The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins. New York: Scholastic, 2008. ISBN-10: 0439023483; ISBN-13: 978-0439023481. 384 p.

Plot Summary
In the country of Panem, a future version of North America, the rich city of Capitol is surrounded by 12 poor districts. As a punishment for a rebellion decades ago, each year, all the 12- to 18-year-olds in every district are entered as possible contestants in the Hunger Games, a fight to the death broadcast on live TV. Only two people are chosen from each district, and when Katniss's sister Prim is selected, Katniss volunteers to take her place. Being selected is usually a death sentence for those in District 12, but Katniss finds that she has the skills that may help her survive. But can she deal with the person she will become if she kills others to save herself?

Critical Evaluation
Reminiscent of the story of Theseus and the Minotaur, which Collins cites as a major influence, The Hunger Games succeeds at painting Panem as a cruel nation where the poor are marginalized and exploited for the benefit of the wealthy ruling class, while also creating a compulsively readable story.

Reader’s Annotation
Katniss Everdeen is chosen as a tribute in the Hunger Games, an annual fight to the death on live TV. Can she live with herself if she kills others in order to survive?

Author Information

Suzanne Collins has been a writer for children's television since 1991, for shows including Clarissa Explains It All, The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo, and Clifford's Puppy Days. While she was working on a show for the Kids WB network, she met a children's author who convinced her to try writing children's books. She is currently writing the third book in the Hunger Games series. Suzanne lives with her family in Connecticut.  Her website can be found at http://www.suzannecollinsbooks.com/.

Suzanne came up with the idea for The Hunger Games while watching TV. She says, "I was channel surfing between reality TV programming and actual war coverage when Katniss’s story came to me. One night I’m sitting there flipping around, and on one channel, there’s a group of young people competing for, I don’t know, money maybe? And on the next, there’s a group of young people fighting an actual war. And I was tired, and the lines began to blur in this very unsettling way, and I thought of this story."

Genre
Dystopian science fiction.

Curriculum Ties
History: slave auctions, Coliseum gladiators.

Booktalking Ideas
-Katniss's feelings when her sister's name is read as a tribute.
-Peeta's first declaration of love for Katsa.

Reading Level/Interest Age
Grades 9-12.

Challenge Issues
Violence.

Challenge Defense
Become familiar with reviews, which are mostly very positive.

I included this book because

Uglies, by Scott Westerfeld

Uglies, by Scott Westerfeld. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2005. ISBN-10: 0689865384; ISBN-13: 978-0689865381. 448 p.

Plot Summary
In Tally's world, when teens turn 16 they undergo radical operations to make them look like supermodels. Most teens long for the day when they can be beautiful, but a few radicals, called Uglies, resist the operations and escape into the wilderness. When Tally's friend disappears with the rebels, Tally is forced to choose between her friendship or fitting in.

Critical Evaluation
Westerfeld looks at the issues inherent in radical cosmetic surgery and its possible effects on society. In a world where physical individuality is ruthlessly stamped out, and conformity becomes key to survival, Tally's participation in a rebellion against a society determined to change her will strikes a chord with teens struggling with their self-image. The inclusion of next-generation media devices may also resonate with female readers who usually avoid science fiction. Although the book's tone can be didactic at times, this book, and the others in the series, is extremely popular with teens and is a required inclusion in any teen collection.

Reader’s Annotation
When Tally turns 16, she will be given an operation to become beautiful, just like the rest of the city's teens. But when her friend joins a a group of rebels who refuse the operation, Tally must choose between beauty and her best friend.

Author Information

Scott Westerfeld is the author of five science fiction novels for adults, as well as three young adult series: the Midnighters trilogy, the four books in the Uglies series, and three standalone novels set in New York. He was born in Texas and divides his time between New York City and Sydney, Australia. Scott is married to the YA author Justine Larbalestier, and blogs at http://scottwesterfeld.com/blog/.

In an interview for Check Your Pulse, Simon and Schuster's book newsletter for teens, Westerfeld shares how he came up with the idea for his futuristic society where everyone is made pretty: "We are definitely heading toward a world in which lots of people will get to decide how they look. That will change what we think of as beautiful, and what beauty means to us. So some people stay the way they look, because that's cool or radical. Some won't change because they're rich and powerful—like when famous directors go to some fancy Hollywood restaurant in an old T-shirt and baseball cap; it shows they can get away with it. Other people will try to outdo each other, and manipulate themselves in ways that we don't consider remotely pretty right now.

