They Threw Us Away

“They Threw Us Away” (Book 1 in the trilogy “The Teddies Saga”) by Daniel Kraus 256 pages 

I’m not sure what to make of this novel. When I picked it up, I never, in my wildest dreams, suspected that it was a horror story. When I got into the first particularly disgusting part, I checked the audience and learned that the book is aimed at 10-14 year olds. I know I wasn’t ready for this kind of horror at that age, but kids are worldlier these days. 

The premise of the story is a hero quest. Five teddy bears find themselves in the middle of a garbage dump. Buddy becomes their leader. He knows this is not where they are supposed to be, but he doesn’t understand how he ended up here. He was made to be loved and petted by a child. Or how he is supposed to get out. 

As Buddy wakes, he realizes that he is no longer tied to the box that he called home.  He can move! But now what? 

In the group are Sugar, Sunny, Horace and Reginald. Each has a different personality that is reflected in their colors. Sugar is pink, Sunny is yellow, Horace is black and Reginald is gray. Buddy is blue. One aspect that I really did like is the depiction of Sugar. She is a damaged teddy with a head injury. The others know she is different, but help her and protect her when needed with out being condescending or pitying. It’s a great lesson for kids. 

The teddies band together to climb over the mountains of trash and back to the modern world. Along the way they encounter ravenous rats, bulldozers, screeching gulls, a highway full of cars and truckers and not-nice people. Their goal is to find the Yellow Plastic Mountains. There, they have been told, they will be safe. I had to chuckle when I found out what the Yellow Plastic Mountains were. It was the only light-hearted moment in the entire book. 

I gagged several times as the little band made its way across the dump. This book is like a car wreck.  You don’t want to look, but you must.  I didn’t want to finish it, but I had to. I’m not sure if I’ll ready Book 2, “They Stole Our Hearts.” But I was so upset about the ending, I may have to in the hopes of something happy happening. I really don’t know how to rate this. Therefore, I’m going to give “They Threw Us Away,” 4 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.