Alone by Megan E. Freeman is a strong middle-grade survival novel with a tenacious protagonist and engaging plot. I would definitely recommend this to fans of adventure and survival stories as well as those who enjoy a good verse novel. This would also make a great selection for kids in grades 7 and up, as it does feature a mature protagonist who gets older in the course of the story. Readers who enjoy middle-grade books with animals will also love this one. Ultimately, a well-written debut I would wholeheartedly recommend.

What a happy coincidence that I just reread Island of Blue Dolphins before diving into this one, because this is a modern version of that story. Both are about young girls who through some random circumstances get left behind in a place to fend for themselves. Alone is written in verse and a bit futuristic in it's premise, but there is no world building and you get sucked straight into the story. Everyone will understand Maddie's fear and determination to survive. I am not normally a fan of books in verse but this one was packed so well and the impact of it's cadence benefited the story in many ways. I really enjoyed this one and would really suggest pairing this book with island of Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell for an extra special reading experience for both.

ALONE is a unique, riveting tale in verse that will appeal to fans of books like HATCHET or the "I Survived" series. This was a hard book to put down!

A novel-in-verse that makes for a delightfully fast read, about a young girl accidentally left behind when her Colorado town is abruptly evacuated. The spare, to-the-point prose starkly captures Maddie's emotions and struggles to survive and remain strong--physically, mentally, and emotionally--as she endures life with only her neighbor's dog George for a companion. (George is the best boy ever!) I think this book will especially resonate with young readers now, with so many enduring long months of lockdown and isolate from family and friends. A strong MG debut!

Wow. What a gripping and unforgettable survival book. Maddie’s town is faced with an emergency evacuation and everyone is forced to leave. Maddie, on a secret sleepover, is now alone. When she goes home, Maddie does find her dog but also finds there is no electricity and no cell service. Now that she is completely and utterly alone, Maddie encounters hazardous weather, looters, and wild animals while figuring out how to stay alive . What she experiences over the many, many months truly tests her fortitude. She realizes you “can’t agonize over what you can’t control.” Her toughest trial is the loneliness. She can’t control her future and knows she needs to worry about the now and live her best life while she can. This was THE best survival book I’ve ever read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author/publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!!
Let me preface this by sharing my appreciation for novels written in verse! I think the way they flow is so fun, so I'm always interested in recommendations in this writing style.

"I am a ghost, haunting this town"

Imminent threat.
Evacuation.
Operation Relocate Freedom.
Maddie is stranded in an empty town. Everyone is missing. And she has no idea whats going on.

Okay this was sooooo good! I couldn't put it down. The author was able to capture a lot of emotions with the flow of her verse, and the story was captivating. It stayed pretty fast paced right through the ending! I wish I could've seen more from this story. Overall 4.5 🌟!

"Staying alive isn't easy
But it's a heck of a lot easier than
Keeping my heart hopeful and
My mind focused
On what's
Real"

This was the first novel that I've read in verse and wowza - it was amazing. Freeman's poetry is so captivating and the story she builds is incredible. I couldn't put this down and will be shouting about it from the rooftops.

What a moving, thoughtfully written, adventure book. I was captivated from the beginning. Following Maddie and George’s adventure as they were left behind after a mysterious evacuation of their entire town. I was at the edge of my seat the entire time and so worried about their survival. Great story! I would love a sequel to find out what happens next...

This debut novel in verse was so good! I had to stop myself from reading it all in one day. The survival story of a girl named Maddie after her entire town has been evacuated and all the crazy, yet realistic issues she faces. The prose flowed easily and sweetly throughout the novel.

I would have liked to know a little more about the cause/imminent threat and would love a second story follow up. I will definitely recommend this story to readers.

I generally enjoy survival stories, and I enjoy novels in verse, but I wasn't sure how the two would work together. I was lucky enough to receive an advanced reader copy of this story, and I was absolutely blown away. I fell in love with Maddie (and her rescue dog George) and ended up reading this book in one sitting. The plot moved along at a brisk clip but there was still plenty of time to contemplate Maddie's fear, loneliness, heartache, and hope, and readers won't be able to resist putting themselves in Maddie's shoes and rooting for her survival. This book is a must-have for teachers and librarians!

I read this in a couple of hours. The plot is engrossing, and the writing is beautiful. I highly recommend this book! Very readable; a good addition to any classroom library!