So thinking these thoughts, I wanted to write a future in which these technologies were fairly common. And in my future, the local government forces you to have an acceptable face—that is, a certain kind of pretty face. Sort of like now, when adults try to control how teenagers dress, cut their hair, use make-up, and get tattoos or piercings. This is the stuff of rebellion." In the wake of recent tabloid gossip about TV stars getting multiple plastic surgeries at a young age, this idea is more relevant than ever.

Genre
Dystopian science fiction

Curriculum Ties
Sociology: constructions of beauty, integration of social networking on society.

Booktalking Ideas
-Description of the difference in teen life between life before and after the operation.
-Perspectives on beauty.

Reading Level/Interest Age
Grades 9-12.

Challenge Issues
Teens challenging authority.

Challenge Defense
Become familiar with the book before recommending it to teens with more sensitive parents.

I included this book because it's really popular with teens and I felt it was important to become familiar with it.

Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card

Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card. Location: Tor Science Fiction, 1994 (Eighth Printing Edition). Originally published 1985. ISBN-10: 0812550706; ISBN-13: 978-0812550702. 384 p.

Plot Summary
Ender Wiggin is only 5 years old when he is sent to Battle School, a military training facility in space designed to train children to be officers in the war against the alien buggers. He is the best at all the military games that are offered at the school, and becomes a school army commander before he's 10 years old.  He performs well under the pressure, but fames and training exercises are not the same as real war. How will Ender react under the pressure of commanding real men in real missions? Does he have what it takes?

Critical Evaluation
This classic of young adult literature offers a poignant look at the psychology of commanders sending soldiers on missions that may kill them. Are children more suited to waging war than adults, or will they crack once the real consequences start to sink in? Card manages to deal with the ethical issues of war and the underage training of children to fill adult roles they aren't ready with while also creating a compelling, intense story. The pace never slackens and the novel engrosses the reader until the last page.

Reader’s Annotation
Ender Wiggin leads student armies in war games at Battle School. He excels at war games, but will he crack under pressure during the real thing?

Author Information

Orson Scott Card was born in Washington and grew up in California, Arizona, and Utah. Along with his writing, he directs plays and serves as a professor of writing and literature at Southern Virginia University. Aside from his Ender Wiggin novels, Card writes contemporary fantasy, Biblical novels, poetry, plays and scripts, and the frontier fantasy series The Tales of Alvin Maker. Her lives with his wife and youngest daughter in Greensboro, North Carolina. Additional biographical information can be found at his website, Hatrack River.

In a recent interview, Card was asked how he felt about Ender's Game being used in the curriculum at some schools. He says, "I'm always a bit worried when students are forced to read a book of mine in order to get a grade. The danger is that the readers will be hostile to the book because of that, and no story can survive a hostile reading. But so far it seems to be doing little harm, and from what I hear, most students actually end up enjoying it....If teachers look at Ender's Game or Ender's Shadow as a road into discussing real-world ethical and moral issues, current events, history, and family life, I think they'll be well rewarded by the kinds of things their students discover and care about in the book."

Genre
Science fiction

Curriculum Ties
Military history/strategy, war ethics. Is commonly read in English classes.

Booktalking Ideas
-child soldiers
-adults who lie and manipulate to get kids to do what they want

Reading Level/Interest Age
Grades 6-12. My 6th grade brother and 11th grade sister both really enjoyed it, and I feel it has a little something for everyone.

Challenge Issues
One short, brutally violent scene. Some language. Some thinly veiled racial metaphors, used to demonize racism.

Challenge Defense
Be familiar with the story and especially the violent scene before recommending it.

I included this book because it is a classic of the YA sci-fi genre. It also won the 1985 Nebula Award and 1986 Hugo Award, both for best novel.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox, by Mary E. Pearson

The Adoration of Jenna Fox, by Mary E. Pearson. New York: Henry Holt & Co., 2008. ISBN-10: 0805076689; ISBN-13: 978-0805076684. 272 p.

