Little Brother by Cory Doctorow

Doctorow, Cory. Little Brother.
Tor Teen. 2008.
ISBN: 9780765319852
$17.95. Hardcover. 384 pages.

Readers Annotation
Marcus thinks he knows how things work in the net world until he and his friends are caught in the backlash over a terrorist attack in San Francisco.

Plot Summary
Marcus skipped school one day to play Harajuku Fun Madness with his geek squad, when the worst terrorist attack on American soil takes place in San Francisco. Picked up and detained by the Department of Homeland security at Gitmo-by-the-Bay, he is interrogated for days before being released and ordered to be silent about the questioning. On his return home he discovers that much of San Francisco is now a police state. Marcus can’t be a passive bystander. He is determined to discover where his missing friend has gone, and to stop the DHS from turning San Francisco into a prison camp. His attempts to thwart the DHS only make things worse. His friends begin to fear for their safety and leave Marcus to pursue answers on his own. With time running out for his friend he seeks help from his parents, and a reporter. While his technical knowledge is awe inspiring it is his words that make a difference in gaining freedom for all the detainees.

Critical Evaluation
The book is an Orwellian view of a possible world to come. The book felt over-hyped to me because of the technical jargon used by the author. I believed at the time that I understood what Marcus and his friends were talking about, but I only got a small portion of the technical babble. It was a little like trying to read a foreign language. As a cautionary tale this book works. If there were another attack on American soil like the one described in the novel, I feel certain that the DHS would find a way to detain citizens under the auspices of the Patriot Act. What I think most people will take away from this book is that it is possible for our freedoms to be taken from us in an instant if something should go wrong. That is a very scary proposition. While the technical stuff is essential to the novel many people might be put off by it.

Information about the author
Cory Doctorow is an interesting character, he writes that he “is a science fiction novelist, blogger and technology activist.” You can find out more about him at http://craphound.com/

Genre
Fantasy, technology

Curriculum ties
English, could be compared to Orwell’s Big Brother.

Challenge Issues
None

Challenge defense ideas
There are no apparent challenge issues associated with this book. In the case that a challenge comes up, there are some things that you can do to start. You could read the book and become familiar with the content. Refer to the library collection development policy, and get reviews from reputable sources and teens that have read the book. You can find out more about this book on Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/Little-Brother-Cory-Doctorow/dp/0765319853/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260172565&sr=1-1

Booktalking Ideas
1. Discuss why Van and Jolu break with Marcus.
2. Discuss Marcus relationship with Ange.

Reading Level/Age
Young adult, ages 14 and up

Why I included this title
Required reading.

ttyl by Lauren Myracle

Myracle, Lauren. ttyl (Talk To You Later).
Amulet Books. 2005.
ISBN 0810987880
$6.95. Paperback. 233 pages.

Readers Annotation
Maddie, Angela and Zoe are best friends approaching their sophomore year of high school with high expectations. Their mistakes along the way may cause arguments, but it also brings them together.

Plot Summary
Three best friends (“The Winsome Threesome”) embarks on their sophomore year of high school. Maddie (Mad Maddie) has just gotten her drivers license, and has a pretty bad temper. Angela (SnowAngel) loves to be in love, and pursues boys relentlessly. Zoe (zoegirl) the good girl of the group finds herself in a dangerous situation with a teacher. The story told completely in IM (instant messaging) covers only a small part of the school year. Within that short time (September 7 to November 20) the girls each experience a traumatic event that nearly drives them apart. Maddie attends a frat party with a Jana (the high school queen bee), only to get drunk for the first time. She ends up dancing topless on a table. Soon after pictures start appearing on the Internet much to the girl’s horror. Angela thinks she finds the boy of her dreams in Rob, but he turns out to be a jerk. When she spins into depression her friends come to her rescue, but it’s only when she finds another crush that she is healed. Zoe, the “good girl” of the bunch, likes going to church with her 24-year-old teacher Mr. H. The naïve Zoe does have a little crush on the teacher, but she is unprepared when he hits on her. This event brings the girls back together again after a tumultuous couple of months. As the story ends the girls are planning a camping trip together during Thanksgiving break.

Critical Evaluation
Although Lauren Myracle states that she wanted to write a book that was true to life for teenage girls, what she has done is create three characters that a single aspects of one overall personality. Each character is only one part of the whole, and that creates characters that have personalities that are stilted and unreal. The overall format of the book is a take off of earlier pioneering works of experimental literature. Told in short IM missives, the story can be difficult to follow for a novice. Overall, this story worries me. My feeling is that this is a missed opportunity to talk about issues of love, sex, and safety with our young women. The entire time I was reading this novel I was thinking – where are the parents? But maybe that is the point.

Information about the author
Lauren Myracle was born on May 15, 1969. You can find out more about her on her lovely website at http://laurenmyracle.com/index.html. She also has an account on MySpace.

Genre
Contemporary Fiction

Curriculum ties
None

Challenge Issues
Sex, alcohol, language, and bad driving

Challenge defense ideas
· Become familiar with the book and its content.
· Refer to the collection development policy of the library.
· Refer to reviews from Booklist, School Library Journal, and Publisher’s Weekly available for viewing on amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/ttyl-Talk-You-Later-Internet-Girls/dp/0810987880/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1258313225&sr=8-1
· Try to get reviews of the book from teens that have read it.

Booktalking Ideas
1. Discuss the format of the book.
2. Talk about the characters Maddie, Angela and Zoe.

Reading Level/Age
Young Adult. Ages 13 and up

Why I included this title
This book is included in the 2005 ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers.