Description:

**From the bestselling author of *Weetzie Bat* comes a stunning reimagining of Homer's *Odyssey* set in post-apocalyptic Los Angeles** After the Earth Shaker, which all but destroyed Los Angeles, seventeen-year-old Penelope (Pen) sets out into the wasteland in search of her family, her journey guided by a tattered copy of Homer's *Odyssey*. Soon she begins to realize her own abilities and strength as she faces false promises of safety, the cloned giants who feast on humans, and a madman who wishes her dead. On her voyage, Pen learns to tell stories that reflect her strange visions, while she and her fellow surivors navigate the dangers that lie in wait. In her signature lyrical style, Francesca Lia Block has created a world that is beautiful in its destruction and as frightening as it is lovely. *Love in the Time of Global Warming has* shades of science fiction, fantasy, and dystopic disaster. **A Top Ten ALA Rainbow Project Book** "Block’s trademark magical realism works. . . . there’s something encouraging about seeing four queer kids on an epic journey across the post-apocalyptic American Southwest." ―*Kirkus Reviews* ** ### From School Library Journal Gr 9 Up–The earth shakes, a wall of water comes, and everyone Penelope loves disappears, leaving her alone. She can see nothing but ruins around her pink house by the sea in Los Angeles. Her family was swept away by the water. Her father had warned of impending danger, and though her mother thought he was paranoid, his emergency provisions keep Pen alive. Weeks later, men break into her house, but Pen escapes with their van. She sets off on an Odyssey-like journey in search of her family. On the way, she encounters giants, sirens, a witch, a girl who may be magical, and companions to aid her in her quest. Through flashbacks, she reveals that she had been struggling with feelings for one of her closest girlfriends. Now, as she, Hex, Ez, and Ash speed toward Las Vegas, Pen finds strength she's never known and love she didn't expect. Pen is a thoughtful character who develops at a reasonable pace. Her flashbacks reveal a close family, good friends, and love for her younger brother. The dreamlike quality of the writing, typical of the author's works, functions well with the fantastical elements of the story, which is solid and dense in its descriptions. This is an excellent title for students who have read Homer's Odyssey as well as readers who enjoy a mix of fantasy and reality.–Kelly Jo Lasher, Middle Township High School, Cape May Court House, NJα(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. ### From Booklist Los Angeles has been destroyed by the Earth Shaker and the disastrous flood that followed. Pen’s family has vanished in the wake of the two-pronged catastrophe, and after narrowly escaping death herself, Pen has set off to find them. But could they possibly still be alive? Most of those who survived the apocalypse have been eaten by a genetically engineered race of giants that have mysteriously appeared following the disaster. But not all humans have perished. Pen soon meets three solitary boys who join her on her odyssey—and, yes, the story is inspired by Homer’s epic. The giants, for example, evoke the Cyclopes; a former soap opera star turned witch is Circe; and there are also sirens, lotus eaters, and more. This framing device is surprisingly successful, in part, because Block doesn’t adhere too slavishly to her conceit. The result is original and, no surprise, gracefully written. Magic is no stranger to Block’s world, nor is her signature poetic sensibility. And love, in its many varieties and forms, is celebrated, as always. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Block’s enormous all-ages fan base will already have this preordered, but an extensive marketing campaign will likely bring in new followers. Grades 7-12. --Michael Cart