The maze runner

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Varies, see individual formats and editions
Publication Date
2009
Language
English
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THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING MAZE RUNNER SERIES • A teenager with no memory must navigate a deadly maze to survive in book one of this post-apocalyptic phenomenon.“[A] mysterious survival saga that passionate fans describe as a fusion of Lord of the Flies [and] The Hunger Games” (Entertainment Weekly)When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He’s surrounded by strangers—boys whose memories are also gone. Outside the towering stone walls that surround them is a limitless, ever-changing maze. It’s the only way out—and no one’s ever made it through alive.Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying: Remember. Survive. Run.Look for more books in the blockbuster Maze Runner series:THE MAZE RUNNER • THE SCORCH TRIALS • THE DEATH CURE • THE KILL ORDER • THE FEVER CODE

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Contributors
Dashner, James Author
Deakins, Mark Narrator
ISBN
9780385737944
9780385737951
9780553497557
9780553511536
9780375873102
9780385385206
9780375893773
9780553511796
9780307582911
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Also in this Series

  • The maze runner (Maze runner trilogy Volume 1) Cover
  • The Scorch Trials (Maze runner trilogy Volume 2) Cover
  • The death cure (Maze runner trilogy Volume 3) Cover
  • The kill order (Maze runner trilogy Volume Prequel) Cover
  • The kill order (Maze runner trilogy Volume Prequel) Cover

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Similar Series From Novelist

NoveList provides detailed suggestions for series you might like if you enjoyed this book. Suggestions are based on recommendations from librarians and other contributors.
Fans of white-knuckle action will enjoy both dystopian-world series in which teens are dealing with big issues. Readers will care about the strong characters in each as they face rebellion and possible romance (Legend) and survival (Maze Runner). -- Kathy Stewart
Both of these adrenaline-fueled science fiction series feature teen guys suddenly thrown into dangerous circumstances. Together with a crew of other survivors, they discern the truth and plan their escape from the militant governments who want to use them as pawns. -- Lindsey Dunn
Teens with little in common must find a way to work together to survive in a ravaged, post-apocalyptic world in these fast-paced and suspenseful science fiction series. Maze Runner is a bit bleaker than Proxy. -- Stephen Ashley
Teens are forced to complete a variety of dangerous trials as they fight for survival in a post-apocalyptic world in these bleak science fiction series. Maze Runner is heavier on action, while Torch Keeper focuses more on world building. -- Stephen Ashley
Though Maze Runner is bleaker than Killer of Enemies, readers looking for a fast-paced apocalyptic story in which teens take on a variety of deadly foes as they fight for survival should check out both of these science fiction series. -- Stephen Ashley
Though The Living is set at the beginning of the apocalypse, and Maze Runner takes place in a ravaged future, both suspenseful science fiction series follow teens embarking on an action-packed fight for survival in their swiftly changing worlds. -- Stephen Ashley
Though Maze Runner's antagonist is a mystery and The Tribe's is the government, both of these fast-paced dystopian science fiction series follow a group of tough teens who must work together to survive in their dangerous, apocalyptic worlds. -- Stephen Ashley
These series have the appeal factors bleak and action-packed, and they have the themes "pandemic apocalypse," "band of survivors," and "for the resistance"; the genres "science fiction" and "dystopian fiction"; and the subjects "post-apocalypse," "dystopias," and "virus diseases."
These series have the appeal factors bleak and gritty, and they have the themes "pandemic apocalypse" and "band of survivors"; the genres "science fiction" and "dystopian fiction"; and the subjects "post-apocalypse," "dystopias," and "survival."
These series have the appeal factors bleak, gritty, and plot-driven, and they have the themes "pandemic apocalypse" and "band of survivors"; the genres "science fiction" and "apocalyptic fiction"; and the subjects "post-apocalypse," "dystopias," and "virus diseases."
These series have the appeal factors action-packed and fast-paced, and they have the theme "pandemic apocalypse"; the genres "science fiction" and "dystopian fiction"; and the subjects "post-apocalypse," "dystopias," and "virus diseases."
These series have the appeal factors bleak, and they have the theme "pandemic apocalypse"; the genres "science fiction" and "dystopian fiction"; and the subjects "post-apocalypse," "dystopias," and "survival."
These series have the appeal factors suspenseful and fast-paced, and they have the theme "pandemic apocalypse"; the genres "science fiction" and "dystopian fiction"; and the subjects "post-apocalypse," "dystopias," and "survival."
These series have the appeal factors bleak and disturbing, and they have the theme "pandemic apocalypse"; the genres "science fiction" and "dystopian fiction"; and the subjects "post-apocalypse," "dystopias," and "virus diseases."
These series have the appeal factors action-packed and plot-driven, and they have the theme "pandemic apocalypse"; the genre "dystopian fiction"; and the subjects "post-apocalypse," "dystopias," and "survival."

