember!!!

In this book Emberties came out of an underground and ended up in a small community. They start building a new life under the blue sky in a beautiful, mysterious, but at the same time dangerous world. This new world is deprived of electricity, and people's survival depends on heavy labor and vagaries of nature...Although, The City of Ember and People of Sparks have different plots, I found the sequel very interesting. The second book is more dynamic than the first one. The author perfectly described the feelings of people, so that you can feel what they feel. In the first book the main people's fear was a blackout, in this part Emberties have fear of being left on an empty lands without home and food.
The book gives us a clue as to what happened to the rest of the world, but even by the end of the book it seems unclear. I would recommend reading People of Sparks.

The best fiction book I have ever read. This is one of those "cannot be put down book". It's amazingly amazing. It's heart pounding. My 10 yo brother hates reading. But I told him to just read the introduction... and Ohhh... he was so curious to find out what happen next that he read the whole book that day... My mom was so amazed cause he never done that in his whole life. Now he is reading the part 2, People of Spark...ANd I can't wait for the prequal of city of ember that's coming in 2 days...enjoy

I never wanted to read this book my class is reading it. First of all, after reading the first book, I thought that the sequel would be better. To my dissapointment, the conflict was boring. Usually, I like my books to be funny or exciting but this book was the complete opposite. The only parts I did like was tjat there was a character to hate because of the actions they take. Of course I hated Torren. H is a little prick that craves attention. Who wastes other people's food and then blames it on somebody?? I would not know anybody so mad to meet an Emberite and then take them in. I do like how the concept of war is taken and explained in this book to the clueless Emberites. I also find it funny how the Sparks people think of the Emberites as annoying because of their cluelessness. I give this book 3 stars.

This is a very worth sequel to City of Ember. The new characters are fleshed out well, the writing is just as well-balanced as before, and the new "post-apocolyptic" themes manage to feel sincere and stirring rather than preachy and cliched. Once again, you really feel what the characters are feeling. One slight difference is that there isn't as much "urgency" as in the previous book, but that doesn't make it any less of a treat. Fans surely won't be disappointed.

THIS BOOK IS A GREAT BOOK TO READ IN MY OPINION.I SAY THIS BECAUSE EVERY TIME YOU GOT TO THE END OF A CHAPTER YOU WOULD WONT TO KEEP READING ON AND ON.IT WAS LIKE SURPRISE SURPRISE.SEE AT FIRST YOU THOUGHT THIS BOOK WOULD TAKE FOREVER. BUT WHEN YOU FOUND OUT ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO ONE OF THE CHARICTERS YOU JUST WHANTED TO READ ON NON STOP.THIS BOOK CAN REMIND YOU OF YOUR SELF CAUSE OF SOME OF THE CHARICTERS.SO IF YOU EVER WHANT TO READ A BOOK THIS IS THE ONE FOR YOU.

If you read the first book and were interested in the characters then you should read the second book. The People of Sparks does have an entirely different feel to it. The first book is dark, with a feeling of dread hovering over you. The second book is more a feel of "what will happen next? or how will this be resolved?" and is never fully answered.

Doon and Lina do not seem to have a connection in this book. There was another review on here that mentioned disappointment that Doon and Lina don't "hook up." That possibility is never ruled out and there are hints that it could happen. The thing to remember is that these are 12 year olds. What do you want? Some kind of "Blue Lagoon" scenario with Doon serenading outside her window? Please! Thank you for sparing us that, Ms. Duprau.

Personally, one of my favorite characters in these stories is the red-headed girl (I can't remember her name offhand and I don't have my book presently) who constantly "falls-in-love" with the "bad" characters (Tick and the Creepy Dude in City of Ember). She is a good example of what NOT TO BE for young girls: disillusioned, dishonest, subservient. I feel that she is every bit as defined as Doon and Lina. I also, personally, wish that Doon would have risen above Tick from the start. I guess Tick just never won me over.

Overall, this book is another look at real human behavior in a setting which doesn't seem to reflect real human behavior. But it's for kids so just enjoy it. It is a departure from the original but still worth the read.

'The People of Sparks' is an excellent sequel to 'City of Ember' although the setting is not quite as original. Jeanne DuPrau deftly avoids the trap that many new authors fall into of trying to replicate the format that succeeded in the first book. While 'The People of Sparks' presents a more familiar setting than 'City of Ember', she still manages to paint a landscape unlike any we know.

