s a young teen, I was elated when I discovered DuPrau’s first book, The City of Ember. Growing up, my parents were very careful about what their children were allowed to read, so I often had a difficult time finding books (especially for young teens) that didn’t have lots content. I also was quickly falling in love with dystopian books, and The City of Ember quickly became one of my favorite books to read and re-read. I’m an adult now, but I still get excited when I find books that are by authors I loved as a kid, and DuPrau’s newest book sounded like a fun trip down memory lane for me.

Project F is set in what felt like a similar time as The City of Ember, with references to the times before, when humanity used up earth’s resources and quickly lost the ability to use lots of modern technology. Trains are mentioned to be a form of transport for longer journeys; towns are mentioned to be small and few and far between. Fossil fuels are banned and use of them is against the law. While these are all mentioned throughout the book, there isn’t a lot of explanation why this way of living occurred, but just enough to give the reader an idea of what could possibly be our future if we’re not careful with our precious resources.

So, when the main character, Keith, gets the opportunity to ride on a train to go fetch his cousin to come live with his family after a tragedy occurs, leaving his cousin orphaned, he jumps at the chance to go on a little adventure, even though he is quite young to be traveling alone. Though he promises his parents he won’t get into any mischief, Keith convinces himself that the man on the train who accidentally took the wrong bag when he got to his stop will be appreciative of his efforts to track him down and give him his belongings back. The man is grateful; however, Keith’s detour reveals something about the man that is miraculous and mind boggling. How could Keith walk away from an opportunity to better the lives of humans?

And so, Keith begins to keep secrets. He tells a small lie to his parents about the train journey and that is harmless enough. The discovery Keith made is still in the front of his mind though, and he can’t stop thinking about the project the man on the train is involved with. The majority of this book is about Keith and his brief adventure, and the excitement of being a kid with a secret. I think it is probably the sweetest and most innocent story that I have read in a long time, and I hope that many kids get great enjoyment out of this story and perhaps will discover The City of Ember if they haven’t already!

Review of a Digital Advance Reading Copy from Random House Children’s Books

From the author of City of Ember and its dystopian society comes Project F’s utopian one. No, neither book neatly fits every aspect of their genre’s description, but in Project F, Jeanne DuPrau creates a world that has developed after leaders the world over cut off their citizens from fossil fuels entirely in a last choice effort to reverse the effects of global warming and pollution. Keith has grown up with limited electricity, primarily bicycle and animal drawn transportation, plus blue skies and moderate temperatures. Fossil fuels are not used at all and trees are monitored, harvested, and replanted faithfully. On a wood-powered train ride to get his newly orphaned cousin Lulu, however, a backpack mix up leads him to discover a group of men who are working on a machine that will allow man to fly. As he is drawn into their circle, imagination races and the thought of traveling across the land faster, farther causes Keith to wonder more about this freedom and its possible costs. The book is fast-paced and by the conclusion, readers may be wondering themselves about our world and what could and should be done to keep our skies blue and our temperatures moderate! Project F can be enjoyed surface level as a look at a possible future but there is great depth in not only an examination of global warming but of grief and guilt. Excellent choice for libraries serving students in grades 5-8. Text is free of profanity, sexual content and violence.

Keith is on a trip to pick up his cousin when he stumbles across Project F. Now he is part of a secret project that is destined to change the world. Unfortunately, he is only thirteen years old and is forced to keep it a secret from everyone, except Lulu. As Keith learns more about Project F and the fuel it uses, he must decide if the secret is worth keeping. What will Keith do in the end?

Project F is a stand-alone science fiction story that will have readers wondering what our world would be like if some of these actions became real. DuPrau has taken a future time that could easily be realized in our lifetime and created a story for young readers to ponder. This book will leave everyone thinking about how they might live in a simpler world.

Solid writing with a good overarching message about the dangers of fossil fuels. There are valuable lessons in this book about making hard choices and about how our hedonistic desires can sometimes cloud our judgment. There are definitely good life lessons and messages in this book.