Similar Titles From NoveList

NoveList provides detailed suggestions for titles you might like if you enjoyed this book. Suggestions are based on recommendations from librarians and other contributors.
NoveList recommends "The living" for fans of "Maze runner trilogy". Check out the first book in the series.
In these fast-paced, plot-driven dystopian novels, teens trapped in a maze (The Maze Runner) or a cruise ship (The Stranded) after the world is ravaged by a virus must work together to survive. -- Ari Nussbaum
We recommend Sylo to readers who like The Maze Runner. Both dystopian series starters are fast-paced, action-packed, and feature teenage boys trying to survive in dangerous situations forced upon them. -- Lindsey Dunn
After teens wake up in mysterious places with no memory of their arrival, they must figure out how to navigate the grim, disease-ridden worlds they're thrust into in these suspenseful, plot-driven novels. -- Basia Wilson
NoveList recommends "Legend (Marie Lu)" for fans of "Maze runner trilogy". Check out the first book in the series.
Both of these science fiction nail-biters feature a group of kids who must use their wits and determination to survive in a bleak landscape, defeat hideous monsters, and contend with an unknown, ominous force. -- Lesley James
Though Maze Runner is dystopian, and Echo Room is more of a thriller, both of these suspenseful science fiction stories follow teens who wake up in a strange location and must overcome distrust as they fight for survival. -- Stephen Ashley
Although Incarceron is fantasy and Maze Runner is science fiction both fast-paced stories feature characters thrown together into constantly shifting, bleak worlds; a labyrinth in Maze Runner; a prison that is a living organism in Incarceron. Suspenseful and compelling reads. -- Beth Gerall
Blood circus - Victoire, Camila
Teens contend with nightmarish creatures as they fight for survival in these fast-paced and suspenseful dystopian stories. Thomas (Maze Runner) must find his way out of a deadly labyrinth, while Ava (Blood Circus) is forced into a brutal ritual. -- Stephen Ashley
NoveList recommends "Killer of enemies" for fans of "Maze runner trilogy". Check out the first book in the series.
While Thomas (Maze Runner) is trying to avoid danger and Rei (Nightbreaker) is actively seeking out monsters, both find themselves in a fight for survival in these bleak and compelling dystopian reads. -- Stephen Ashley
In the dystopian worlds of these compelling and fast-paced science fiction novels, the bleak existence of 16-year-old boys and their surrounding communities is upended by the arrival of someone harboring a major secret. -- Basia Wilson

Similar Authors From NoveList

NoveList provides detailed suggestions for other authors you might want to read if you enjoyed this book. Suggestions are based on recommendations from librarians and other contributors.
These authors' works have the genres "dystopian fiction" and "apocalyptic fiction"; and the subjects "dystopias," "post-apocalypse," and "survival."
These authors' works have the genre "dystopian fiction"; and the subjects "dystopias," "post-apocalypse," and "computer games."
These authors' works have the genre "dystopian fiction"; and the subjects "dystopias," "post-apocalypse," and "survival."
These authors' works have the subjects "survival," "interdimensional travel," and "amnesia."
These authors' works have the appeal factors plot-driven, and they have the genre "science fiction"; and the subjects "teenage boys," "teenagers," and "amnesia."
These authors' works have the genre "dystopian fiction"; and the subjects "dystopias," "post-apocalypse," and "virus diseases."
These authors' works have the appeal factors multiple perspectives, and they have the genre "dystopian fiction"; and the subjects "dystopias," "post-apocalypse," and "survival."
These authors' works have the appeal factors bleak, and they have the genre "dystopian fiction"; and the subjects "dystopias," "post-apocalypse," and "interdimensional travel."
These authors' works have the subjects "cyberterrorism," "amnesia," and "hackers."
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These authors' works have the subjects "interdimensional travel," "parallel universes," and "space and time."
These authors' works have the genre "dystopian fiction"; and the subjects "dystopias," "post-apocalypse," and "survival."

