(This review is based on an uncorrected e-galley of this novel)

In a future post climate change with no cars, planes, or cellphones, 14 year old Keith uncovers a secret project, Project F. Malcom, the lead on Project F, promises Keith that it will shape the future, an adventure Keith desperately wants to be a part of. But how much is Keith willing to risk for adventure?

As stated in the author's note at the beginning of the novel, Keith is our protagonist, but he's not really a hero. It was a nice change of pace, but I felt like the story didn't have as much of a climax/resolution as it may have if Keith had been more of a traditional hero. Overall, I enjoyed seeing that an author I loved as a kid is still writing novels. I'm hoping that Project F ends up being a series as well!

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for an e-ARC of this novel.

I think Project F was well written and engaging until the end. I was left a bit unsatisfied and confused by an extra storyline that seemed unconnected.

Project f
By Jeanne Duprau

An apolitical story about the over use of fossil fuel. The story shows an idealized look at the world after the end of fossil fuel use.
The book shows the nature of responsibility to self and society. The idea of using care to help others without punishing them. It's and idealized world shows a clean society but it has its dark places. The restricted knowledge causes problems for the society.

This novel is not just an adventure; it's a thought-provoking exploration of ethics and the choices we make in a world forever changed by climate upheaval. 'Project F' promises to be a modern classic, inviting readers of all ages to ponder how much they are willing to risk to safeguard the future. DuPrau's latest work is a testament to her storytelling mastery and her ability to tackle pressing issues within the framework of a thrilling and imaginative narrative. A must read!!!

Hundreds of years ago the modern world brought upon its own destruction. Now people live a much simpler life, but there are still those that long bring back the old ways. I really loved the first half of Project F. Young Keith heading off on his own to retrieve his recently orphaned cousin and bring her back home and then getting mixed up in the mystery of Project F really hooked me, but then things changed. It became a overly heavy-handed story about climate change. I really don’t mind a story with a message at all, but please weave it naturally into the story, don’t be preachy about it or it pulls me out of the story. Yes, the book is aimed toward younger readers who might not completely get the message if it is delivered too subtly, but this is about as subtle as a sack of bricks. Besides the already mentioned preachy nature of the second half of the story there were also chapters that seemed more or less pointless to the overall story. It’s a shame, but Project F is a far cry from DuParu’s The City of Embers. I’d like to thank Random House Children's, Random House Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of Project F.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R10D9D2S3DHJEG/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

I am a huge City of Ember fan and whole Thai book was good, I don’t think it will hook as many of my students in as I had hoped it would.

It’s important for arc reviewers to remember the intended audience and I don’t think fifth graders and up will be as annoyed with how “preachy” it felt the author was being in regards to climate change and fossil fuels.

Will start lots of tough convos in a classroom if done correctly.

If you are looking for something as intriguing as The City of Ember, this is not it. The bones of this post-apocalyptic, moralistic tale are good, but there is something lacking in the execution. The writing felt stilted and the characters were flat. If that was the intention, then it was well done. It felt very rough, which also added to the disturbing feeling about the society they lived in. It could be used to start conversations about the issues surrounding climate change, fossil fuels, and personal freedoms. For grades 4 & up.

Short, boring, not enough plot or character development. Though the message is worth giving, the approach is kind of a scare tactic. It might open some good classroom conversations, but I would never suggest this book to my middle schoolers to read for pleasure.

I received an advanced review copy from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

My daughters and I all loved The City of Ember so I was excited to see that Jeanne DuPrau was coming out with a new middle-grade title. While I didn't love it as much as Ember, I do think it is a solid story with much to recommend it.