But, as much as I wanted to love this book, I had some issues with the plot structure. The first part of the book was tight and cohesive. The second half of the book rambled around a bit, with tertiary characters (a group of young girls) that kept popping up. Their random appearances were a distraction from the story, and really didn't contribute anything to the plot (they never even interacted with the MC until the last couple pages). I kept waiting for them to serve some sort of purpose. But, in the end, they were just an arbitrary and off-putting addition to the book.

A good read for its educational merit, but a bit lacking in structure

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved the Ember books, so I was excited to pick up another book by this author. The writing style is similar in this book, with a sort of omniscient third person perspective and light-hearted tone. The themes are closely tied, as well: this is another post-apocalyptic world with people surviving on less "stuff" than we're used to.

I think this one skews a bit younger than Ember, though; the style of this story is more fable-istic, a sort of retelling of the Icarus myth. It felt similar to J.K. Rowling's "Ickabog" in that sense: a longer children's story that has a clear moral lesson as the focus.

The focus is on the danger of fossil fuels and materialism. It's not very nuanced, so you may find her suggested solution to this problem a bit extreme (even if you logically agree that it may be necessary in the future). But it's a story for children. This breaks down the overall issue into simple terms: we can't keep living the way we are, but even if we change everything, there will be people who still try to go back and cling to the old ways of doing things. Personally, I think we need to find a way to please these materialists with things that are more renewable, but that is a big task that won't happen overnight. It's a complicated problem, and we'll never get everyone on the same page.

Overall, the story is well-paced and the characters are likable. I'd recommend it for six to eight-year-olds, either reading themselves or having it read to them. But parents/teachers should be aware of the message, because it will likely start a conversation about energy sources that they'll want to be prepared for.

hanks to Netgalley and Random House Kids for the advance Kindle copy of this 10/10/23 release; all opinions are my own.
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⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 for this dystopian adventure. In a future where all fossil fuels are outlawed, the world has gotten smaller. People are back to horse-drawn carriages, and there are only seven towns in the U.S. On a train journey to fetch his newly orphaned cousin, thirteen-year-old Keith meets a man who is working on a secret project. When their suitcases get switched, Keith goes out of his way to return it - after peeking - and gets sucked in to project. When he discovers what it really is though, it may be too late. The writing felt stilted and while I enjoyed the message, it wasn’t the author’s best work. Recommended for grades 4-6.

DuPrau takes a hard but unique look at the ethics of conservation and fuel usage in her upcoming release Project F. Written in a very approachable way, this dystopian-style book makes global warming an issue that even middle-grade students can discuss. This story engage your students in debating these topics in ways that they couldn’t understand before.

But while there is much to praise about the lifestyle touted in this book, it’s not without it’s problems. DuPrau glosses over the massive hardships and high death tolls that preceeded this idyllic way of life, and so that slant concerns me. We are not doing our kids favors if we do not teach them to think critically for themselves, and giving them only some of the information they need, before they’re old enough to understand how to go find it, will only hurt them.

Project F is well written and provocative. It will surely spark all sorts of conversations about ethics in a wide range of topics – but use this book responsibly. Have those conversations. Dig into the issues with your kids. There are definitely problems to be solved, but we can best do that together – in an informed way.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

The world no longer uses fossil fuels and is trying to return to a bit of balance when this story takes place. Keith is sent on a train trip to get his young cousin when he accidentally winds up with a stranger's look-alike bag. Thus begins Keith's adventure with Project F, a secret project involving a flying pack in a world where there is no flying anymore. And Keith wants in. While I had some issues with this book , it would make a good read-aloud. The book would lend itself to a good discussion about fossil fuels and a future life very different from the one we have now, as well as the choices we make.

This book is a quick read and with interesting characters. I enjoyed Keith and Lulu's story, but felt that the book overall had an agenda more than it developed and told a story. Instead of the characters and their experiences being most important and drawing a reader in, I felt that it was more about climate change and fossil fuels. I don't think my middle grade readers would finish this book. I will definitely try any other new DuPrau books and loved past books by DuPrau. This one just fell short and will not hold my readers.