Published Reviews

Booklist Review

As with many recent stories being spread over multiple volumes, this often-exciting but ultimately frustrating opener reads more like an extended prologue than a fully realized novel. Thomas, his memory wiped out, is thrust into the center of an enormous maze, where other teens have constructed a survivalist society. No one knows why they're there, or where they came from, but each day they send out runners into the constantly shifting, monster-infested labyrinth to search for a way out. As memories start to trickle back in and circumstances grow increasingly dire, Thomas suspects he knows more about the maze than he should. The withholding and then revelation of crucial information tend toward contrivance and convenience, but the tantalizing hints of a ravaged world outside make for gripping reading. Although this opening volume will appeal to the same audience as hot dystopian thrillers like The Hunger Games (2008), it doesn't promise the same level of devotion. With much of the more intriguing head-game aspects left unexplored, though, the potential for a rousing continuation of the story certainly exists.--Chipman, Ian Copyright 2009 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
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Publisher's Weekly Review

Dashner (the 13th Reality series) offers up a dark and gripping tale of survival set in a world where teenagers fight for their lives on a daily basis. It starts when Thomas, a teenage amnesiac, wakes up in the Glade, a fragile oasis in the middle of an enormous maze. Here, a group of teenage boys eke out a hazardous existence, exploring the Maze by day and retreating to the Glade at night. No one knows how they got there; no one has ever found a way out ("Old life's over, new life's begun. Learn the rules quick," the group's leader tells Thomas). Bizarre technological monsters called Grievers patrol the Maze's corridors, almost certain death for any who encounter them. Thomas struggles to regain his memories, but the arrival of a young woman with an ominous message changes the rules of the game. With a fast-paced narrative steadily answering the myriad questions that arise and an ever-increasing air of tension, Dashner's suspenseful adventure will keep readers guessing until the very end, which paves the way for the inevitable continuation. Ages 12-up. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
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School Library Journal Review

Gr 6-10-Thomas wakes up in an elevator, remembering nothing but his own name. He emerges into a world of about 60 teen boys who have learned to survive in a completely enclosed environment, subsisting on their own agriculture and supplies from below. A new boy arrives every 30 days. The original group has been in "the glade" for two years, trying to find a way to escape through a maze that surrounds their living space. They have begun to give up hope. Then a comatose girl arrives with a strange note, and their world begins to change. There are some great, fast-paced action scenes, particularly those involving the nightmarish Grievers who plague the boys. Thomas is a likable protagonist who uses the information available to him and his relationships (including his ties to the girl, Teresa) to lead the Gladers. Unfortunately, the question of whether the teens will escape the maze is answered 30 pages before the book ends, and the intervening chapter loses momentum. The epilogue, which would be deliciously creepy coming immediately after the plot resolves, fails to pack a punch as a result. That said, The Maze Runner has a great hook, and fans of dystopian literature, particularly older fans of Jeanne DuPrau's The City of Ember (Random, 2003), will likely enjoy this title and ask for the inevitable sequel.-Kristin Anderson, Columbus Metropolitan Library System, OH (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Kirkus Book Review

Boys come to the Glade via an empty freight elevator with no memory of how they got there or of their prior lives. This disorientation is made more frightening when they realize that to survive they must lock themselves in every night to avoid the horrors of the Grievers, beings that are part machine, part animaland altogether deadly. The boys in the Glade send out Runners each day to find a way out through the Maze that surrounds their one patch of safety, with no success. Life goes on until one day the elevator delivers a girl. She brings a message: She is the last child to be sent, and there will be no more deliveries of food or supplies. Now the Glade is cut off, and as the Grievers gather for an all-out attack it's clear that it's now or neverthe Maze must be solved. Dashner knows how to spin a tale and make the unbelievable realistic. Hard to put down, this is clearly just a first installment, and it will leave readers dying to find out what comes next. (Science fiction. 12 up) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
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Booklist Reviews

As with many recent stories being spread over multiple volumes, this often-exciting but ultimately frustrating opener reads more like an extended prologue than a fully realized novel. Thomas, his memory wiped out, is thrust into the center of an enormous maze, where other teens have constructed a survivalist society. No one knows why they're there, or where they came from, but each day they send out runners into the constantly shifting, monster-infested labyrinth to search for a way out. As memories start to trickle back in and circumstances grow increasingly dire, Thomas suspects he knows more about the maze than he should. The withholding and then revelation of crucial information tend toward contrivance and convenience, but the tantalizing hints of a ravaged world outside make for gripping reading. Although this opening volume will appeal to the same audience as hot dystopian thrillers like The Hunger Games (2008), it doesn't promise the same level of devotion. With much of the more intriguing head-game aspects left unexplored, though, the potential for a rousing continuation of the story certainly exists. Copyright 2009 Booklist Reviews.