Plot Summary
Who is Jenna Fox? Jenna, 17 years old, has just come out of a year-long coma. She remembers nothing from her past life--not her name, not even if she has a best friend. Her grandmother can't stand to look at her, and the family's new house has a locked room that Jenna's not allowed to see. What happened to Jenna when she was 16? What really happened after her accident? And why will no one tell her the truth? What did their love lead her parents to do?

Critical Evaluation
This novel starts out small and moves on to explore very sophisticated, mature themes of identity and love. What defines a person's soul--their memories? Their intelligence? This novel manages to offer a fresh take on age-old philosophical debates about identity, as well as new concerns about bioethics and genetic engineering. Mary Pearson does a good job of creating Jenna as a sympathetic character dealing with issues that may be too big for her.

Reader’s Annotation
Jenna can't remember anything about her past. What happened to her after her car accident? What are her parents not telling her?

Author Information
Mary Pearson graduated with a BFA in Art from Long Beach State University and got her teaching credential from San Diego State University. As she was a second-grade teacher, her students pushed her to start writing professionally. She works full-time as a writer from her San Diego home. To date, her other books include A Room on Lorelei Street, Scribbler of Dreams, The Miles Between, and David v. God. Her website is located at http://www.marypearson.com/ and she blogs at http://marypearson.livejournal.com/. The book's website is http://www.whoisjennafox.com/.

In an interview conducted before the Nebula Awards, Pearson was asked how she got the idea for Jenna Fox. She replied, "two questions drove the story: First, How far would a parent go to save their child? And secondly, How far will medicine advance in another fifty years?  I asked myself both of these questions when my youngest daughter was diagnosed with cancer, but still I didn’t think they would ever turn into a story.  Years later these questions melded with an image I had of a girl looking out over water who I knew had been in some sort of accident and was recovering.  By exploring these questions through the very different circumstances and time period of Jenna Fox, I was able to achieve the distance I needed to explore these questions" (source).

Genre
Science fiction

Curriculum Ties
Philosophy and/or biology: bioethics, genetic engineering

Booktalking Ideas
What would you do if you couldn't remember anything about your past? What if you found out your parents did something illegal to save you from dying?

Reading Level/Interest Age
Grades 9+

Challenge Issues
Bioethics issues

I included this book because it won several awards and was nominated for a few others. Awards: Andre Norton Award Finalist (2008), Golden Kite Award (2009, honor recipient), ALA Best Books for Young Adults (2009), Locus Recommended Reading (Young Adult, 2008), School Library Journal Best Book of the Year (2008).

Candor, by Pam Bachorz

Candor, by Pam Bachorz. New York: Egmont USA, 2009. ISBN-10: 1606840126; ISBN-13: 978-1606840122. 256 p.

Plot Summary
In the town of Candor, Florida, everything is perfect. Kids respect their elders, do their chores, and love doing homework--because they're being controlled by subliminal messages. Oliver Banks is a model kid--at least, he pretends to be. Really, he knows about the Messages and fights them with messages of his own. He secretly helps other teens escape Candor. But when a new girl moves into town, his attraction to her threatens to expose his secret rebellion.

Critical Evaluation
Delving into issues of identity and memory, Pam Bachorz's debut novel was inspired by the six years she lived in a model community in Florida. She makes it easy to understand both Oliver's rebellion and the events in his family's life that led to the Messages, as well as why he would risk it all for a girl. The characters are believable, except for Oliver's father, whose actions seem a little over the top for a loving father (although even they become clearer by the end of the story). The implications of a potential world where brainwashing is possible are chilling.

Reader’s Annotation
Oliver pretends to be a model son in the town of Candor, but he really spends his time helping other teenagers sneak out of this town where they are brainwashed. When Nia moves into town, he can tell she is different, that the messages don't affect her as strongly as they do others. Can he get her out of Candor before it's too late?

Author Information
Pam Bachorz grew up in a small town in the Adirondacks, where she performed as much as possible and tried her best to get out of anything athletic. She played the cello, and can still belt out songs from "The Fantasticks" and "The Music Man." She attended college in Boston, and got four degrees (a BA in Journalism, a BS in Environmental Science, a Masters in Library Science, and an MBA). She currently lives in Washington, D.C. with her husband and son. She loves visiting museums, watching television, and reading books meant for young adults. Her website is http://www.pambachorz.com/ and she blogs at http://pambachorz.livejournal.com/.

