Idenpendent Study

Charbonneau, Joelle. Independent Study. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston: 2014. 310 pages. Tr. $17.99 ISBN: 9780547959207 *

Plot Summary:
Independent Study is Charbonneau's follow up to The Testing.  Independent Study begins with Cia receiving her placement in the University.  Cia is particularly talented in mechanical engineering and hopes to be placed in that school and is disappointed to learn she has been placed in the government school, while her boyfriend Tomas has been placed in the bioengineering school.  Cia does not have her memories of the testing, but she does has the recordings she made before the testing officials wiped her memories, but she is afraid to believe that these recordings could be true.  Could the university really be responsible for the deaths of so many students?  Would they really send students into unrevitalized area with the intention to kill one another?  As she tried to excel in her new area of study, Cia can no longer ignore the things she sees and the terrifying recordings she made.  Determined to uncover the truth of the University and Dr. Barnes program, Cia puts herself in more danger than she realizes trying to gather information for the rebels.

Critical Review:
While The Testing was a bit derivative of  other dystopian novels, such as The Giver and Divergent, Independent Study is wholly original.  Charbonneau has created a future that  seems peaceful and prosperous, but underneath is terrifying.  Charbonneau not only explores the idea of government control, but also the value of education to society as a whole.  Dr. Barnes believes only the best and most determined students should receive an education at the university and go onto be the future leaders of the country creating a group of followers to take over the government.  Cia sees the value of education to everyone and how it can be used to improve the lives of those in the colonies.  The last book in the trilogy promises action and rebellion on behalf of the students that is hinted at in Independent Study.

Genre:
Science Fiction
Dystopian

Reading/Interest Level:
Grades 6 and up

Similar Books:
The Giver by Lois Lowry
Divergent Trilogy by Veronica Roth

Author's Website:
http://joellecharbonneau.com/

Book Website:
http://www.hmhbooks.com/thetestingtrilogy/

*Book to be published January 2014, review of advance copy.

Champion

Lu, Marie. Champion. G.P. Putnam's Sons, New York: 2013. 369 pages. Tr. $18.99 ISBN 9780399256776

Plot Summary:
Champion is the long awaited conclusion to Marie Lu's Legend Trilogy.  It has been six months since reader left June and Day in Prodigy with the knowledge that Day is slowly dying and June embarking on a political career.  The two are reunited when the Colonies threaten to break the cease fire unless the Republic can provide a cure to the latest plague outbreak in the colonies.  In order to develop a cure the Republic needs to run tests on Day's brother Eden, the one thing Day will not allow is for his brother to fall into the hands of the Republic again.  Eden is no longer a child and has his own ideas about the situation, especially after Day's dear friend Tess falls ill.  While June deals with the political end of the war, Day goes back to the streets to rouse the people and lead a guerrilla front against the Colonies, all the while battling his own illness and increasing weakness. 

Critical Review:
Like Legend and Prodigy, Lu has again written a fast-paced, page turner full of action, adventure, and a little bit of romance.  June and Day battle with their feelings for one another, while being thrown into the turmoil of their country, they must push aside their own desires for the good of family and country.  Champion keeps readers guessing and challenges them to ponder the destructive forces of war.  Champion is indeed a stunning conclusion to an excellent series.  I can't wait to see what Marie Lu comes up with next!

Genre:
Science Fiction
Dystopian

Reading/Interest Level:
Grades 8 and up

Similar Books:
The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins
Divergent Trilogy by Veronica Roth

Author's Website:
http://marielu.org/

The Giver

Lowry, Lois. The Giver. Delacorte Press, New York, 1993. 179 pages.  Tr. Pbk. $8.95 ISBN 0385732554

Plot Description:

Jonas is about to become a Twelve, the age at which member’s of his community begin training for their future profession.  In Jonas’ community everyone’s profession or assignment, is assigned by the Council of Elders.  The Council is also in charge of choosing one’s spouse and assigning couples their children, one boy and one girl for each family.  When the day comes to receive his assignment, Jonas is chosen for the honor of becoming the next Receiver of Memories.  Jonas doesn’t understand what this means until he beings this training with The Giver, who was the Receiver of Memories before Jonas was chosen.  The Giver transfers memories of the past to Jonas and in the process Jonas learns about things his community has disavowed such as color, weather, pain, sadness, and love.  Jonas’ community decided long ago to embrace sameness.  In his new position Jonas is privy to information that normal citizens are not allowed to know and it is this information that has Jonas questioning the way of life in his community.

Review:

Lois Lowry’s The Giver, is quietly powerful and emotional.  Jonas’s community seems like a benevolent place to live, but underneath it is ugly and controlling.  Lowry raises important moral questions in The Giver, including how people can be manipulated by their leaders and how far will one go to see justice served.  The Giver brings up the question of free will and whether people are happier having their lives laid out for them or whether they are happier being able to make their own decisions about their lives and future.

Genre:

Science Fiction
Dystopian

Reading Level/Interest Level:

Grades 4-8

Similar Books:

The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

Awards/Honors:

ALA Notable 1994

Newberry Award 1994

YALSA Best Books for Young Adults 1994

Author’s Website:

http://www.loislowry.com/

The Hunger Games

Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games. Scholastic Inc., 2008. 374 pages. $17.99 ISBN: 9780439023481

Plot Summary:

In the future after the fall of the United States, a new country called Panem has arisen, composed of twelve districts surrounding the Capitol. Every year the Capital holds the Hunger Games and demands two tributes, a boy and a girl, from each of the districts. Every child between 12 and 18 has their name entered for the Hunger Games a brutal televised competition in which only one of the tributes will survive. When her little sister, Prim, is picked as the female tribute in District 12, 16 year old Katniss immediately volunteers to take Prim’s place. Together with the male tribute, Peeta, Katniss leaves for the capital to begin training for what could be the last days of her life, with Haymitch they only tribute from District to ever win the Hunger Games. Katniss and Peeta develop a friendship that can only be doomed; as soon as they enter the arena they can trust no one, not even each other. The arena is enormous enclosed space with a man made and controlled environment. Lucky for Katniss the environment of the arena is similar to the woods near her home where she would hunt. Growing up poor and hungry Katniss is accustomed to fighting to survive, but nothing can prepare her for the turmoil of the arena. At every turn Katniss is fighting for her life against the other opponents, wildfires, poisonous gases, genetically engineered animals and whatever other devices the Capitol can dream to torture the tributes and entertain the audience.

Review:

The Hunger Games is a brilliant novel that will leave readers wanting more. Katniss is the ultimate survivor, she is clever, determined, and unlike some of her competitors compassionate. Peeta is the antithesis of Katniss, he is devoted, loyal and selfless; when he enters the arena his last thought is his own survival. Katniss’s compassion saves her time and again in the arena as does Peeta’s selflessness, proving that brute force does not always win.

Genre:

Science Fiction
Dystopian

Adventure

Reading Level/Interest Level:

Grades 5-6/Grades 6 and up

Similar Books:

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

Fever Crumb by Phillip Reeve

Graceling by Kristen Cashore

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Awards:

YALSA Teen’s Top Ten 2009

YALSA Best Books for Young Adults 2009

ALA Notable Book 2009

Booklist Top Ten Science Fiction/Fantasy for Youth 2009

Children’s Choice Book Award 2009 Teen Finalist

Cybil Award 2008

Indies Choice Book Award 2009 Honor Book

Author’s Website:

http://www.suzannecollinsbooks.com/