great book telling about the endtimes ( )

51879

Terribly-written introduction to the series. Clunky sentences, flat characters, and cringe-worthy stereotypes (have the authors ever met an African-American person?).

If you're already a believer, you'll probably love this. Heathens still won't be convinced.

Nothing about post-apocalyptic life yet--I'd have to read a second volume (at least) for that, and I don't know that I'm willing to go that far. ( )

Interest/Reading Level: Grades 5-8

Synopsis:
This book is the first in a series of books based on the adult Left Behind series. In this first book, The Vanishings, the foundation is laid for four teenagers who are “left behind” after the Christian Rapture (2nd coming of Christ). The four teenagers are Judd (the Runaway), Vicki (the Rebel), Lionel (the Liar), and Ryan (the Skeptic). Judd lives in a nice home with both parents are believers and attend church regularly. Judd does out of parental obligation. He plots to runaway by applying for a credit card with his father’s credit card history. Judd leaves on an airplane to London to live his own life. Vicki lives with her parents who have had their share of troubles and live in a trailer park. Vicki rebels at everything, including going with her parents to church. Her father has fought joblessness and alcoholism but finds his faith and wants Vicki to be a believer as well. Lionel lives with his parents in an affluent previously white-only neighborhood. His parents are believers and Lionel professes to be a believer, but like his beloved Uncle Andre, does not really believe. Ryan’s best friend, Raymie, is a believer and tries to convince Ryan he needs to go to church and become a believer as well. Ryan is suspicious and doesn’t want to listen to Raymie’s testimony. As it turns out, the Rapture happens when Judd is flying over the ocean, Vicki is at a party, Lionel is asleep with his uncle in the basement, and Ryan wakes up to an empty house. All of their believing family members are gone. The four teens make their way to the local church to find some answers from a church member, Bruce Barnes, who also was left behind.

Reflection:
This series is the first of 40 books that Jenkins and LaHaye wrote for teenagers. I like the format and how the authors introduce the four main characters. The background information is important as their personalities are will define their actions in future books. The language is kid appropriate and the concepts are conveyed successfully. One must make the right decisions for the right reasons. All of the kids throw off the wisdom of their parents. All of the parents are believers, while predictable, it would have been interesting to have one kid with non-believing parents to see what the reaction of the four left behind would have been. From middle school students who have read the first book want to read the other six I have in the Library. The feedback from the kids is that the books are interesting and believable but no one seems fearful of the future. The book read like a mystery or a “whodunit” with a hook in the last chapter to urge the reader to continue and read the next book. ( )

First book in a great series! Our daughter read each of the children's Left Behind series books and loved them.