If the author had stayed with that and limited herself to showing us her vision of a post-apocalyptic world then I would have been disappointed. As it is she gives us a whole new story. What would happen if a village of 300 mostly good people find themselves faced with the challenge of taking care of 400 starving refugees without the skills and resources to fend for themselves? Tensions would build as resources dwindle and us/them divisions would be sure to arise. Is this a small-scale version of the same conflicts that brought about the global cataclysm of the misty past? It's a good story and the reader might just finish it a little wiser.

I really enjoyed this book, I did have to read it every night I would have to read this book for thirty minutes for my reading class but most of the time It didn't feel like homework, it felt like Free time away from my normal day. I would recommend this book to anyone. Plus I was so surprised when the huge twist came around I don't think anyone would expect this ending. I told my mother to read this book and she said I don't think I would enjoy a book for pre-teens. And I explained to her that I think that she would love it. But she didn't ever read it because I basically explained the entire book to her. She liked my description of the book. Two thumbs up Jeanne Duprau!!! :)

This book is a great sequel to The City of Ember. It has many universal themes. I am a literature teacher and one of my gifted students introduced it to me. I love the two, so did my husband, and we will give our 10 year old grandson the set for a Christmas. What profound lessons taught without sex, bad language, or extreme violence. Highly recommended!

There is no doubt that Jeanne Duprau's first book, The City of Ember, was my favorite of last year. The wait for the sequel seemed like an eternity, but it was worth it! I loved the characters Lina and Doon, the tension brought about by little provisions, and of course, the twist at the end. I'm looking forward to more books by Jeanne Duprau. I hope the wait isn't too long.

i really liked the book ane how it turned out, but I didn't like how lina never told anyone how they were the treasure. i waited for her to tell doon or mrs. marlo. when she never did i was dissapointed. it was like her figuring out something important, but no one else would find out. in the City of Ember they answered more questions and told eachother the interesting or important. the city of ember was better. but i really did like this book. it was very interesting and i enjoyed it

this was also a great book from the ember seiries. but i would also like to know about the disaster it was like jeanne didnt even put thought into the disaster like she just made the name and a little information about a war. I want informtion about what happend. and i have also read all of the ember books and i agree that they go downhill from ember.

I think The People of Sparks is SUCH a good book, as its first sequel is too! My favorite part so far is when Lina goes with Caspar and his roaming partner Maddy, outside of the village to find treasures in the ancient city on the Earth. I give this book 5 stars! I strongly suggest people to read it and it is a great book for all ages!!!!!!

After finishing City of Ember, I was so excited to receive The People of Sparks. However, I did not anticipate that I would enjoy the novel as much as I did. I found myself falling in love with the story even more than the first book. The People of Sparks sends readers on a journey of many "what ifs," and creates a surreal world for readers to contemplate. I usually am not one to search for symbolism and allusions in books. (Maybe its a rebeliousness that has always lingered inside of me when my English teachers ordered students to beat every allegory and metaphor from each literary page...) Yet with this novel, I could not help but allow my mind to parallel the villager's experiences with our OWN world disasters that have happened in the past, and continue to threaten the future. Like Ray Bradbury's Farenheit 451, Jeanne Duprau introduces a future that explores forboding possibilites. She does an excellent job of showing readers how a little "spark" of resentment can grow like a wildfire, and reveals the most simple (but necessary) means of remedy. Overall, this book will entertain, provoke, and inspire readers of all backgrounds.

This was a good book, but not great. I felt like it was shoving the fable down my throat. Almost too moralistic in the story telling. I loved the city of ember and the magic it spun, but this book was too "real" and not enough magic/whimsy.

I also think that Lina and Doon's character was in question in this book. The first set them up to be so interesting and this book their characters were rather lack luster. It also lacked the spirit of adventure that the City of Ember had. It didn't keep me guessing.

I know this book is for children, but I think kids may lose interest since it's not very suspenseful or adventurous.

I thought the first book was much better I really liked it. The People of Sparks is too boring. I could finish my book and read until the end,but was not interesting, and I am disappointed because I interested to know about characters with new life. This book actions happen too slow.I hope the next books will be better and easier to get through. If you read the first book, I do recommend this. After reading first book,you want to know want to know what happens next with the characters. Overall is not too bad, but is boring. I have a recommend to author " Please more exciting next time ".

I chose this rating because this really is a great book. I loved how when I set this book down at night that all I can think about is to wonder what will happen next and you never know what will. I recommend this book for kids who like journeys and excitement and who like to read a lot. Jeanne Duprau is a really good author so special thanks to her. I really loved this book.

