Status
Available
Call number
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Collection
Publication
Scholastic (2011), 244 pages
Description
With their house in foreclosure, sisters India and Mouse and brother Finn are sent to stay with an uncle in Colorado until their mother can join them, but when the plane lands, the children are welcomed by cheering crowds to a strange place where each of them has a perfect house and a clock that is ticking down the time.
User reviews
LibraryThing member prkcs
With their house in foreclosure, sisters India and Mouse and brother Finn are sent to stay with an uncle in Colorado until their mother can join them, but when the plane lands, the children are welcomed by cheering crowds to a strange place where each of them has a perfect house and a clock that is
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ticking down the time. Show Less
LibraryThing member ChristianR
I really liked this book until the ending, which left me disappointed.
India, Finn and Mouse are told by their mother that they have lost their house and are moving immediately to live with their uncle in a different state. Their mother, a teacher, will remain behind until the end of the school
The ending is almost one of those "then they woke up and realized they were dreaming" types of endings. I like Gennifer Choldenko's works a lot, but I ultimately preferred the Al Capone books.
India, Finn and Mouse are told by their mother that they have lost their house and are moving immediately to live with their uncle in a different state. Their mother, a teacher, will remain behind until the end of the school
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year. But they land in a strange place where everyone knows their names, their likes and dislikes, and their secret wishes. For one day everything is wonderful until they are replaced with other newcomers and realize they are trapped in this other confusing world. The next part is somewhat reminiscent of The Hunger Games where it seems that the people in charge have eyes everywhere and can even control the weather. The three siblings sometimes work together to get away, but sometimes teenager India works against the other two when she's not sure if she wants to leave. The ending is almost one of those "then they woke up and realized they were dreaming" types of endings. I like Gennifer Choldenko's works a lot, but I ultimately preferred the Al Capone books.
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LibraryThing member Booklady123
Summary: After the bank forecloses on their house, their mom sends Finn, India and Mouse to fictional Ft. Baker, Colorado to live with their Uncle Red. Since mom is a school teacher and they need the money from her job, she will join them once the school year ends. However, it's not Ft. Baker where
This story had the beginnings of a realistic story detailing an all too common experience for many families in today's economy. When the plane lands the story shifts from realistic fiction to fantasy. It is a little confusing - trying to figure out just what is going on - but the confusion the reader feels is the same as the characters. Choldenko's craftily woven plot pulls the reader into the story, making it easy for readers to identify with the characters. Half the fun of the reading the book is trying to solve the puzzle.
Young adults/pre-teens will identify with how the children feel about being uprooted from their home. Adults will appreciate the growth the children experience as they try to find their way back.
Readers who enjoy a bit of a mystery with a twist and a little bit of fantasy will enjoy this book.
Recommended for 4th Grade and up.
Mrs. Archer's rating: 4 of 5
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they land, but Falling Bird. Reminiscent of Dorothy's trip to Oz, the children soon realize that Falling Bird is like no place they have ever heard of - and though at first it seems like a wonderful place to India and Mouse (Finn is more skeptical), they soon realize that home is where you family is and "there is no place like home." But time is running out. Will they beat the clock and make it home? This story had the beginnings of a realistic story detailing an all too common experience for many families in today's economy. When the plane lands the story shifts from realistic fiction to fantasy. It is a little confusing - trying to figure out just what is going on - but the confusion the reader feels is the same as the characters. Choldenko's craftily woven plot pulls the reader into the story, making it easy for readers to identify with the characters. Half the fun of the reading the book is trying to solve the puzzle.
Young adults/pre-teens will identify with how the children feel about being uprooted from their home. Adults will appreciate the growth the children experience as they try to find their way back.
Readers who enjoy a bit of a mystery with a twist and a little bit of fantasy will enjoy this book.
Recommended for 4th Grade and up.
Mrs. Archer's rating: 4 of 5
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LibraryThing member phh333
Good book. Might make a good mother/daughter book club title. A mother and her children are forced to leave their home due to foreclosure. The children head off on the plane to Colorado to live with their uncle while their mother finished up the school year. Trouble is when they land they are in a
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strange place where the driver sent to pick them up has never hear of their uncle. The older girl in the story finds out what is really important to her. Show Less
LibraryThing member KarenBall
This is one crazy fantasy mystery! Anyone who loves a good puzzle should pick this one up. The three Tompkins kids are told that Mom has just lost the house to the bank, and that she will have to stay in California to do final paperwork and finish the school year at her teaching job. India, Finn
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and Mouse have to get on a plane and fly to Colorado, where they will live with Uncle Red until Mom comes to join them in June. India is 14, and quite the self-absorbed drama queen. Finn has basketball dreams, but a water-boy reality because he's so short. Mouse is an adorable kindergarten genius, long on facts and book learning but short on experience and street smarts (like don't try to bring an exploding volcano experiment through airport security). When their plane lands unusually quickly, the three discover that they are in a fantastic "other" place, where everyone knows your name and cheers you as you arrive from the airport in a hot pink feathered taxi, and there's a dream home for each of you. Dreams like this don't last, and when everything falls apart, the three siblings find their individual strengths are much more when they are all together. Lots of weird puzzle pieces (the white cat, the clocks, the black box, etc). Fun, very different, and very imaginative! 6th grade and up. Show Less
LibraryThing member lilibrarian
Mouse, India and Finn are being sent to Colorado to live with their Uncle Red after their dad dies and their house is lost to foreclosure. But on the way,they find themselves in this strange place called Falling Bird, where clocks are counting down until they won't be able to leave.
LibraryThing member meadert
This book was good even though I didn't get it at first. My mom went over it with me and then I understood.
