96 Miles
96 Miles book cover

96 Miles

Paperback – August 3, 2021

by
Price
$8.49
Format
Paperback
Pages
272
Publisher
Tor Teen TR
Publication Date
ISBN-13
978-1250192288
Dimensions
5.4 x 0.7 x 8.2 inches
Weight
8.5 ounces

Description

“A suspense thriller, survival story, and a story of the love between brothers. You'll turn the pages and be surprised again and again.” ―Gary D. Schmidt, Newbery Honor Award-winning author of The Wednesday Wars “Fast-paced, believable, funny, and poignant. 96 Miles is a great read from the first sentence to the surprising and satisfying ending. I give Esplin’s debut novel 100%. Don't miss it!” ―Roland Smith, New York Times bestselling author of Peak “Readers who enjoy realistic survival stories will not be able to put down Esplin’s debut…. Filled with survival techniques, danger, and overcoming realistic obstacles, this story will have readers turning pages. A great choice for lovers of Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet or Roland Smith’s Peak .”― School Library Journal “Esplin offers a richly layered look at the frustrations of sibling rivalry, the depths of family loyalty, and the challenges of forgiveness.”― Publishers Weekly “For readers thirsting for a fresh survival story.”― Kirkus Reviews J. L. ESPLIN grew up with a Secret Service agent father, who was intent on raising self-reliant kids, prepared for any emergency, especially natural disasters. She lives in Las Vegas, Nevada, on the edge of town with her husband and kids. 96 Miles is her first novel. When not writing, she enjoys teaching guitar the fun way, traveling to new places, and coming back home to the desert.

Features & Highlights

  • Now in paperback: J. L. Esplin's
  • 96 Miles
  • is a survival story sure to appeal to fans of Gary Paulsen’s classic
  • Hatchet
  • and Lauren Tarshis’s bestselling I Survived series.21 days without power. Two brothers on a desperate trek. 72 hours before time runs out...
  • The Lockwood brothers are supposed to be able to survive anything. Their dad, a hardcore believer in self-reliance, has stockpiled enough food and water at their isolated Nevada home to last for months. But when they are robbed of all their supplies during a massive blackout while their dad is out of town, John and Stew must walk 96 miles in the stark desert sun to get help. Along the way, they’re forced to question their dad’s insistence on self-reliance and ask just what it is that we owe to our neighbors, to our kin, and to ourselves.From talented newcomer J. L. Esplin comes this story of survival and determination as two young brothers confront the unpredictability of human nature in the face of desperate circumstances.
  • “A suspense thriller, survival story, and a story of the love between brothers. You'll turn the pages and be surprised again and again.”―Gary D. Schmidt, Newbery Honor Award-winning author of
  • The Wednesday Wars
  • “Readers who enjoy realistic survival stories will not be able to put down Esplin’s debut…. Filled with survival techniques, danger, and overcoming realistic obstacles, this story will have readers turning pages. A great choice for lovers of Gary Paulsen’s
  • Hatchet
  • or Roland Smith’s
  • Peak
  • .”―
  • School Library Journal

Customer Reviews

Rating Breakdown

★★★★★
60%
(220)
★★★★
25%
(92)
★★★
15%
(55)
★★
7%
(26)
★
-7%
(-27)

Most Helpful Reviews

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I'm telling everyone I know about this book

Although this novel features adolescent characters, readers of every age will enjoy the fast-paced adventure that is 96 Miles. Set in the most remote location in the 48 contiguous States - an authentic scene in the Nevada desert, this novel tells a story of courage, endurance, brotherly love, and what it means to be a neighbor. Humorously told, with relatable characters, Esplin's debut is a worthy read and a worthy share.
2 people found this helpful
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Utterly gripping debut survivalist novel. Five well-deserved stars.

An excellent YA story. Utterly gripping, the story gathering tension and pace as the hours pass and four young people are driven to survive the hostile outdoors, the scorching heat and parching winds, desperate to find water and no one to help them, in fact, some who are willing to kill them. Almost post-apocalyptic in style, this tale shows some of our deepest human fears – how to survive in a world without ready availability of our primary source of life – water, with food a close second urgent necessity.

This story buys into the very real fears of isolation and government abandonment many have had during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, the panic-buying, the increased sales of guns, food, fuel and, above all, water. How many people across the globe are now more prepared for another end of days scenario? A truly satisfying read for a debut novel. Five well-deserved stars.
2 people found this helpful
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Such a great book!

I had my students read this book for our “book club” and my children listened to the audio book through Audible. It was such a great book. All of my students enjoyed reading it and my own kids loved it. Even as an adult, I really enjoyed the book. I found it to be entertaining and suspenseful. Of all of the books I have read to students this year, this has been the one that as a group they reported to enjoy most. The reader of the audio version was fantastic also. I highly recommend for your middle school kids.
2 people found this helpful
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Good book

It’s an amazing book
1 people found this helpful
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Suspenseful read. Great for middle school and up!

What a great book! A friend recommended it and my son and I couldn't put it down. There is a great twist that I didn't know was coming. I highly recommend it.
1 people found this helpful
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Didn’t want to put it down

This book was a fun read.
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Great book!

Even though this book is written for middle grade readers I enjoyed reading it as an adult. It’s propulsive and the characters are easy to root for. I could totally picture this as a movie, hopefully someone in Hollywood reads it and decides to make it!
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Fantastic tale of survival and siblings

I loved this: premise, execution, writing. It was all great. Characterization, plot, pacing…I really have nothing to critique.

I did wonder why it didn't occur to these desert-savvy kids to sleep under shelter during the hottest part of the day and walk all night. They were on a long straight highway, which would have been super easy to navigate in the dark. This would have conserved a lot of energy. More importantly, it would have conserved water in the form of sweat not lost.

That said, I was absolutely delighted that finally, FINALLY, someone wrote a desert novel that points out that the desert is NOT boiling hot in the day and freezing cold that same night. The temperature swings are bigger than most places, so a warm day can be quite chilly at night, and deserts can freeze….but not in the middle of summer! John set all his readers right. Yay!!! Thank you, J.L.Esplin.

Recommended for anyone, but especially those who love survival tales, kids working together against big problems, and stories of the love between siblings.

Now I have to read everything else by J.L. Esplin.

Absolutely five stars (and I don't give many five-star ratings to novels)

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