THE PEOPLE OF THE SPARKS BOOK REVIEW

I liked this book. though at the beginning it was very dull and boring but threw out the end of the 1st week or the beginning of the 2nd week of reading it I couldn't stop reading .the book would get so interesting!I liked that it still talked about the city of ember.something I thought was interesting was Jeanne Duprau (the author)would mix your feelings.when she mixed your feelings you wouldn't want put down the book!that's when I would sit and read my weeks chapters in 1 day for school!I think that anyone who likes adventure fighting friendships and trying new things they should read this book.though this book is 338 pages so someone who dosent like reading I wouldn't recommended it for. I loved this book and now I am on the 3rd book the prophet of yonwood.

This book is the sequel to City of Ember and talks about how they finally escape the dying city of Ember that they only knew about. It was not a bad book, but it is definitely more for young adults. It talks about how Lina and Doon are trying to save the Emberites in this new village that they come across and how to not make the same mistakes the people in the past of made (War/fighting) and teaches values, as does City of Ember and Prophet of Yonwood.

Overall, it was good, I just wanted the meat and the potatoes to learn what happens to the people! I finally learned :)

when i first began readimg this book, i thought it would be too childish for me to enjoy. but i was pleasantly surprised. while it is a young adult book and the content could be rated as such, this book provides the imagination with many "what-if" ideas to ponder on.... i dont want to spoil anythimg, but i have read all four books in this collection and i think each on teaches us a bit about theflaws in human nature, but als the hope of human survival, and maybe a little bit about where your own actions, beliefs, and prejudices fall in the mix of it all

I think this was a fairly good book, but it wasn't as good as the first book in the series. I read the first book in 1 day, but I took about a week for the second book. I think that if you liked The City of Ember you would probably like this book. Oh yes, this book makes almost no sense if you haven't read the first in the series.

I found this sequel to be okay. Alot of the parts are just talking and no action, and some parts are a bit boring. But otherwise, it was a pretty good book. Not on my list of favorites, but definetly worth reading. Very well written. I found myself wanting to hollar at the people for being so stupidly selfish (human nature getting in the way...again.) I found myself wondering why they didn't discuss their options in the very begining, but then it wouldn't have been a very good story if everything was all happy cheery. The book was a very satifiying sequel. I wasn't left wondering like I am with many other sequels. If you liked the first book, then read this sequel. You don't get left with too many questions at the end and it is a quick read.

This story has some great life lessons. It teaches us to appreciate all that we have in life and urges us to consider life without some of the things we see as necessities, but in a realistic way. This book also encourages a younger generation to think about war and peace in a very appropriate way. It challenges us to think of all the harm done by fighting but also the challenges that come with doing something good, especially when all you want is revenge. Definitely a worthwhile read!

But I can't think of a worse one...

Let me just say that I bought the first book on a whim and was not dissapointed in the least. The characters were not fleshed out as well as they could be (or not at all really) but the idea of Ember, this underground city that is slowly dwindling away was just so enchanting that I had to keep reading. I really enjoyed the first book, and have read it several times over.

So, in saying that, when the People of Sparks came out I was extremely excited to see what Duprau had come up with this time.

Nothing. That's what she had come up with. The idea of the city of ember, which is what attracted me to the book in the first place, was completely gone, replaced by a completely worse setting, horrible characters, and a quite unintelligent plot. Reading this book was like reading a child's idea for the reason some people might go to war, and what ridiculous things they might go to war over.

Don't read it, and if you are going to read it for the sake of the first book, don't buy it. At least get it from the library. It was absolutely horrific, and uninspiring, and had zero plot. I tried to read it. I tried to like it.

I couldn't even finish the novel. And I know that is going to get reactions like, how am i saying all these things when i did not finish it. I couldn't finish it! That was how bad it was. If you do buy it you will feel like someone came up and stole 9 bucks out of your pocket. Promise.

A great youthful read about a distopian future caused by all the usual actions...greed, mistrust, lack of empathy and fear. Told with an optimistic view that values trust and the values we have in common.

this book is an exellent second novel for jeane deprau. this book shows that people can join together. It is about the people of ember. ( a civilization of people taht have been living underground for 240 years) they escape from the underground world and meet the people of sparks. the people of sparks only have 217 people and the people of ember have 250. so reluctanly the people of sparks allow ember to live in their local hotel and teach them everything they now. in six months the people of ember will have to go on their own to find food and make their own homes. though the people of sparks are running out of food to feed themselves and ember's population. this book will keep you reading for hours it has an exellent plot of characters and adventures. read this slightly unknown book and you will have another author in your sights.

