, ▁ 1 9 8 9 . ▁Was ▁an ▁Hon our ▁Book ▁for ▁the ▁Australian ▁Children ' s ▁Book ▁of ▁the ▁Year ▁Award ▁( Old er ▁Read ers ), ▁ 1 9 8 9 . ▁Short list ed ▁for ▁the ▁NS W ▁Premier ' s ▁Award , ▁ 1 9 8 9 . ▁ ▁It ▁is ▁suggested ▁in ▁the ▁book ▁that ▁the ▁lake ▁that ▁all ▁the ▁characters ▁live ▁by ▁has ▁kept ▁them ▁safe , ▁as ▁they ▁have ▁respect ed ▁it . ▁ ▁It ▁has ▁been ▁compared ▁to ▁the ▁Swiss ▁Family ▁Robinson ▁in ▁its ▁dep iction ▁of ▁the ▁surv ival ▁elements ▁after ▁the ▁dis aster . ▁The ▁Reading ▁Te acher ▁pra ised ▁it ▁as ▁" t ack ling ▁weight y ▁matters " ▁and ▁also ▁" t elling ▁a ▁story ▁that ▁is ▁riv eting ▁in ▁its ▁real ism ". ▁ ▁One ▁of ▁its ▁them es ▁is ▁expl oring ▁the ▁choice ▁between ▁living ▁safely ▁but ▁in ▁a ▁restricted ▁society , ▁and ▁living ▁danger ously ▁and ▁freely . ▁ ▁References ▁▁▁▁ ▁Category : Children ' s ▁science ▁fiction ▁nov els ▁Category : Austral ian ▁children ' s ▁nov els ▁Category : 1 9 8 8 ▁Australian ▁nov els ▁Category : Post - ap oc aly ptic ▁nov els ▁Category : F iction ▁set ▁in ▁ 2 0 2 5 ▁Category : 1 9 8 8 ▁children ' s ▁books <0x0A> </s> ▁Alex is ▁Rh odes ▁may ▁refer ▁to : ▁▁ ▁Alex is ▁Rh odes , ▁known ▁as ▁As uka ▁Ten jou in ▁in ▁Japan , ▁a ▁character