No Safety in Numbers by Dayna Lorentz

I know I haven't been doing much young adult reading lately- I have been doing a lot of just adult fiction, but I am constantly on the look out for new great reads. I am working with some grade 8 teachers on a theme based literature circles and this is one of the books we have chosen for the kids to read. No Safety In Numbers is a cross between Monument 14 and http://whatchareading-kerry.blogspot.ca/2011/02/trapped-by-michael-northrop.html and seems to be the first in a series. This story is told through several different teen voices as they try and figure out why they are locked down inside the mall. If you told many teenagers that they would have to spend the night in the local mall, I am sure many of them would find the idea exciting, and that is what happens to these teens at first. Many of them choose to spend their time in stores like Apple, Hollister and Abercrombie and Fitch- I think it would be interesting to match their personalities to the stores they choose to spend time in. But when one night turns into several days time in the mall gets very old. Restaurants and the food court are still serving food, but supplies are starting to run low. People start to panic when they realize that people are getting sick. What the most of the people locked down in the mall don't realize is that there was some bomb that many suspect held some bioharzardous material that they have all been exposed to. Like many survival stories, the teens that are locked down in the mall must decide how they will respond. Some will assume leadership roles, some will become helpless, some will look out only for themselves, while others try to help their family and friends. I enjoyed this story, I was surprised at the end when I realized it was the first in a series. I like the characters in this story and want to know how they will not only survive living in a mall for an undefined time but I wonder how they will get back home to their families. I also liked the dynamics that are being played out between friends, strangers and even enemies. This was a good read, I will look forward to the second in the series.