Copyright 2009 Booklist Reviews.
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Booklist Reviews

Though Dashner wrapped up his best-selling Maze Runner trilogy with 2011's The Death Cure, he returns to the well with this prequel, telling the backstory of how the world's population came to be infected with the psychotic lunacy disease that would lead scientists to put teens through a series of sadistic tests in the name of finding a cure. We meet Mark and Trina soon after ravenous sun flares wipe out a good swath of humanity, living tooth and nail in a small settlement until a gang of hazmat-suited folks drop from the sky and shoot everyone up with virus-laden darts. The quest to find answers and save their band of friends takes them straight into a bleak heart of darkness. The story's burdened by thin characters, plot contrivances, and generally tortured logic, but the series' many readers aren't in it for the craft. The draw is the gobs of gruesome violence and raving lunacy in the back-to-back, extended action sequences. And there's plenty such fare here, even if it all feels like the stakes are lowered a bit by knowing the inevitable outcome. Copyright 2012 Booklist Reviews.

Copyright 2012 Booklist Reviews.
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Booklist Reviews

The exercise in withholding information begun in The Maze Runner (2009) continues. The boys who had their memories wiped before being dropped into a massive maze have escaped, but they now have to trek across a sunflare-blasted wasteland to get the cure to the insanity disease they've been infected with. The wickedly violent action and rush to figure out what's actually going on help distract from a number of gaping plot holes. Fans will want this one, too, but know that Dashner still has an awful lot of explaining to do in the upcoming finale. Copyright 2011 Booklist Reviews.

Copyright 2011 Booklist Reviews.
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Publishers Weekly Reviews

Dashner (the 13th Reality series) offers up a dark and gripping tale of survival set in a world where teenagers fight for their lives on a daily basis. It starts when Thomas, a teenage amnesiac, wakes up in the Glade, a fragile oasis in the middle of an enormous maze. Here, a group of teenage boys eke out a hazardous existence, exploring the Maze by day and retreating to the Glade at night. No one knows how they got there; no one has ever found a way out ("Old life's over, new life's begun. Learn the rules quick," the group's leader tells Thomas). Bizarre technological monsters called Grievers patrol the Maze's corridors, almost certain death for any who encounter them. Thomas struggles to regain his memories, but the arrival of a young woman with an ominous message changes the rules of the game. With a fast-paced narrative steadily answering the myriad questions that arise and an ever-increasing air of tension, Dashner's suspenseful adventure will keep readers guessing until the very end, which paves the way for the inevitable continuation. Ages 12–up. (Oct.)

[Page 59]. Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.

Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.
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Publishers Weekly Reviews

This prequel to Dashner's dystopian Maze Runner trilogy, set 13 years before those books,focuses on a new character—Mark—who lives through the "sun flares" that decimate Earth. He creates a new family with other survivors, including Alec, a tough old soldier, and Trina, his love interest. But then strangers arrive on an airship and infect villagers with a mysterious virus, which quickly spreads and mutates. Maze Runner fans may be surprised by the new protagonist, but they will be swept up in the breathless, cinematic action. Whether Mark is flashing back to his escape from the sun flares, stealing an airship with Alec, or battling hordes of virus-infected maniacs, Dashner's adventure is filled with near-constant melees and peril (some readers might want to trade some fight scenes for more narrative and character development). Even so, Dashner has crafted a clever prequel that will appeal to fans anxious to see where The Maze Runner came from, while enticing those unfamiliar with the later books. Ages 12–up. Agent: Michael Bourret, Dystel & Goderich Literary Management. (Aug.)

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Publishers Weekly Reviews

Hundreds of pages into this sequel to The Maze Runner, one of the teen subjects of a survival experiment on postapocalypse Earth wonders aloud, "hat this is really all about." Readers may be asking that, too. In The Maze Runner, the teens, their memories erased, searched for a way out of a deadly maze; their escape, led by Thomas, was short-lived. As volume two opens, the boys learn they are infected with the "Flare," a virus that has killed millions and produced a population of nearly insane, disease-ravaged "cranks." New orders from WICKED, a coalition of surviving governments, have the boys marching across a wasteland toward a promised cure. Though some facts are teased out, the narrative bogs down under the weight of unanswered questions. What is the purpose of torturing these kids? How is making them into killers ensuring the survival of the world? Why would government leaders name themselves WICKED? Hopefully answers are forthcoming in volume three. In any case, fans who are already hooked will gobble this down, particularly those who don't mind anemic female characters and a high body count. Ages 12–up. (Oct.)