I was just dying to read this book after I read the first book of Ember. I found the content very surprising from what I thought would happen after the first book, but it kept me in suspense until the last few chapters. This is a must-read if you've read the City of Ember. The book after this one, the Prophet of Yonwood, is good too, however it doesn't have much suspense. It was still a great book though, I recommend all the books of Ember!

Wow this book was just as good (if not better) than the first book! It was fast paced and had an interesting plot. Unlike the first book it kept you guessing untill the end. Two thumbs way up. This book also had a lot more pages than the first book. If you have not yet purchased this book, I suggest you do so as soon as possible. I hope she writes a third book. You can take a look at some of my other reviews if you want. Thank you for taking the time to read this review!

THIS BOOK WAS OFF THE HOOK ! BUT FIRST I WOULD READ CITY OF EMBER BECAUSE IT WILL FILL U IN ON ALOT INFO OF HOW IT ALL STARTED . IF U READ THE BOOK U WILL HAVE SAD , HAPPY MAYBE EVEN SUSPICIS MOMENTS . SOMETIMES U WILL GET A WIERD FEELING ABOUT SOME CHARACTERS. ONCE U READ IT YOUR MIND AND HANDS WOULD BE GLUED TO THE BOOK . SO IF I WERE U I WOULD READ THE PEOPLE OF SPARKS . U WILL LUV I KNOW U WILL!!!!!!!!!!!!

The book begins with the people of the City of Ember coming up and out into the real world, a world they never knew existed. Everything is new and scary even the wind and the sky. Soon they encounter the people of Sparks, and are invited to stay for a short six months to learn the skills they will need to go out into the world and create their own place. The story goes on to explore the difficulties adjusting to new people in a new environment.
The City of Ember was one of the better books I have read in the last few years. It had a setting the was unique, and that is saying a lot today. That being said I expected a lot from the sequel. I have to say I was disappointed. While the writing style itself is good and the plot still fast moving, the story itself is just not as interesting.
The problem with this story is that it has been done. I felt like I could be reading any story about any post apocalyptic world and the hardships that world creates. I expected better from an author whose first book was so amazingly creative and thought provoking. All in all it wasn't bad, but I wanted more.

Maddie and I read this as a read aloud. Much fun. A great sequel to the City of Ember. Lina and Doon are imperfect and terrific characters that everyone can relate to. Also, the other characters were well developed, too. Wouldn't it be great if there was another book coming...

This is a great book.If you loved City of Ember you will love this one. I have not yet started Prophet of Yonwood which is the third book of Ember but I am planning on it. You will love this book. DO NOT AND I REAPEAT DO NOT READ PEOPLE OF SPARKS BEFORE YOU READ CITY OF EMBER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I finished reading the first book, The City of Ember, feeling like I needed more information. So when this book was released, I quickly got it. WOW. Could a sequel be more...tiresome? The idea was nice, and like a lot of futuristic books, based in a "President-and-Friends-had-a-bomb-party-and-the-world-blew-up-setting."
I've actually read many books like this. It wasn't a horrible book, but its not a favorite. But Jean Duprau illusrated the human nature well in the conflicts between the emberites and the people of sparks. The characters were well developed, which is a rare quality in books I dont like. I also was a little dissapointed because there wasn't a solid plot and I expected Lina and Doon to fall for each other. But then again, maybe Lina doesn't go for the pipe worker types.

I though that this book is awesome. I really liked this book why is because this is a book that you never want to put down untill you finish. One part in this book i really enjoyed was when lina found her first bike. I would recommend this book to anyone with an imagination.

I thought the book was great and if I had to read it again I would. The ending was different then what I expected but it was a good book. The best part was when Lina snuck into Casper's truck. I would recommend this book to people only if they read The City of Ember.

I read "City of Ember" a while ago and managed to ignore Duprau's penchant for unrealistic dialogue, flat characters, and deus ex machina because the idea was intriguing enough to continue. And in "People of Sparks" DuPrau has semi-intriguing ideas about human nature and civilization and all that, but oh my goodness this woman's writing seems to only have gotten WORSE.