A modern-day Island of the Blue Dolphins, ALONE is the frightening Middle-Grade story of twelve-year-old Maddie, a girl who is accidentally left behind after an "imminent threat" causes the city to evacuate immediately. Although she holds on to hope at first that somebody will soon rescue her, the hope dwindles as the power and water shut off, phone lines are dead, and pets are left to die in their homes. Maddie must rely on her ingenuity if she's to brave her forgotten Colorado town and stay alive, even if it means never seeing her family again.

My favorite part of this book is that it is told in-verse. It was beautifully written and expertly constructed, a delightful contrast from the story's content, which is supposed to be chaotic and apocalyptic. I enjoyed Maddie as a character and watched her learn to survive independently, both physically and mentally. She seeks help from obvious places at first but then learns to educate herself and grow up quickly as she must in the dire circumstances. I especially loved how many literary references the author uses in the book to help the reader connect with the world Maddie has left behind.

As a kid, I loved survival books like Hatchet and Island of the Blue Dolphins, and ALONE gave me the same thrilling feeling. From the beginning evacuation to the last page, I was gripped, finding myself jumping into bed to read hours before I usually do so that I could find out what happens next. This is a book I know young readers will enjoy, especially those willing to ask themselves the difficult question: What if?

Thank you to Simon and Schuster and Netgalley for the ARC!

This is something a little different for middle grade and, though it does get dark at times so definitely suited to the older MG/emotionally mature reader, it's really well told, quite profound, and smart. I truly loved it!

Thank you to the publisher and the author for an advanced copy of this lovely book. Middle school me would have inhaled this book even faster than adult me—and I read it really fast, so that’s saying something. I wish I could quote from this uncorrected proof, because there were several passages that rang so true to our quarantined and lonely world even though this book was written pre-pandemic. Like I did, readers will relate to Maddie’s isolation and loneliness while admiring her smart decision making and resourcefulness. I highly recommend this book!

A very compelling page-turner. Fans of the "I Survived" series would love this book. Thanks to the publisher for the early copy! A very exciting debut and I'm looking forward to reading the author's next book.

Wow! Just wow. I have no idea how to even put into words my thoughts and feelings about this book. By the time I finished reading I was alternating between..
(1) Thinking about what I plan to do with my one wild and precious life?
(2) Double checking my pantry to see what I currently have in stock.

This novel in verse follows Maddie as she wakes up one morning completely and utterly alone. A beautiful story of hope and resilience and a nod to some wonderful poetry, books and libraries. I liked the nod to the book "Island of the Blue Dolphins" and there were definitely similarities in the book to Hatchet. Would be a great middle grade option when students are reading survival stories.

With thanks to NetGalley and Aladdin for an early copy in return for an honest review.

This novel in verse follows Maddie, a pre-teen who schemes for a secret sleepover with friends. She tells Mom she's with Dad, tells Dad she's with Mom, and sneaks off to her grandparents' empty apartment to meet up with her two best friends. But neither friend can make it, so Maddie ends up all alone for the night. She wakes in the morning to find herself utterly alone. In the night, her town was mysteriously evacuated and she was left behind. After all, Mom thought she was with Dad and Dad thought she was with Mom... What follows is a spare but powerful story of Maddie's survival against all odds. There's no power, no internet, no phone, and no one around. She has only her neighbor's left-behind Rottweiler and her wits to get her through months that threaten to turn into years.

I tried to think of something more well put-together, but I think I'll just copy in my raw reaction that says it all, which I sent immediately to the author late at night:

WOW. I just finished ALONE and.... WOW. I am tingling and flush with the experience. It wasn’t just a book, it was an experience. A unique experience like nothing I’ve read before and I loved it. I’ll formulate my thoughts and post a review later, but I just wanted to say Thank You for sharing this with me!! Wow!!

This book is everything you want it to be, beautiful prose, a challenging and emotionally resonant story that should appeal to both children and adults. The prose in verse will have young readers eager to re-read this wonderful novel again and again. I cannot wait for more books from this authors. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this early copy.

Alone by Megan Freeman is a novel in verse about a girl who finds herself alone in her city after everyone else has been evacuated. Maddie needs to survive both physically and mentally the demands placed upon her. The novel will make you think and cheer for our protagonist.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.