LibraryThing member ZoeSNicholson
I honestly have to say I'm ambivalent about Gennifer Choldenko's newest novel, No Passengers Beyond This Point. It was pretty average overall (regarding the characters, setting development, etc), but the ending alone might be powerful enough to change my opinion!
The characters were, overall, pretty
The plot is definitely creative. It starts off as a "realistic fiction" type story, and then turns into a sci-fi. It's very unique, and I enjoyed it. Again, I am convinced that Choldenko could have improved her "scattered ideas." The story, however, that Choldenko pulls off is so simple; yet so complex.
The ending was most definitely the thing that saved this book from being completely average. The ending was definitely random, but it made sense. And while it wasn't a perfect "Happily Ever After," it is still a happy ending to the story that makes readers think. However, I think that the end came too abruptly and that Choldenko didn't give her readers the complete story of how this relates to the town of Falling Bird.
All in all, I expect to see much more of Jennifer Choldenko as a writer; I think she's really got some talent that's just waiting to come out! Additionally, I feel this is going to be "one of those books" that you either wholeheartedly love or downright hate.
The characters were, overall, pretty
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average. I enjoyed how India, Mouse, and Finn bonded during their "trip" to Falling Bird. I especially loved their family bond! The change I saw in India's personality was realistic and well-done, but I am confident Choldenko could do better.The plot is definitely creative. It starts off as a "realistic fiction" type story, and then turns into a sci-fi. It's very unique, and I enjoyed it. Again, I am convinced that Choldenko could have improved her "scattered ideas." The story, however, that Choldenko pulls off is so simple; yet so complex.
The ending was most definitely the thing that saved this book from being completely average. The ending was definitely random, but it made sense. And while it wasn't a perfect "Happily Ever After," it is still a happy ending to the story that makes readers think. However, I think that the end came too abruptly and that Choldenko didn't give her readers the complete story of how this relates to the town of Falling Bird.
All in all, I expect to see much more of Jennifer Choldenko as a writer; I think she's really got some talent that's just waiting to come out! Additionally, I feel this is going to be "one of those books" that you either wholeheartedly love or downright hate.
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LibraryThing member paakre
Much of the story is confusing and far fetched, but the ambiguity of the situation appeals to me. Three children are in a plane going to their uncle's to live because their house has been foreclosed and their mother can't afford to keep them together, when suddenly they are thrown into an alternate
What keeps me reading are the characters. Mouse is a six year old who is upset that Pluto was knocked off its perch as a planet. Finn is a short boy who wants to be a basketball star. India worries about her skin, but is described as drop dead gorgeous, prey to untrue friends who can jerk her around ( a common malady of 14 year old girls). They all act independently and together as a family might have to in dire circumstances.
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reality. They are faced with strange tasks, including to find a black box. Staying together is difficult. There are injuries, and a sensation of Big Brother running the show. We are not in Kansas any more but neither are we in a lovely make believe land. This leads the reader to imagine all sorts of meanings into what is happening. What keeps me reading are the characters. Mouse is a six year old who is upset that Pluto was knocked off its perch as a planet. Finn is a short boy who wants to be a basketball star. India worries about her skin, but is described as drop dead gorgeous, prey to untrue friends who can jerk her around ( a common malady of 14 year old girls). They all act independently and together as a family might have to in dire circumstances.
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LibraryThing member mariahpolen
The characters in this book must be real life characters. They are so entertaining, I can't imagine an Author being able to create them. In the book, the siblings face a real problems and I love how they got together and were able to figure out how to deal with them. It is great that the author
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portrayed three different view points which made it relatable. Show Less
LibraryThing member Inky_Fingers
I'm kind of on the fence about this one. Well written, and certainly well developed characters. But the world they end up in seems only half there. And it turns out -- oops, it wasn't real anyway. Or was it? I dunno. A little mystery is a good thing, but I like to think at the end of a book that I
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know what was really going on, and I'm not really sure I can say that I know what was going on in No Passengers. Show Less
LibraryThing member Robinsonstef
No Passengers Beyond This Point is a book that I wanted to read for a long time based on the very cool cover. The book did not disappoint! Each chapter was told from a different point of view. I enjoyed this because India was such a typical teenager, Finn was so much the brother who wants to help
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everybody, and Mouse was a little girl who knew a ton of facts, but had some social struggles. I felt terrible for them when they lost their home and had to move. I felt even worse when they had to struggle through their new home and strange land. No one would give them any answers, and they had so much to figure out! I kept thinking about it and wondering if I had it all correct, but I wasn't really sure until the end. And even then, there is a little mystery (I don’t want to give anything away). This is a book that will make you think. It made me realize that it's our will to live and our will to survive that gets us to where we are. I recommend this book to kids in fourth grade and up, and to people who have a sense of adventure. What would you do if you were in a new place and had to decide if you should stay or go? Show Less
LibraryThing member sdramsey
Another book that makes me wish Goodreads allowed half-stars--it would be two and a half. While there were parts of the book I really enjoyed, many transitions left me confused, and the ending was supremely unsatisfying. I don't know this author's other work but I felt she made some classic
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non-fantasy-writer trying fantasy types of mistakes. Many fun parts but I don't think young readers will be impressed by the ending. Show Less
LibraryThing member RobertaLea
What an interesting read! I have so enjoyed Gennifer Choldenko's books in the past, and this one is just as good as her others. Well done. Surprise ending!
Awards
Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award (Nominee — 2014)
Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (Nominee — Grades 6-9 — 2013)
The Best Children's Books of the Year (Nine to Twelve — 2012)
Chicago Public Library Best of the Best: Kids (Fiction for Older Readers — 2011)
Physical description
244 p.; 8.43 inches
ISBN
0545447240 / 9780545447249