I didn't think it was possible, but she messes up pretty much any chance she has to prove competence with language. Horrible, unrealistic, ridiculous dialogue? Check. Telling us what we're supposed to feel rather than letting us decide for ourselves? Check. Cardboard characters? Double check. The way Duprau handles character makes me wonder if she's ever, you know, met a person. NO ONE acts like this. Torren? Give me a break. She might as well have named him Plot Device. Pretty much every secondary character (Caspar, the town leaders, um, ANYONE ELSE) is one-dimensional and totally unbelievable. And as far as primary characters go, I think Duprau is giving herself too much credit for fleshing them out in the first book. The problem is that she certainly didn't do enough in the first book, much less enough for their characterizations to carry over to the second book.

Basically, it reads like a first draft. Apparently her editors just check to see that she has written SOMETHING, tell her it's fabulous, then wait for their checks.

But something keeps drawing me back. I'm probably going to read the rest of the series, but get it from the library or something. I guess it's like watching a train wreck and wondering what will happen next.

Jeanne Duprau, after this series ends, PLEASE never ever write again. I would say to stop out of love for the English language, but no one who loves language would ever let this represent her.

The City of Ember is a great book, I believe. To say Sparks is very nearly as good is to say that it is another extraordinary achievement, another completely and richly imagined world, another gripping story that'll keep you up till you've finished it, whatever age you may be. We get to know Lina and Doon better, and like them the more we know them. The story leads up to an ending that seems painfully inevitable but then, when it comes, is both unsentimental and deeply heartwarming. A terrific book.

The people of sparks takes place over ground.Where four hundred people from underground ask for places too stay.The problem is that it is almost winter and chiling .That's a problem for them because they have to feed the people of sparks and their families through one of the three plages.

I did not enjoy this book as much as The City of Ember. It ties up some loose ends from the first story, but it's just too predictable for my taste. My students really enjoyed the first book and I couldn't wait for this one to come out in paperback to add it to our library. I was disappointed by it and so were they.

This book was amazing! I've only read two of her books, but Jeanne Duprau has lured me in to read more. The suspense, the tearing of the people of Sparks and the Emberites, this was a perfect book to read.

This book was very interesting I give it 5 stars for amazing details and a very interesting story line i like how it told is about everything and not just a one person perspective I recommend the whole series the third book is good too try it when you finish this book.Kids 11 or older should read this if they like living on the edge or survival books.

Tow children from a citey under ground come up to the top uf the Earth with 400 others. they have never seen the sky before,not trees,animals,grass.........or anything ells not even the sun!! How are the under ground cavilians going to survive by them seves in the wild? And were will they stay?

I got this book for christmas and by the end of the day I had finished it. I really enjoyed it!! After reading the first chapter I was confused but after the next few I was hooked!! The only problem was it was kinda predictable. But I still enjoyed it! I would give this book 4 and a half stars. It was definatly worth buying and reading though!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Excellent. This book was truly amazing. It displayed everything a great novel should display. It was written perfectly. The plot was extravagant! The way Duprau made the characters and their attitudes only made the book even better. My only negative comments to add are that they didn't give a good enough description "the weapon" that was terrible. I am looking forward to the sequel if it is to be as good as The City of Ember and The People of Sparks. Two thumbs up!

Justin Holder

The people of Ember lived underground and their purpose was to find a way out of Ember. After finding their way to the surface they meet the people of Sparks, but because of their differences they began to make war agianst each other.

First off, I really liked the first book, even though the charicters weren't very well developed and a little cheesy but The City Of Ember was a lot better and had more action and actually had a point. The People of Sparks was very boring and seemed really corny and predictable. It is all centered on a lesson, that lesson being: WAR IS BAD!!! Now, I'm not saying people should go bombing places and killing people, but the author needs to stop cramming it down the throats of everyone that reads the book. I think every book should have a sort of lesson or theme shrouded in irony, but more subtle and leaving you thinking. Thea book was basically about the people from Ember coming out of the ground after 2 wars and 3 plagues wiped out almost all of the aboveground human population. They come to a town called Sparks that doesn't have enough room and supplies to keep the people from Ember, but they try and it bothers both sides and they fight and the people of Sparks threaten to kick the people of Ember out of their town, but they don't want to do that and the both fight and Lina and Doon save the day. That is the whole book with a couple of pointless things like when Lina went with a roamer to the ruined city and came right back because that roamer was crazy.