[Page ]. Copyright 2010 PWxyz LLC

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PW Annex Reviews

This prequel to Dashner's dystopian Maze Runner trilogy, set 13 years before those books,focuses on a new character—Mark—who lives through the "sun flares" that decimate Earth. He creates a new family with other survivors, including Alec, a tough old soldier, and Trina, his love interest. But then strangers arrive on an airship and infect villagers with a mysterious virus, which quickly spreads and mutates. Maze Runner fans may be surprised by the new protagonist, but they will be swept up in the breathless, cinematic action. Whether Mark is flashing back to his escape from the sun flares, stealing an airship with Alec, or battling hordes of virus-infected maniacs, Dashner's adventure is filled with near-constant melees and peril (some readers might want to trade some fight scenes for more narrative and character development). Even so, Dashner has crafted a clever prequel that will appeal to fans anxious to see where The Maze Runner came from, while enticing those unfamiliar with the later books. Ages 12–up. Agent: Michael Bourret, Dystel & Goderich Literary Management. (Aug.)

[Page ]. Copyright 2012 PWxyz LLC

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School Library Journal Reviews

Gr 6–10—Thomas wakes up in an elevator, remembering nothing but his own name. He emerges into a world of about 60 teen boys who have learned to survive in a completely enclosed environment, subsisting on their own agriculture and supplies from below. A new boy arrives every 30 days. The original group has been in "the glade" for two years, trying to find a way to escape through a maze that surrounds their living space. They have begun to give up hope. Then a comatose girl arrives with a strange note, and their world begins to change. There are some great, fast-paced action scenes, particularly those involving the nightmarish Grievers who plague the boys. Thomas is a likable protagonist who uses the information available to him and his relationships (including his ties to the girl, Teresa) to lead the Gladers. Unfortunately, the question of whether the teens will escape the maze is answered 30 pages before the book ends, and the intervening chapter loses momentum. The epilogue, which would be deliciously creepy coming immediately after the plot resolves, fails to pack a punch as a result. That said, The Maze Runner has a great hook, and fans of dystopian literature, particularly older fans of Jeanne DuPrau's The City of Ember (Random, 2003), will likely enjoy this title and ask for the inevitable sequel.—Kristin Anderson, Columbus Metropolitan Library System, OH

[Page 124]. Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.

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School Library Journal Reviews

Gr 7 Up—In his short life, Mark has seen sun flares that killed millions, including his family and beloved younger sister. Afterward, floods, food shortages, and continued devastating heat, along with individuals bent on surviving at all costs, have made his chances pretty bleak. Against all odds, he and a close-knit group of other survivors move inland and set up a community together. But before long, a flying ship brings something wholly unfamiliar: a disease, transmitted initially by darts, but soon spread person to person at an alarming rate. Mark's friends all work together to figure out what this illness is, how it spreads, and why it drives people mad, while trying to hold onto hope for themselves and save others. A prequel to the "Maze Runner" series (Delacorte), this story does indeed show how the world started to fall apart prior to Thomas's time in the Maze. However, Thomas's and Teresa's stories are contained to the prologue and epilogue, so readers hoping for information about how WICKED began will be disappointed. Dashner achieves a high level of emotional involvement for readers in this prequel. Mark knew and loved his family, which makes him a more relatable character than memory-challenged Thomas. The action is nonstop, although a little unrealistic at times, and Mark seems wise beyond his years. This novel works well as a stand-alone.—Kelly Jo Lasher, Middle Township High School, Cape May Court House, NJ

[Page 114]. (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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School Library Journal Reviews

Gr 7 Up—This dystopian novel begins where The Maze Runner (Delacorte, 2009) ends. Thomas and the rest of the group's escape from the Maze and the horrifying creatures called Grievers has proven to be short-lived because WICKED, the group behind it all, has another trial in store for them. Sun flares have destroyed most of the Earth, and a virus called the Flare has ravaged its population. Infected people turn into zombies called Cranks that attack and eat one other. The kids are told that they have the Flare but if they succeed in surviving the second trial, they will be cured. With few supplies, they must travel across 100 miles of hot and scorched land within two weeks to reach a safe house to receive the cure. When Teresa, Thomas's best friend and the only girl in the group, disappears, and he loses the ability to communicate telepathically with her, he and the other guys determine to find her. As they trek across the barren desert encountering crazed Cranks, the teens' loyalty to one another and the group is tested. The fast-paced narrative and survival-of-the-fittest scenario is reminiscent of Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games (Scholastic, 2008). Although these characters aren't quite as compelling and their made-up slang takes a little getting used to, each character's personality is distinct. The unresolved ending will leave readers impatiently waiting for the conclusion to the trilogy.—Sharon Rawlins, New Jersey State Library, Trenton

[Page 110]. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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