Recently, I saw a trailer for the upcoming movie TOMORROW, WHEN THE WAR BEGAN, which is based on the book by John Marsden.  I didn’t even know these book existed until I transferred to the middle school level library. That was five years ago.  I’ve seen them on the shelves every day since I’ve been here and even though they sounded interesting to me and exactly the type of book I love to read, I never checked one out.  You know how it is -there are always new books coming out that grab my attention and my T0-Be-Read Pile is so tall I feel overwhelmed.  But, once I saw the movie trailer I couldn’t put the books off anymore. Check it out for yourself.

Another thing that makes it easier to fit theses books in to my reading schedule is the fact that all of them are available in audio format.

Here is a link the list of all the books from Audible. The narrator, Suzi Dougherty, does a great job of capturing the voice of Ellie, the main character. The audio book just comes alive for me since the narrator reads with an Australian accent.

John Marsden has a great website.  It includes the typical author information such as Biography, Book List, and a FAQ section.  From a teacher’s point of view, I completely appreciate the inclusion of student novel discussion guides.  There is one for every book in the Tomorrow Series, as well as a couple of other books. To get to the study guides click Novel Assignment Index at the bottom of the Home page.

Here are the descriptions for each book: (Beware of SPOILERS in the descriptions)

When Ellie and her friends return from a camping trip in the Australian bush, they find things hideously wrong–their families are gone. Gradually they begin to comprehend that their country has been invaded and everyone in their town has been taken prisoner. As the reality of the situation hits them, they must make a decision–run and hide, give themselves up and be with their families, or fight back.

Australia has been invaded. Nothing is as it was. Six teenagers are living out their nightmare in the sanctuary of a hidden valley called Hell. Alone, they make their own rules, protect what is theirs, and struggle for courage and hope in a world changed forever. Seeking supplies, allies, and information, the friends make forays into enemy territory, drawing on nerve and resourcefulness they never even knew they had. And as the risks become greater, so too do the sacrifices they must make.

And then there were five….

It has been six long months since Ellie and her friends returned home from a camping trip to find their families and friends imprisoned by an enemy that threatens to steal Australia’s freedom. Only they can stop this. Like seasoned soldiers, their methods have become extreme, even involving terrorism.

When she’s not gathering food and supplies or running like prey to survive, Ellie wonders at what they’ve become: Are they now ruthless terrorists? The more involved and vicious it gets, the higher the stakes are raised. Everyone is fighting for their lives.

When they were rescued and airlifted to New Zealand, they thought the nightmare was over. But now they have been sent back to Wirrawee to guide a party of adult raiders on a planned sabotage of a strategic airfield. Something goes wrong; the adults never come back from the raid, and Ellie and her friends are again left on their own to do what they can–and must–to survive.

In Burning for Revenge, the five have been abandoned in enemy territory when the New Zealand general decides that they are not valuable enough to send a rescue helicopter. Without any definite plans, they sneak into the back of a truck, only to find themselves at the end of the ride deep within the enemy’s airfield. How they battle out of the situation and leave the enemy’s air power in ruins makes a breathlessly exciting story that will not disappoint the many teen fans of this excellent series.

Amidst a brutal war with no end in sight, Ellie and her four remaining friends discover that their hidden refuge becomes a crowded place when they decide to care for an uncooperative crew of orphans. Things only get worse when Ellie and Homer learn that mysterious visitors have discovered their sanctuary. Has the enemy found them out? Five ordinary teens brave the worst in this electrifying continuation of their battle to stay safe and sane in a war zone that was once their home.

Informed that the military is making a move that could be compared to the D-day attack of WWII, the outback teen guerillas know that the end of the bewildering war that changed their lives is drawing near. Armed with plastic explosives and grenades, courtesy of the New Zealand Army, they have been instructed to “spread chaos and confusion behind their (enemy) lines in every way, shape and form.” For Ellie and company, this means targeting a hostile refueling station and train tracks. Of course, nothing is ever easy. There are still the feral kids to worry about and the dismal discovery that soldiers have infiltrated Hell, their only secured hiding place in the bush. As The Other Side of Dawn rockets at breakneck speed towards its stunning climax, only one thing is certain: there is no guarantee that any of them will make it through this last conflict alive.

I just discovered yesterday that John Marsden wrote 3 follow-up books to this series.  They are called the Ellie Chronicles.

For Ellie Linton, being back on the farm with her parents is what makes the terrible things that happened during the war — the things she, Homer, Lee, Fi, and the others had to do — all worthwhile. It’s where she belongs.

But the war won’t let her go. A devastating tragedy has shattered any hope she ever had to reclaim her life, or herself. It’s a new kind of fight. And the enemy isn’t always from the other side of the border.

Ellie has struggled to put the war behind her and lead a normal life. Although what’s normal about your parents having been murdered; trying to run a farm and go to school; and bringing up a young boy who’s hiding terrible secrets about his past? Packed full of action and high-drama, John Marsden delivers another fast-paced adventure that will thrill old fans and new readers alike.

It is a time of profound change for Ellie Linton. Enemies are everywhere. Some come crawling over the hills; others drive in and knock on the front door. Sometimes her friends are there and sometimes they are not. Ellie fights every inch of the way. But when courage and imagination are not enough, when she is trapped and helpless, Ellie must face the end of life as she knows it… standing alone, sustained only by her own strength.

Here is the Audible link to the Ellie Chronicles.

I’m looking forward to the remainder of the series.  I’d also like to say thank you to Darren at Bart’s Bookshelf. He is a fan of this series too and has devoted some of his posts to the subject. Be sure to stop by and read what he has to say about the books.