Also this book was sort of kiddie-fied as the author used simple vocabulary and made the charicters sort of 2D and plain. And you will notice that nothing bad ever happens to the Lina and Doon or anyone. The book says how horrible war is, but what examples were there? A bunch of people from Ember led by some teenage guy called Tick (now what huge mass of adults and kids would all follow a teenager in real life??? I know for a fact they wouldn't cause' if they did I'd be rulin' my town!!). So it's those people from ember with a kid leader who are carrying only sticks and stones as weapons against the people of sparks with only a broken down gun that they don't even know how to work. And everything, of course, turns out just right in the end. So predictable!

Also, Jeanne DuPrau must not have kids, or she would know that they can't be duped easily enough to think that all those things really happen by chance. Yeah, what are the chances that the people from Ember would really be forgiven that easily or that Doon could get Torren out of the burning tree and get out of the burning building in just the right amount of time or that Lina just happened to get back to town from her little adventure to the city just before the people from Sparks kicked the people from Ember out of town.... just in time to save the day! Oh! And Lina just HAPPENED to run into the roamer who HAPPENED to tell her that version of the dumb song which Lina HAPPENED to figure out to mean the people of Ember and their city. Other authors can do this, like Eion Colfer but he can do this because no one really takes him overly seriously, the coincidences are all just part of the fun and original storytelling, but this book has things that are all just too convenient.

And another thing, what was the point of the whole ruined city thing? Nothing happened! They went to the dang city and went home! Whoopee! All the hubbub for nothing!! I guess it was just a way for the author to get Lina out of the way so she couldn't solve all the town's problems WITHOUT a war! That whole trip to the city was a stupid waste of space and time and didn't lead to any character development.

Another pointless thing was the stuff that got all the people from Ember and Sparks all raved up. One thing was that someone threw some freakin tomatoes at the outside of a shed or something during the food shortage and blamed it on Doon. OH THE HORROR!!!! SOMEONE THREW A COUPLE OF TOMATOES WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!!!!!!!! Come on!!!!! The whole town of Sparks were mad at Doon. It's not like he killed somebody!!! Jeez! And then there was the poison oak the the people of sparks supposedly gave the people from ember. When first it was mentioned that everyone was starting to get red spots all over, I began to think "finally, the book is getting good, the people of sparks gave them some sort of disease! How are they going to get out of this?" And then I found out it was poison oak. LAME! As I said this book is really juvenile. There were a few other various things that the people of sparks did to the people from Ember, but none of them were significant enough in real life for them to wage war on sparks.

All-in-all, this book was boring and actually put me to sleep a couple of times! So if you have insomnia, this book is for you! :) Otherwise don't waste your time, and if you are dead set on reading this idiotic book, then get form the library. Don't pay for it!! I know this review wasn't very helpful, but it's just how I feel about the book.

The people of sparks is a really good book. It has a lot of suspense. It is not as good as the city of ember, but it follows close behind. If you are looking for a suspensful, non-violent book, this book is for you.

I hated it! Really, really boring! I liked The City of Ember, and wanted to see what happened next. But I really wish I hadn't read it. I only recommend reading this book to people who love wasting their time.

Jeanne Duprau strikes again with a wonderful beautifully written sequeal to the City Of Ember. I advise you to read the City of Ember first or it will be a little confusing. This book is a amazing book and you should order it now and read it or you will be missing out!

After reading The City of Ember, I waited with anticipation to read The People of Sparks. While I enjoyed the story, I was a little disappointed by the quality of writing. I felt there were parts that were incredibly profound regarding hate and violence, how they begin and where they lead. At other times though I found the writing to be mediocre. I still liked the book overall and felt that the message regarding solving problems was excellent. I will happily recommend this book to my class of fifth graders.

The People of Sparks by Jeanne DuPrau is a horrible book that I would not recommend to people under the age of eleven. This story takes place in the city of Sparks. Lina & Doon have just lead the people of Ember out from underground. After coming to the city the Emberites are mistreated, malnourished, and misunderstood. So Lina goes out into the Empty Lands with a roamer that is looking for treasure. The Empty Lands are full of owls, coyotes, and other odd animals. There are also destroyed homes and buildings. Following this she comes back, and there is a large fight involving everybody. After that the climax is still climbing, and the most important part is ... I can't tell you!

