Book:  Trapped
Author:  Michael Northrop
Release date:  January 1, 2011
Publisher:  Scholastic Press
Pages:  224
Source:  Publisher

The day the blizzard started, no one knew that it was going to keep snowing for a week. That for those in its path, it would become not just a matter of keeping warm, but of staying alive….

Scotty and his friends Pete and Jason are among the last seven kids at their high school waiting to get picked up that day, and they soon realize that no one is coming for them. Still, it doesn’t seem so bad to spend the night at school, especially when distractingly hot Krista and Julie are sleeping just down the hall. But then the power goes out, then the heat. The pipes freeze, and the roof shudders. As the days add up, the snow piles higher, and the empty halls grow colder and darker, the mounting pressure forces a devastating decision….

Trapped is a unique story but one that I found lacking in many places.  Michael Northrop has an interesting premise but I thought it could have gone a lot farther.

Scotty Weems is just a normal teenager until the day the nor’easter starts.  Then he becomes one of the seven kids trapped in the high school.  At first it seems like the storm won’t last long.  Then the power goes out along with the heat.  When the first day passes and there is no sign of rescue, the teens begin to worry.  What if they run out of food?  What if they freeze?  There are too many possibilities of death and not enough, of life.

Trapped started out strong but didn’t stay that was for long.  Things started getting boring as the time drew out while the teens were trapped.  Nothing ever really changed and the characters never developed.  I didn’t understand the friendships or relationships.  The characters needed more dimensions.

The story was definitely good but way too short.  I was so creeped out while reading this.  It had converted me to a survivalist.  The story was unbelievable but believable if that makes any sense.  The ending was what bugged me.  It was way too abrupt.  I wanted more.  I wanted to know exactly what happened and I was upset that I was left hanging.

Overall, Trapped is an interesting book that I recommend if you don’t analyze it too much.  It’s definitely a good book for teenage guys though.

First line:  We were the last seven kids waiting around to get picked up from Tattawa Regional High School.

Rating:  B-

Cover:  A