A prehistoric survival adventure follows Dusk, an unusual bat-like creature rejected by his colony. When predators attack, he helps lead survivors towards a new home, while facing questions of belonging and difference.
More about this book
As the sun sets on the time of the dinosaurs, a new world is left in its wake. . . . DuskHe alone can fly and see in the dark, in a colony where being different means being shunned — or worse. As the leader's son, he is protected, but does his future lie among his kin? CarnassialHe has the true instincts of a predator, and he is determined that his kind will not only survive, but will dominate the world of beasts. From the author of the internationally acclaimed Silverwing trilogy comes an extraordinary adventure set sixty-five million years ago. Kenneth Oppel, winner of a Michael L. Printz Honor for airborn, has crafted a breathtaking animal tale that reaches out to the human in all of us.
Dusk is treated as an outsider in his colony, despite being the leader’s son; he is also described as having unusual abilities.FavourableFavourable: the book presents this theme approvingly or positively.Favourable: the book presents this theme approvingly or positively.
How the book presents it: Dusk’s journey from being treated as a misfit to finding the courage to fly presents his difference sympathetically.
Talk about: If Dusk’s abilities set him apart, how does the story show their value to others?
Prehistoric adventure
The adventure is set in the Paleocene, with vivid environmental details, and follows survivors seeking a new home after an attack.Exploratory / explanatoryExploratory / explanatory: the book explains or explores the subject without an established evaluative position.Exploratory / explanatory: the book explains or explores the subject without an established evaluative position.
How the book presents it: The setting is presented through sensory detail as part of an imagined prehistoric animal adventure, rather than as a nonfiction account.
Talk about: Which details make this prehistoric world feel unfamiliar or vivid to you?
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Why It May Be Worth Reading
The story pairs action and an imagined prehistoric setting with a character whose differences set him apart. It may suit readers drawn to animal fantasy and stories about finding a place among others.
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What Deserves Attention
The plot includes social rejection and a predator attack on the colony. These bring exclusion and danger into the adventure; consider how your reader responds to threatened characters and survival peril.
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A Conversation Worth Having
If Dusk’s differences make him an outsider, what qualities does the story show that help him find a role among his kin or the survivors?
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Reading Approach
Read together in manageable stretches, pausing after the attack or a change in Dusk’s role. Invite your reader to predict what his abilities might mean for the group, without needing to know the series.
Confidence & Basis
Theme indicators describe how the book presents a topic; they are not a verdict on the whole book or your family's values. Confidence reflects how much book-specific material was checked. Only part of the book information was available, so some details remain unconfirmed.
What remains unconfirmed
Difference and belonging: Some details of this treatment remain unclear.
Prehistoric adventure: Some details of this treatment remain unclear.
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