In an interview, Pam shared what inspired her to write about subliminal messaging. "I think the greatest horror is to lose control of your own thoughts. They are your most private thing in the world--the thing you own above all else. So I've always been fascinated by things like brainwashing and subliminal messages. For this story, I was actually inspired by a mosquito truck, of all things! We were living in a Florida town that hired a truck to drive around twice a day and spray for mosquitoes. Supposedly the spray was harmless to people (and given how many bug bites we still got, I wonder whether it worked on mosquitoes!). One night I was out walking the dog and the truck passed us, with a big white plume of spray coming off the back. We were coated in it. What if, I wondered, the spray was filled with Prozac? And if it was, would anybody even object--or would they pay extra for "happy spray"? From there I went to brainwashing with something else hidden: not medicine, but subliminal Messages that are hidden in music."

Genre
Science fiction: dystopian novel

Curriculum Ties
Psychology: the implications of brainwashing and mind control.

Booktalking Ideas
What if your thoughts weren't your own? What if everyone except you was brainwashed?

Reading Level/Interest Age
Grades 9-12

Challenge Issues
None.

I included this book because it was selected as a finalist for the 2009 Cybil Awards.

Little Brother, by Cory Doctorow

Little Brother, by Cory Doctorow. New York: Tor Teen, 2008. ISBN-10: 0765319853; ISBN-13: 978-0765319852. 384 p. It is also available as a free download, under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-ShareAlike license, at Cory Doctorow's website, Craphound.

Plot Summary
After a terrorist bombs the Bay Bridge in San Francisco, Marcus and his friends are apprehended by the Department of Homeland Security as possible terrorists. After physical torture and psychological stress in captivity, Marcus and most of his friends are released. Marcus then starts an underground campaign to overthrow the corrupt government agency that is determined to reduce civil liberties in the name of protection against terrorists.

Critical Evaluation
Doctorow's allegory of post-9-11 America can be heavy-handed at times, but is still eminently readable. In the days of enemy combatants and Guantanamo Bay, the story seems especially relevant. However, Marcus is almost preternaturally culturally aware, and the book reads almost more like a newspaper editorial than a novel. Doctorow goes off onto tangents about RFID tags, cryptography, and public key exchanges that may confuse the less technologically-minded reader. Despite this, Little Brother is a compelling read.

Reader’s Annotation
What if your government was making your life less safe? That's exactly what happens in San Francisco after a terrorist blows up the Bay Bridge. Can a 17 year old and his online friends take on the DHS?

Author Information
Cory Doctorow is a science fiction author, blogger, and activist. Born in Toronto, Canada, he lives in London. He is the co-editor of the popular website Boing Boing, the former European director of the Electronic Frontier Federation, and co-founded the UK Open Rights Group. He blogs at craphound.com.

Doctorow is in the minority among writers because, although his books are published as hard copies by Harper Collins UK and Tor Books, they are published simultaneously online under Creative Commons licenses that encourage their re-use and sharing (source). One reason he publishes his work online is that "the electronic book is more often an enticement than a substitute. The problem of authorship is not piracy but obscurity. And people don’t read long works on screens if they have the choice, not because screens aren’t good enough but because computers are too distracting. Doing anything for more than ten minutes in front of your computer is really hard. I don’t buy that screens are hard, because otherwise people wouldn’t play World of Warcraft for 20 hours at a stretch or read their Email for 20 hours." His popularity is a testament to the fact that the paradigm of publishing really is changing and that online models of distribution can be successful.

Genre
Science fiction: cyberpunk

Curriculum Ties
Computer science: hacking, surveillance, RFID technology
Math: cryptography
Civics: First Amendment rights, privacy

Booktalking Ideas
If you were arrested for terrorism and you were innocent, how would you react? What if you could change the country through hacking and internet use?

Reading Level/Interest Age
ATOS Book Level: 5.9
Interest level, grades 9+

Challenge Issues
Language.
Sexual content.

I included this book because we were already reading it for class, and I thought it would be interesting to have a record of my own annotations before the class discussion.