The above ground city of Sparks is an incredibly small city. The population is only three hundred twenty-seven and then to make matters worse, four hundred odd some people of Ember come to live with them. With food being scarce and people on the brink of war, Lina leaves with a roamer and goes to the Ancient City. This roamer that Lina left with is very rude, odd, and is looking for buried treasure that isn't there. When the roamer leaves, Lina leaves with the roamer's partner and head back to Sparks. When the two meet a new roamer, that is going to Sparks, they travel with him. The Roamer tells Lina the clues to the treasure, and Lina tells him that it is... I can't tell you, you have to read it.

Truly, I thought the book was horrible, and weird because I don't like Fantasies, but if you like Fantasies you should read it.

On to book three! The story has become a great morality tale that has echoes that reverberate in our daily lives and human history. I would recommend this to any casual readers looking to fill a weekend with a good read.

the city of ember is an astonishing book. this sequel is book hanging. after every chapter you just wamt to keep reading. the details can be a little more revised but the book is one of my favorite. lina and doon are adventouis and the people are so comunitive. im excited to read the next book.

Like The City of Ember, this book was quick, yet satisfying. It had a creative plot, and still incorporated the classic, "MY TURF" attitude.

It definately would have deserved a 5, had it not shared the same flaw as the first in the series. Both books spend a lot of time describing unnessisary scenery, and not enough time developing the characters and plot...

To start off this review the first book was very good. So what makes me not like the second???

1 it's way to slow

2 it took 250 pages for the actual conflict to erupt

3 the characters became more boring and dull

My suggestion to this autor: Next time make it more exciiting

Pages are a bit dark, like they are recycled paper or something. Not as creamy or bright as other copies I have used from the library. Cover kind of scratches up easily. OK for price. Seems to be interesting so far as we are only on chapter 4. I have finished the City of Ember with my class and now we are reading this. I hope it's as good.

while the first book was GREAT, and I was anxiously looking forward to the sequel, it did not live up to the first book. Everything is very predictable, and the plot drags on. It was hard to get through, even though I finished the first book in less than a day.

If you are looking for a book for a ten-year-old, then keep looking. The quality of writing is very low, and the story has no imagination at all. For heaven's sake don't read the next one in the series; it's even worse! Instead, look for books such as "Cold River", Harry Potter, or the Twilight series.

The People of Sparks is a really good book. It is the sequel to City of Ember, and it is about Doon and Lina, who are trying to survive in the new (to them) village of Sparks. They endure hardships (mainly starving), teasing, and...threats. They realize after several times where they had been hurt, threatened, or their homes had been vandalized, that the Sparks people simply did not want them. Together, Doon and Lina have to save their family and friends. Again. Join them as they find bravery where they thought was nothing, and make their new home safe again.

The People of Sparks, is the second book in the Books of Ember series. While I enjoyed reading Ember, I loved the People of Sparks even more. One reason why I liked it more is because the author does a good job at addressing some of the issues that I had in the first book, namely, I got to know the main characters better.

I also LOVED her creativity in describing the new world, and the way the people of Ember saw it and approached it. The wonder of each new experience for the people was exciting to read about.

The book deals with a lot of issues that young teens and children will find very important in the book and in their own lives. Issues such as greed, violence, peace, war, friendship, integrity of leadership, and making the most of the moment. I also found a parallel between Lina and her sister and another set of syblings in the book(boys). Their lives though were very different due to the direct interaction or lack thereof by adults in their lives.

This book is powerful and will serve as a great spring board in any young adult's life for discussion about what is right and when one should do it.

Wow...thats all I can say...If you enjoy books that will make you fall asleep and make you want to (and actually do) chuck across your lawn, then this book is for you! Jeanne DePrau was amazing in the city of Ember, but this book was completely pointless. I mean, she deserves to get arrested! (Or at least fired.) What kind of idiotic author would write a story in which people had a war because of thrown tomoatoes and in their war they fight with towel rods and start pine trees on fire. If they had the big disaster, then why would they fight in another war? Didn't these freakish people learn their lesson???? I WANTED TO BURN THIS BOOK AND THEN THROW IT'S ASHES INTO A FLIPPING DUMPSTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I mean, come on, I love reading, but I had to force myself upon this horrid, wretched, ghastly, disturbing, dreadful, pointless, retarded so called novel. Come on! How much did they pay the people who wrote good reviews??? It must have been millions!!! No, trillions!!!1 Never read this book unless you want to claw your eyes out!!!!!!!!

I am a sixth grader from Cornwall, NY, who really enjoyed reading Jeanne DuPraus's novel, "The People of Sparks". "The People of Sparks" is a great mystery and a story about liking people for who they are.

