Just in Case
Encyclopedia
Just in Case is a young adult
novel
by Meg Rosoff
, first published in 2006. The plot focuses on the adolescent protagonist David Case, who spends the majority of the book attempting to avoid fate. It received generally positive reviews.
It won the Carnegie Medal, and Germany's Jugendliteraturpreis
, as well as being shortlisted for the Booktrust Teenage Prize
and the Costa award. Just in Case received recognition as a 2007 Best Book for Young Adults from the American Library Association.
, where fifteen-year-old David Case rescues his younger brother from nearly falling out of an open window. Scared by the experience, David starts to see danger everywhere, believes that Fate is stalking him, and so decides to change his entire identity. He alters his name to Justin, adopts a new wardrobe, seeks out new friends, acquires an invisible dog, all in the hope of avoiding Fate. His new moody, self-absorbed persona attracts attention, not all of it good, and Fate is not fooled at all.
Young adult literature
Young-adult fiction or young adult literature , also juvenile fiction, is fiction written for, published for, or marketed to adolescents and young adults, roughly ages 14 to 21. The Young Adult Library Services of the American Library Association defines a young adult as "someone between the...
novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
by Meg Rosoff
Meg Rosoff
Meg Rosoff is an American author based in London since 1989. She is best known for her novel How I Live Now, which won 3 awards including the Guardian Award , Michael L. Printz Award , Branford Boase Award and was shortlisted for the 2004 Whitbread Awards. Her second novel, , won the prestigious ...
, first published in 2006. The plot focuses on the adolescent protagonist David Case, who spends the majority of the book attempting to avoid fate. It received generally positive reviews.
It won the Carnegie Medal, and Germany's Jugendliteraturpreis
Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis
The Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis is an annual award established in 1956 by the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth to recognise outstanding works of children's literature. It is Germany's only state-funded literary award. In the past, authors from many countries...
, as well as being shortlisted for the Booktrust Teenage Prize
Booktrust Teenage Prize
The Booktrust Teenage Prize is an annual award given to young adult literature published in the UK. The prize is administered by Booktrust, an independent charity which promotes books and reading.-List of Prize Winners:...
and the Costa award. Just in Case received recognition as a 2007 Best Book for Young Adults from the American Library Association.
Plot summary
The book is set in LutonLuton
Luton is a large town and unitary authority of Bedfordshire, England, 30 miles north of London. Luton and its near neighbours, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area with a population of about 250,000....
, where fifteen-year-old David Case rescues his younger brother from nearly falling out of an open window. Scared by the experience, David starts to see danger everywhere, believes that Fate is stalking him, and so decides to change his entire identity. He alters his name to Justin, adopts a new wardrobe, seeks out new friends, acquires an invisible dog, all in the hope of avoiding Fate. His new moody, self-absorbed persona attracts attention, not all of it good, and Fate is not fooled at all.