• Age: 10 to 14
• Grade: 9

Late in the next century, the human race is on the verge of extinction. A mysterious virus has resulted in no births in almost a generation. Despite the impending doom, three urban teenagers try to live their lives with hope.

Mia strives to preserve humanity’s compassion through her art and her volunteer work with the “oldies.” Tech-savvy Xian spends her time tinkering with the robots she’s sure will inherit the Earth. Jesse, the son of geneticists, is convinced the future lies with cloning, but society is reeling from the grotesque failures of previous attempts. When the friends stumble upon the 60-year-old mystery of a missing girl, it leads them to the world’s only successful clone — and the key to saving our species.

Fiona Smyth is a Toronto-based illustrator whose work has been published across North America. The Never Weres is her first graphic novel for young people.

Fiona Smyth's profile page

“The detailed, grayscale artwork is beautiful and compelling.”

Booklist, 06/11