High-concept storytelling in Gone 1: Big concept, small beginnings

Gone starts with an event that's really simple to explain - what would happen if the teacher disappeared in front of you? But the whole story grows from this and deals with the consequences.

Look around you. Try to imagine how everyone's world would be different if one part of it changed? What would be the short term consequences of this? How would life be different after, say, a year later?

You might have the start of a story!

Pay attention to how characters and the worlds they live in are introduced, especially when there are fantasy, supernatural, or science fiction elements in the story. What does the author do in that first chapter to allow you to understand the world?

Gone is the first book in a bestselling series of nine(!), by Michael Grant.

It's set in the fictional town of Perdido Beach, where Sam and friends deal with the fantastic events mentioned in this group of lessons and more, besides! 

It has drama, action, superpowers, heroes, villains, power struggles, talking coyotes, mutant arms... there's a lot to take in.