What worked:
The author creates a novel vision of a future world that follows an environmental crisis on Earth. Coal apparently has the worst reputation of all energy sources as no one would dare use it today. Electricity is one common thread between past and present as it was deemed too important for the survival of humanity. The plot has the feel of a society wiped out and starting over with bits of saved technology thrown in. It’s interesting to see what inventions are kept from life centuries before. The characters travel by steam engine because it’s the fastest form of transportation but they use horse-drawn carriages around town. However, they have electric lights and use telephones to make calls across the country. Characters have vague impressions of the previous world without any specific examples.
Keith is the main character and he has an insatiable taste for adventure. Before a train ride across the country, he tells his father he won’t get involved in anything that’s not his business but that’s not Keith’s personality. It won’t surprise anyone when he doesn’t turn a lost bag into lost and found and decides to track down the owner on his own. He ends up in the middle of an exciting opportunity even though he has doubts about whether it’s legal. Even worse, he drags his six-year-old cousin Lulu into it and makes her promise to keep a secret. Lulu’s already dealing with the sudden death of her parents so withholding the truth from others and telling small lies creates an emotional dilemma.
The message underscoring the story concerns environmental issues and how they may ultimately make Earth uninhabitable. Characters in the story don’t typically experience the negative effects of pollution and the callous treatment people have toward flora and fauna. However, they’ve been taught horror stories of how animals, plants, and resources were eliminated to critical levels. The sensitivity to nature is exemplified when a group of girls are appalled that another girl kills a butterfly for no reason. It’s just a bug, right? The new laws don’t allow humans to do anything that might harm wildlife. The book’s conflict emerges when readers discover some characters have a radically different and dangerous outlook on their future.
What didn’t work as well:
The revelation of Project F is a bit anticlimactic but the energy source is what’s significant. The plot and characters could be more developed and some parts of the story feel disjointed. A subplot involving a group of girls is related to the narrative but it feels like something totally separate. It doesn’t add much to the book.
The Final Verdict:
The book presents a dystopian view of a world that survived the environmental emergency we currently face. Keith and Lulu’s participation in Project F allows young readers to connect with the characters and generates important questions for consideration. Overall, this book is a quick read that will be enjoyed by lovers of nature and adventure.

I'm bumping my rating up because I think she deserves recognition for what she's trying to convey, but I feel it's a 3.5. I like the storytelling and the ideas, but I failed to connect with the characters, and that's always my top goal. They feel very flat to me, and I think they will for their intended audience as well. that said, I think this is a great teaching tool, and could be incorporated in a number of subjects, history, science, English..... sort of a "How do you think students will look back on US in 200 years?" i like the timeline at the end, here's how long we lived without fossil fuels, and then BUMP. i myself constantly wonder what the future will look like for my granddaughters, and I don't alwys have a lot of hope, but I know we can get through it. Little bit of the Icarus legend in here too ;), and it feels to me like a japanese style of storytelling.

I am a huge fan of the City of Ember series and was excited to read Project F. The premise of the story was interesting - a futuristic society that had been drastically changed by the loss of fossil fuels. That being said, I found the characters to be a bit underdeveloped. I wanted Amity and her friends to somehow meet up with the main character. Their story seems to have nothing to do with the main part of the story.

I was really excited to read Project F, because The City of Ember was such a great story. I was rather disappointed. The writing seemed very disjointed. In this story, the world is simplified down to 5 major cities, all connected and accessed by train. Cars, planes, and things run by fossil fuels, are strictly forbidden and against the law. There is no real technology. It’s as if after The Fall which is never really explained, the world reverted to an earlier time.

Our main character, Keith takes a two day train ride to pick up his recently orphaned cousin. In the meantime, there is a bag mix-up and while looking for identifying information, he sees sketches of something mysteriously called Project F. This bag mix-up leads Keith on a discovery that he may not be ready for.

