Alyssa’s Comments (group member since Mar 20, 2024)

Alyssa’s comments from the What's the Name of That Book??? group.

WAIT I FOUND IT it’s called ‘First Light’ by Rebecca Stead

Okay, this has been BUGGING me for ages. When I was in middle school (approximately 2011-2013) I found this book in my school’s library, began reading it, and wasn’t able to finish it before it needed to be returned. Here’s what I remember:

1.) The cover. It was an icy white landscape with a boy walking across and yoh can faintly see another person’s face just below the ice. Mind you, it’s a photo from a bird’s eye view and far away from both figure. For some reason both blue and red stick out in my mind — I think it was either the color of the font or perhaps what winter gear the boy is wearing.

2.) The plot, from what I remember, was this girl living underground beneath the icy terrain with a whole civilization. The boy and girl encounter at some point — basically the boy had no idea people lived underground, but I think the girl was aware of those who lived above. Definitely a middle-grade or YA dystopian novel.

3.) It’s not City of Ember of Beneath the Dark Ice. I’ve been scrolling forums online for years now and have yet to find a match. I almost thought it was Downsiders by Neil Shusterman, but the genders are swapped from what I remember, the cover doesn’t match, and this book I’m looking for took place in like a frozen wasteland, not New York.

Thank you for reading this and I would appreciate any thoughts you have !! :)