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Rating:  - This book heavily influenced my reading habits, forever.
My mother was a librarian when I was growing up, and she recommedned this book for me, knowing about my taste for strong science fiction stories. This book changed the way i looked at books and stories. No doubt, it was one of the darkest, most horrifying tales I had yet read, but it hit me like a brick wall. Well-written and more carefully paced than other YA fiction, this book is a wonderful slow-burn that takes the reader into the character's thoghts, hopes, and fears. A powerful and engaging read for the forward thinking YA reader.
Rating:  - Powerful what-if
I had to read this in 8th grade as part of a segment regarding nuclear weapons and someday I'd like to read it again. This book was amazing and has always made me appreciate the tenuousness of our civilization. I'm a bit surprised that it was required reading, though, sense it's material that might give one nightmares and paranoia. I would want my kids to read it and think about it, but other adults might not feel the same way.
Rating: - Courtesy of Teens Read Too
Sixteen-year-old Ann Burden has been living on her own for a year, since the nuclear bombs turned everything surrounding her little valley into a wasteland, and her parents drove out to find other survivors... and never came back. Knowing she may be the only person left, Ann struggles with her loneliness and tends to the farm as best she can. But then a man comes over the hills in a protective suit and arrives in the valley. At first he provides Ann with welcome companionship, but as he recovers from a bout of radiation sickness, his actions become more sinister.
Z FOR ZACHARIAH is an intense, heart-pounding read. From the moment Ann first sees smoke rising from beyond the valley, each development wrenches her further and further from the life she's adjusted to--seemingly for good, and then with terrible consequences. The pacing is perfect, and with the story being told through Ann's journal entries, every event feels immediate. The personal details and unflinching descriptions of life after a nuclear war make the story even more gripping. As the tension escalates, readers will find it incredibly hard to put the book down before they discover Ann's ultimate fate. While the story leaves this somewhat open-ended, Ann's ultimate victory will make them cheer.
Ann is a likable narrator, with a natural voice and a well-developed personality. It's easy to sympathize with her based on her situation alone, but she is all the more admirable for refusing to give up even in the most desperate circumstances. She deals with her problems with intelligence and courage, but still has those moments of carelessness and fear that make her human. Readers will be on her side from the beginning, even as they struggle to imagine how they would feel in her place. Though her final triumph involves some loss, it's clear Ann will persevere and find a way to survive and be happy, which makes the ending satisfying.
Z FOR ZACHARIAH is a story that will haunt readers long after they've put down the book. It shows both the good and the bad that can emerge from human nature in the face of catastrophe, and gives hope that even in the worst situations, there are those who will remain strong.
Reviewed by: Lynn Crow
Rating: - Great book, I remember it after 20 years!
I don't remember if I was made to read this book. As a child and now I've always been an avid reader, sometimes reading as many as 2 to 3 books a day. I do remember this book. Even now, 20 years after reading, I think it's an excellent read for anyone of any age.
It's a very adult and modern theme, even thought the book was published 30+ years ago. I think its a good book for kids to read that's not only interesting, but something that may be plausable.
Rating: - A Teenage classic
This was a text I was assigned in highschool, and absolutely loved it.
Ann is trapped in a valley that is virtually unaffected by a nuclear holocaust. A teenager, and left to fend for herself, Ann is both excited and threatened when a stranger in a holocaust suit enters the valley and begin to reside there also.
The book is written in diary form and a great read, particularly for teenage audiences.
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