This is as much dystopian as it is a cautionary tale of global warming and the human reasons behind the fact. It is mildly interesting with no big plot twists. It’s all about morals and conscience, which I don’t see as appealing to the targeted young adult or middle school readers. I don’t see this flying off the library shelf.

I thoroughly enjoyed DuPrau's City of Ember series and was excited about this new release. Unfortunately, it did not live up to my expectations. The characters all had the same voice - Lulu (6 years old), Keith (13) and Malcolm (adult) - and there was no differentiating between them in dialogue or in actions. The big mystery project didn't lead to any discernable climax in the plot either. Overall, while this book was a quick read, it wasn't compelling and the world-building fell flat. I recognize the lessons the author wants young readers to learn from this story, but without any real background information (other than a couple of speeches from an ancient text) and no strong details about the current state of the world, it would be difficult for students to learn about climate change and its potential impact.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

I am not sure whether Project F is written to advocate for the end of the use of fossil fuels to counter climate change or whether it is a warning of what would happen if we stopped using fossil fuels. The story tells of a world plunged back to pre-Industrial Revolution times where transportation of people and goods was via horses, wagons, trains, and carts.
In the story, a young boy named Keith becomes part of Project F inadvertently. He tastes the thrill of flying and dreams of what life in the future could hold - a return to society as we know it today. The cost of that future drives his choices. The author, Jeanne DuPrau, asks us to first of all believe that any measures such as using solar and wind turbines would not do anything to counter the reduction or stoppage of the use of fossil fuels. She also wants us to believe that all nations’ leaders would be able to wield complete authority over their countries to jointly and immediately stop using fossil fuels. I think that premise is flawed, but it does make a good story.
I read the book mainly to see where the plot would go. I was interested to see how the characters would live in a world without advanced technology because the only form of technology seemed to be train travel. Yet, in spite of this call for a return to a simpler life, humanity forever seeks to advance toward a more complex society. History has shown that in ancient societies that had some advancements that took centuries to be developed after they ceased to exist.
The story of Keith is interesting. Young adults will enjoy following his adventures but I wonder what they will learn about climate change and the message Ms. DuPrau is sending, which is unclear to me.

Welcome to the new world, one without fossil fuels. The world was dying because greenhouse gasses were killing it so the worlds leaders came together and set a stop date and, on that day, there was no more gas, oil, fuel. Over time cities changed and now there were buses, and trains that could run off of steam and wood burning, solar, and hydroelectric. But when Keith stumbles across a new form of power that allows him to fly, Project F, what will he risk to fly more.
This was a very good book with a very strong message. I really liked most of the characters, there are a few meanies and they get theirs for the most part. But to think if our leaders did that to us right now what would happen would be catastrophic and I would think there would be lots of deaths. This is a good book that should keep even reluctant readers interest.

Although I did enjoy this book, my expectations were very high because of The City of Ember.. The story was engaging. However, at times, it felt rushed. I’m looking forward to hearing from fellow teachers to see what they think.

This story was a dystopian story about a boy sent to pick up his cousin who will be living with his family from now on. I liked some of the futuristic aspects but they didn’t feel fully developed to me. I wanted to be able to better picture what was going on, but it felt fuzzy and not fully realized. Then when I realized her “point” I was kind of annoyed. Way too preachy for a kids’ book. Just not for me and not a good follow to her great series City of Ember. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Project F takes us to a world that will challenge our thinking, but is told in a simple style that will allow young middle grade readers to access the book. There were so many question I just had to have answered! I had to keep reading to find out!

I enjoyed reading "Project F"! It had a little bit of mystery to keep readers going.

Project F would be a great read-aloud for upper elementary and middle school classes. I'd love to hear the discussions as students try to figure out what is being described in the past of long ago. I wonder who would understand it and who may see it from a new perspective.

A must-have for all libraries and a fabulous addition to any Jeanne DuPrau collections!

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