What I liked:
- The post-apocalyptic setting was well-drawn and set the tone for the story. The author did a good job of showing that something catastrophic happened in the past that led to the current world without going overboard with graphic or scary descriptions.
- No offensive language or innuendo. This is really important to me as a mom of an eight and ten year old and I appreciate that Ms. DuPrau writes complex and interesting stories without incorporating these elements. I would hand this book to either of my girls without hesitation.
- The main character's struggle with making right choices felt realistic. Keith is faced with some hard decisions and I think his initial instinct to pretend like nothing bad is happening and act in his own interests felt true to real life. It's valuable to show kids a main character who isn't perfect.

What I didn't like:
- While I understand what the author was trying to do, I felt like the portrayal of climate change felt a little heavy handed. I would have liked for it to have been a tad more subtle because I felt like it overshadowed the story a bit. To be fair, this is my opinion as an adult reader. Perhaps this the lack of subtlety is effective for the target age range of 8-12 -- it's hard for me to say with certainty.

Overall, I would give this book a 4 star rating and will be recommending it to my own kids and other parents.

Several hundred years in the future, the Earth looks dramatically different from the present day. Most humans live in a few planned cities, and trains are the most frequent means of traveling from one city to the next. Thirteen-year-old Keith Arlo has been tasked with retrieving his recently orphaned cousin from her seaside home, and this is Keith’s most independent undertaking to date. Along the way, Keith meets a mysterious passenger and when their bags are accidentally switched, Keith is introduced to a top-secret world he never knew existed. As the truth comes to light, Keith and the reader discover exactly what happened to bring the world to Keith’s present, and what might be done to encourage a positive future in the reader’s reality, as well.

This contemplative narrative speaks directly to the reader through a third-person, somewhat distanced approach. Extensive descriptions with occasional historical explanations are found in the beginning in particular, which sets the foundation of the story up for the reader. While this can be slow moving, the setting is compelling enough to encourage readers to continue. And once the action begins to pick up, secrets and mysteries abound, and readers will enthusiastically continue to discover what happens next. Thanks to this intentional design, readers often feel as though they are watching a movie unfold, and in this way they may consider the possible ramifications of their actions in an unhurried and nonjudgmental manner.

Climate change is the catalyst for the behaviors that led to the world in which Keith resides, although it has been so long since these events occurred that Keith has very little understanding of them. Because these are contemporary issues for the reader, there is a much more immediate feel to climate choices and how they are impacting the world. Through this fictionalized tale, readers are invited to observe Keith’s world and how it has changed as a result of decisions made centuries before while considering what changes they themselves might make in the present. Fans of speculative fiction and upper middle grade adventure stories will appreciate this approach to a global crisis. This is a thought-provoking addition to library collections for young readers.

Thank you NetGalley for providing this Advanced Reading Copy in exchange for an honest review.
Jeanne DuPrau wrote The City of Ember, so I was excited to read one of her latest books. Unfortunately, this one fell short. Hopefully, someone else enjoys.

If you're looking for City of Ember, this is not it--Project F is its own beautiful thing, in which Jeanne DuPrau showcases her mastery of her craft in a different, wonderful way. This is a heartfelt story that takes place in a post-fossil fuel world. Full of hope and humanity, this new world is more utopia than not, though it came at a great cost. Brimming with metaphors for humanity's hubris and bad habits, the story contains an unfortunately familiar type of villain in society today, and a boy named Keith who wants to help make life better for everyone, but also wants to have fun. (DuPrau exhibits a deep understanding of, and respect for, the hearts and minds of her target audience.) In these pages are quiet moments and high-flying adventure, and plenty of fun ideas for living well in this slower, post-fossil fuel world. As Keith finds out, it's a world worth fighting for. And it MUST be fought for, because it hangs in a delicate balance that could tip back toward disaster at any time. One of the story's most painful truths is that there will always be people who miss what was lost and don't mind repeating humanity's biggest mistakes to get what they want.

Thanks to the author and publisher for the ARC I received through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am not sure if the target audience will enjoy this book. It was the author's soapbox about the evils of using fossil fuels. Yes, we should be aware of the situation. Yes, we are doomed. Yes, the kid learned his lesson. I didn't enjoy the book and lecture.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House, and Jeanne DuPrau for allowing me to read the ARC of Project F.

