How I Live Now

Story

Daisy is fifteen years old when she is sent from New York to spend the summer with her three English cousins, their two dogs and a goat. Life in the countryside with Isaac, Edmond and Osbert is perfect. But when war breaks out, the world as they know it comes crashing down.

Why we chose it

A powerful young adult novel with a distinctive and compelling narrative voice.

Where it came from

Meg Rosoff is an American living in London, just like her lead character, Daisy. She was inspired to write the book leading up to the Iraq War, when everyone was frightened of what the future had in store. She added small details to the book taken from research into the first and second World Wars. For instance, removing signposts in rural areas to confuse the enemy - a technique that was used in real life!

Where it went next

The book was awarded many internationally recognised literary prizes throughout 2004 and 2005, including; the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize 2004; the Branford Boase Award 2005; Michael L. Printz Award 2005; Der Luchs des Jahres Book Prize 2005; and the Julia Ward Howe Prize (Boston Authors Club) 2005. It was also shortlisted for the Booktrust Teenage Prize. It has been translated into many different languages, and was adapted into a film of the same name in 2013.

Associated stories

Meg Rosoff has written a number of other books for young adults including, Just in Case, What I Was, The Bride’s Farewell, There is No Dog, Picture Me Gone and The Great Godden. She also completed the novel Beck, started by Mal Peet before his death.