Adventure, suspense, horror, telepathy, mystery, escape
Maze Runner
by James Dashner
Key information
Author: James Dashner
Illustrator: Tom Clohosy Cole
Release Date: 5th June 2014
Book type: Chapter, 379 pages, paperback
Star rating: ★★★★1/2
Reader level: Confident reader/ Content (9+)
Series: 1 of 5
Age: Year 5+
Overview
When Thomas wakes up, he finds himself surrounded by a group of boys who are just as shocked as he is. Not only is he surrounded by strangers, but he is also trapped at the center of an enormous, man-made maze with no way out. However, he soon learns that maybe there is a way out, if he only solves the puzzle laid out each night when the maze walls shift.
Unsurprisingly, things are never that straight forward. In order to solve the puzzle, Thomas must join the Glade's "runners" each night and battle against the man-eating monsters that lurk within the maze walls. As things continue to fall apart, Thomas soon realises that time to save himself and his friends is running out, and he may be the key to their freedom after all.
Before long, a mysterious girl, Teresa, appears and tensions begin to run high. After the girl regains consciousness, Thomas realises that he is able to communicate with her telepathically and that they had once been close friends before entering the maze. When her appearance coincides with the cease of supply deliveries, the Gladers fear that their lives are at threat and Teresa is to blame.
Soon, the maze walls fail to protect the Gladers and the deadly monsters ambush their settlement. In a matter of life or death, Thomas and Teresa must use their knowledge of the maze to lead the Gladers over the edge of the cliff and to the safety of the laboratories beyond. Little do they know, this is all part of the Government's plan to identify the strongest candidates to pass on to the next set of trials in their efforts to cure a deadly disease that is wiping the world's population.
Key concepts/themes
Considerations
- Dystopian world
- Teamwork
- Catastrophe
- Mystery
- Escape
- Determination
- Friendship
- Death
- Grief
- Injury
- Violence
Additional teaching opportunities
1. Writing:
- Suspense story
- Setting description
- Character description
2. DT/Art
- Create a maze
- Sketch maps
Vocabulary
The Maze Runner is packed full of brilliant and powerful verbs and adverbs! Great for action-packed and adventure story writing.
| Tier 2 |
|---|
| lurching, despite, jerked, hollow, nausea, invaded, predicament, swarm, intense, curiosity, amplified, wrenched, clutched |
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