The Dead and the Gone

Name: The Dead and the Gone
Author: Susan Beth Pfeffer

Read with caution

Some content parents may want to preview or discuss.

Published: 2008
Ages: 13–17

About the book

A companion novel to Life as We Knew It, telling the story of the same disaster from the perspective of a teenage boy in New York City.

AI summary

A companion novel to Life as We Knew It, telling the story of the same disaster from the perspective of a teenage boy in New York City.

Why parents choose this book

What makes The Dead and the Gone worth choosing

An honest, parent-first look at who this book suits, what it offers, and what to know before you buy.

Best for

Age range: 13–17 (fits siblings across a range).
Reading maturity: Young adult — teen protagonists and more nuanced themes.
Kids who tend to love it: Science Fiction.
Personality fit: big-imagination kids who love new worlds.

Parents love this book because

Written by Susan Beth Pfeffer, whose books parents return to for consistently thoughtful storytelling.

Your child will probably enjoy The Dead and the Gone if they…

Enjoy stories written for kids around ages 13–17

This book helps develop

Vocabulary, sustained attention, and reading confidence for the 13–17 age band.

Things parents should know

Violence: clear on-page conflict without lingering detail.
Language: clean language throughout.
Sexual content: essentially none.

Reading commitment

Estimated reading time

Varies by reader

Length

Length varies by edition

Difficulty

Young adult

Works as read-aloud

Usually read independently

Good for independent readers

Yes — suits confident readers in the age band

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Why we recommend it

We recommend The Dead and the Gone for the 13–17 age band with a small heads-up on content — worth previewing or discussing. It leans into science fiction in a way that feels genuine, not formulaic. Susan Beth Pfeffer's voice is what makes it stick: readable, respectful of kids, and easy to hand to the next child in the family.