“Guard of Alarm” is a new work by Ekaterina Murashova—the author of “Correction Class,” one of the most discussed books in recent years about a modern Russian school, its teachers, and “problematic” teenagers. After ending up in 8 “A” from other schools, Taya, Dima, and Timka find themselves “on the sidelines” from their classmates, as if united by some common mysterious goal. In the new class there is no hazing—no one is bullied, no one is “riding” anyone. So where do these newcomers’ strange feelings of separation, isolation, and sometimes even panic come from?! Unable to resist the temptation to uncover the mystery of their classmates, the heroes of the novella will find themselves on the path to understanding the complicated mechanisms within themselves and others. And for each of them, the necessity of making a choice will stand ahead.
In May 2008, “Guard of Alarm” became a laureate of the National Children’s Literature Award “Cherished Dream.”