As thirteen-year-old Keith boards the train to pick up his orphaned cousin, Lulu, his parents remind him to not stray and get involved in any extra adventures! But, when his seat-mate takes his bag by mistake, Keith can’t resist taking Lulu with him to quickly switch bags. Of course, no adventure is quick, and as they come upon the man with his bag, there is a man preparing to fly! They are sworn to secrecy, and return home. Will man fly? Will Keith fly? Can Lulu keep a secret or two? This is an exciting adventure into the future.

Thank you NetGalley, Random House Children's Books, and Jeanne DuPrau for the opportunity to read this e-ARC!

This was a slow read for me. It takes place hundreds of years in the future with no cars, planes, or modern conveniences (but you wouldn't necessarily know that just by reading 75% of the book - I only knew this because I read the synopsis). It centers around a boy named Keith who goes on a journey to pick up his cousin by train after her parents tragically die. On the train ride, Keith happens to stumble upon a secret project called Project F.

Project F is going to change the world, or so the founder says, and Keith has to make a hard choice about whether or not to participate.

The story picked up near the end when you finally discover what Project F's goal is and how they will accomplish it, but by then it's the end of the story.

I was excited to read this book, as I loved "City of Ember" but this one was just not up to the previous book.

It was a good premise but underdeveloped in plot and characters. I liked Keith's character but the others were just cardboard characters. I would have liked to know more on how the world had gone back in time by centuries because of fossil fuels and how the people felt about it all.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book.

Welp...this was no City of Ember. This felt oddly incomplete. No real character development. Random characters and scenes that had no true connection and didn't propel the storyline forward. The plot felt like it was just building and then the story was ending.

Honestly, felt like a rough rough draft. Disappointing.

Two stars solely because I finished.

I really wanted to love this book. I enjoyed the City of Ember series and was excited to see a new book by the author. However this was just a book trying to force people into stopping the use of fossil fuels and converting to renewable sources of energy. I think it is a good thing to think about but you shouldn’t try to force your beliefs onto the children that will read this book. Also in one part the author changes part of the Christian Doxology into a song about the earth and praising it.

First of all, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy of Project F. Unfortunately, despite my enjoyment of DuPrau's other works, this one fell a bit flat for me. It was far too easy for me to disengage myself from the story, and I just wasn't invested. I like what the author was trying to accomplish, but it just didn't work for me.

I really enjoyed Jeanne DuPrau’s Books of Ember series so I was excited to see she’d written another novel.

In Project F, a boy discovers a secret that causes him to question the society he lives in.

This one definitely had a different feel from the fast-paced City of Ember and the mystery and storyline also felt less urgent. I didn’t really mind this though.

The spare writing style and slower pace matched the simple and peaceful vibe I got from this post-fossil fuel society.

Even when problems arose, it seemed like they weren’t that big of a threat. People were mellow and I never felt on edge.

Perhaps the author’s tone was a bit didactic in explaining the dangers of fossil fuels, but I don’t think her target audience will be as bothered by that as many of the adult reviewers seem to be🤷🏽‍♀️

Those portions of the book served to explain how that society came to be and were written from the perspective of someone who had seen the culmination of those dangers first hand, so the tone made sense to me, even if it did feel a bit preachy.

The author’s note at the end explains how she became interested in this topic and goes into more detail about how complex the situation is, as renewable resources are not without their own problems.

I’d recommend this to those who enjoy post-apocalyptic stories and don’t mind a bit of a slower pace. It would also be a good choice for younger readers since it’s a fairly mild society, being set many years after the turmoil that created it. Maybe a sensitive child could become concerned about our use of fossil fuels and what that might mean for the future. And that is likely her intent. As they say, “Today’s readers are tomorrow’s leaders.”

If you’re looking for something more exciting, perhaps she’ll follow this up with a prequel that’s set at the time of the collapse. 😊