The Prophet of Yonwood
Written by Jeanne DuPrau
Reviewed by Andrew B. (age 12)
1. Keep Greenhaven 2. Be in love 3. Help the world. These are the three goals Nickie sets for herself as she goes to the town of Yonwood. Soon, she meets Mrs. Beeson, a woman who declares new rules and restrictions in the town. She finds out the rules come from interpretations of the ill prophet, Althea Tower. Throughout the story, Nickie meets interesting people and discovers and learns vital things. When she tries to accomplish her third goal by keeping an eye on the town and telling Mrs. Beeson anything she deems suspicious, she unknowingly tells on a friend and steers the friend into a dilemma. How will Nickie deal with her predicament and help her friend? I think that The Prophet of Yonwood is an enthralling book with description that paints a vivid picture in my mind. This book is similar to the previous books of the series, The City of Ember and The City of Sparks, all with compelling adventures. Throughout the story, Nickie matures steadily, learning the importance of friendship. I felt caught up in the suspense of the book as I read, and kept turning the pages to find out the next quandary Nickie gets herself into. I would recommend The Prophet of Yonwood for readers over ten years old that like books with breath-taking, tense suspense and strong elaboration I greatly enjoyed how the author conveyed the signs of maturity in the main character, Nickie.