103 pages 3 hours read

Rodman Philbrick

The Last Book In The Universe

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2000

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

Introduction

The Last Book in the Universe

  • Genre: Fiction; middle grade dystopian
  • Originally Published: 2000
  • Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 740L; grades 4-7
  • Structure/Length: 33 chapters; approx. 240 pages; approx. 4 hours and 24 minutes on audio
  • Protagonist and Central Conflict: Spaz, a teenager with epilepsy, is one of the few people in a future dystopian world who doesn’t use mind probes for entertainment, allowing him to see things clearly. He and an old man named Ryter embark on a journey to find a promised land called Eden.
  • Potential Sensitivity Issue: ableism

Rodman Philbrick, Author

  • Bio: Grew up in New Hampshire; currently lives in both Maine and Florida; started writing novels at the age of 16; writes for both children and adults
  • Other Works: Freak the Mighty (1993); The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg (2009); Zane and the Hurricane (2014)
  • Awards: Maine Library Association Lupine Award (2000); ALA Best Books for Young Adults (2001); Newbery Honor (2010)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Unit:

  • Memory’s Impact on Society
  • The Foundational Nature of the Family Unit
  • Maintaining Class Structure
  • Leadership and Privilege
  • Inner Versus Outer Beauty

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Unit, students will:

  • Gain an understanding of dystopian literature and how its literary and cultural qualities convey messages about Memory’s Impact on Society and Maintaining Class Structure.