After surviving horrific conditions in the Maze, Thomas is entrapped, along with nineteen other boys, in a scientific experiment designed to observe their responses and gather data believed to be essential for the survival of the human race. The group has two weeks to cross through the Scorch -- the most burned-out section of the world. And the observers will continuously adjust the variables and stack the odds against them.

In the blink of an eye, everyone disappears. Gone. Except for the young. There are teens, but not one single adult. Just as suddenly, there are no phones, no internet, no television. No way to get help. And no way to figure out what's happened. Hunger threatens. Bullies rule. A sinister creature lurks. Animals are mutating. And the teens themselves are changing, developing new talents -- unimaginable, dangerous, deadly powers -- that grow stronger...

"Preparing students for post-secondary success requires more than content specific academic learning; a growing body of evidence suggests that character development is equally vital. Analysis of the contemporary research reveals common themes in the attributes of resilient individuals, such as communication, problem solving, independence, sense of purpose, and self-reflection, as well as the methodology to develop resilience in students as a teacher...