If We Survive This

Gr 9 Up–“Flora and Cain, I’m still here” goes the ambiguous radio message from a lost signal. With the fleeting hope of being reunited with their father, Flora and Cain Braddock Paz venture to their family’s beloved Northern California cabin in the midst of a rabies pandemic, an outbreak that has been turning people into flesh-eating, zombielike creatures. Living with OCD, Flora spends much of her time battling anxious feelings and thinking about her own death. At the same time, she is determined to help her brother stay alive in this declining world. On the road, they encounter other survivors, including a family friend, who also happens to be Cain’s ex-girlfriend and Flora’s childhood crush. On their pulse-pounding, emotional journey, Flora learns there is more to fear than just the rabids while also grappling with the moral dilemma: to run away and give up or to fight and survive. This is a harrowing, character-driven achievement that relies heavily on the beautiful sibling dynamic between Flora and Cain. The juxtaposition of the time lines from before and after the onset of the pandemic sheds light on the family’s relationship, thus intensifying the themes of grief and loss. Main characters are Colombian and Irish American, with a Mexican American supporting character.