Doon and Lina, twelve year old friends, have just found their way out of the city of Ember where they lived. Together, with their families, they discover the small village of Sparks. The town leaders of Sparks give the people of Ember the option to either stay with residents of Sparks or at an old hotel there. The plan is for the Sparks workers to teach the Emberites how to make their own homes and buildings before the winter solstice arrives. The Emberites will start a new village in the barren lands.

When the people of Ember don't get enough food to eat because there isn't enough for the two hundred people of Sparks and the four hundred Emberites, the people turn against each other. Everything goes wrong. Doon and Lina must stop the war between the Emberites and the people of Sparks.

Anyone who likes books with adventure and mystery, like me, should read "The People of Sparks". My favorite part of the book is when Lina gets to see the Ancient city and it isn't what she expected it to be. To explain why it isn't would give too much of the plot away. Other good parts are when Lina figures out what the treasure actually is and when Doon figures out who really starts the war between the people of Ember and Sparks.

This book made me wonder and question several things. For example, who spoiled the food supply? Who gives the Emberites poison oak? Where is the Ancient city? What is the treasure? Why do they have light bulbs in Sparks, but no electricity? Why is there so much barren land? And, why are some animals extinct, like elephants, and others, like oxen, are not?

Other books by Jeanne DuPraus which are similar to "The People of Sparks" include "The Prophet of Yonwood" and "The City of Ember". "The Prophet of Yonwood" is the prequel to "The City of Ember" and explains the extinction and mass deaths that occurred. "The City of Ember" describes how Doon and Lina find their way out of the dying city. "The People of Sparks", which is the book I've just reviewed, is the third book in this series. I highly recommend this book because of its important message and its easy readability.

D.G.

Dismissalllsldkkdkdkkdmm kskzkskskzkzkxkdksol djdkdjjdjdjdjddjjs kskzkskskzkzkxkdksol. An an an an we hangs like ski end island winds did nd did nd Alaskan sons skills bank ski sons spell sons Alaskan sprawl Wi-Fi kennels did she hence egg

The People of Sparks was one of the most boring, opinionated, juvenile books I have ever read! please, PLEASE! Don't try to write any more books Duprau, it must hurt your brain's limited capacity! Just focus on raking in on all the money you have made ripping of your loyal fans who were expecting something equivalent to, or better then The City of Ember, and take all their money after they hurry to the store to by this crappy sequel. You should be ashamed!

And to all of you readers out there, please, PLEASE! Don't be putting more money into the pocket if Jeanne Duprau, because you already know that they get out of the underground city. What more is there to know???

One reason I like people of sparks is the grate detail on the charters, animals, and buildings. Another is the story line; there are two stories but one story line. Also, I like this book because; almost every chapter is a different story. Last, one thing I didn't like was that this book was made more for kids.

If you are looking for a book for a ten-year-old, then keep looking. The quality of writing is very low, and the story has no imagination at all. For heaven's sake don't read the next one in the series; it's even worse! Instead, look for books such as "Cold River", Harry Potter, or the Twilight series.

Wow...thats all I can say...If you enjoy books that will make you fall asleep and make you want to (and actually do) chuck across your lawn, then this book is for you! Jeanne DePrau was amazing in the city of Ember, but this book was completely pointless. I mean, she deserves to get arrested! (Or at least fired.) What kind of idiotic author would write a story in which people had a war because of thrown tomoatoes and in their war they fight with towel rods and start pine trees on fire. If they had the big disaster, then why would they fight in another war? Didn't these freakish people learn their lesson???? I WANTED TO BURN THIS BOOK AND THEN THROW IT'S ASHES INTO A FLIPPING DUMPSTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I mean, come on, I love reading, but I had to force myself upon this horrid, wretched, ghastly, disturbing, dreadful, pointless, retarded so called novel. Come on! How much did they pay the people who wrote good reviews??? It must have been millions!!! No, trillions!!!1 Never read this book unless you want to claw your eyes out!!!!!!!!

The People of Sparks was one of the most boring, opinionated, juvenile books I have ever read! please, PLEASE! Don't try to write any more books Duprau, it must hurt your brain's limited capacity! Just focus on raking in on all the money you have made ripping of your loyal fans who were expecting something equivalent to, or better then The City of Ember, and take all their money after they hurry to the store to by this crappy sequel. You should be ashamed!

And to all of you readers out there, please, PLEASE! Don't be putting more money into the pocket if Jeanne Duprau, because you already know that they get out of the underground city. What more is there to know???