Not the End of the World   by Geraldine McCaughrean Oxford University Press, 2004, 174 pages, ISBN 0192719726

How easy was it to get stuck into this book?
Based on the biblical story of Noah's ark, this book follows Timna, the daughter of Noah, as she and her family attempt to survive on the ark with the thousands of animals and constantly rising flood waters. It's rather a novel and original idea, and this makes it rather appealing.

Who are the main characters?
The main character is Timna, who along with her family are supposed to be the last people alive on the planet after God organised the great flood which would kill all sinners. Apart from her, there are eight others aboard the ark which her family built. They are Noah, her father, who organised the whole operation, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, her brothers, Sarai and Bashemath and Zillah, their wives, and Ama, the mother of Timna and wife to Noah.

What's the storyline?
The book follows the family and the animals aboard the ark from a number of different viewpoints as they try to continue their treacherous journey into the unknown in good faith. They have all sorts of problems to contend with, such as rowdy animals, disputes amongst themselves, leaks and flaws in the ship and ''demons'' (other people who the flood should have destroyed) who try to clamber aboard the ship as the last platform in the endless ocean. Will they ever reach dry land, or is the whole exercise just a waste of time, and are they meant to die with the others?

How's it written?
The book is probably best for middling to older readers.

Other books by the same author that Tim knows about?
Plundering Paradise, Stop the Train, Gold Dust and quite a few more.

The overall verdict is
Really good stuff

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