Little Brother, by Cory Doctorow

Title:Little Brother
Author:Cory Doctorow
Publish Date:April 13, 2010
Publisher:Tor Teen; 1 edition
Pages:416 pages
ISBN:0765323117
Classification:
Genre:
Age Range:Young Adult
Price: $9.99
Annotation:

Annotation: After being mistaken for being part of a horrible terrorist attack, Marcus, a.k.a “w1n5t0n,” is arrested. After being let go he finds his home turned into a post-terrorist police state.Alone and angry about what's happening, he single handedly begins to fight back.

Summary: Marcus, a.k.a “w1n5t0n,” is seventeen and already he knows how to beat his school's system. He has no problem hacking computer and dodging library detectors so he can ditch and leave school to play an ARG in the city. But when a horrible attack takes place while he's out ditching school, Marcus finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. After being brutally accused of having something to do with this attack he is finally released. But when he gets home he realizes the world around him is a VERY different place. Something worse then Marshall law has transformed his world into a fear based, rights-invading police state. And this little brother isn't going to sit by and let big brother take over!

Evaluation: Little brother is a love song to Orwell, while at the same time an interesting look at how a Canadian views American policy (or human rights in general for that matter). This book is smart, fast-paced, and at times genius. The techno-geek speak is a lesson in computers for those who don't speak HTML, but it's done in a way that doesn't loose the reader. It's a tour-de-force for Young Adult, and encourages teens to think for themselves. It's mildly violent but these times are not too graphic. Although it's very pertinent to today's political air, its also got an element of science fiction to temper the far fetched implications. A very important book by an up and coming Canadian superstar young-adult writer.

Little Brother's Website: Read for free! http://craphound.com/littlebrother/download/

Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness: Dissent, Friends, Empowerment, Political Involvement, Post Traumatic Stress, Freedom of Speech, Human Rights

Reason this book was chosen: It's important, well-written, and unique. It looks at issues that are relatable to current political atmosphere.