The Day of Now – at a glance
The School Reading Lists’ five word review: Children versus fungal-ravaged civilisation.
YA book title: The Day of Now.
YA author: Miranda Reason.
Genre: Dystopia/Science Fiction/Young Adult.
Published by: Bloomsbury YA.
ISBN: 9781526684332.
Recommended for children aged: 13+ year-olds.
First published: Hardback February 2026.
This YA book is ideal for: KS3 students who enjoy apocalyptic science fiction, dystopian fiction lovers, survival stories and those who have enjoyed, ‘Day of the Triffids,’ ‘The Last of Us’ and ‘The Road.’
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Our review:
Siblings Dayna and Pax survive with their father in the Blue House, a safe haven within a world which has collapsed into desolation and distrust. They have learnt to endure the relentless dangers of the deadly poisonous mist, the spores of the nightmarish Echidna and those who are infected. But when their father is bitten, their normality changes. The siblings are forced to seek help and when they discover an old radio, they make contact with a friendly voice who offers to help them.
Dayna and Pax discover hostility and desperation on their heartbreaking journey through humanity’s collapse, discovering rapidly that no one is to be trusted, even friends and family. They race death through hostile lands, pursued by the renowned ‘Hummingbirds’, finding ruthless communities, facing endless betrayal, the living dead and a woman with an artificial limb.
Our verdict:
The Day of Now is an exceptional narrative, perfect for those who relish an apocalyptic disaster or survival story. Devastating and unflinching, this is a story that will break your heart. Two children, stripped of their innocence and forced to navigate a merciless fungal wasteland where trust is fatal and every stranger poses a threat. They grow up too fast, make impossible choices, and carry burdens no child should bear. It’s a haunting exploration of survival at its most brutal – relentless, emotionally gut-wrenching, and impossible to put down. Your heart will ache for these young survivors as they fight not just for their lives, but for scraps of hope in a world that offers none. A breathtaking, harrowing read that stays with you long after the final page.
Many thanks to Bloomsbury YA for the review copy.
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