Little Brother

Little Brother
ISBN: 0-7653-1985-3
Author:Cory Doctorow
Publisher:A Tor Teen Book 2008

Plot Summary: Marcus and his friends are part of a secret group exploring and manipulating technology. In San Francisco after a terrorist attack, Marcus finds himself in the wrong place in the wrong time. He is apprehended and taken to interrogation. the captors demand answers he doesn't have. They assume he was part of the attack. They torture him for days, he thinks he would like to tell them anything, but he was not a part of the attack. They are the government. Marcus realizes he will have a hard time, and may even never escape.

When they release him he returns to his friends but now he is monitored. They decide to try new ways to create confusion so that the focus is off of them for a while. Meanwhile he misses the days they had fun in the "Harajuki Fun Maddness."

Critical Analysis: Doctorow demonstrates how we live in a culture of oppression where we use force to obtain answers and what we need. Our government operates on fear and control while claiming to be respectful of civil liberties. Marcus demonstrates for us how we live in a guilty until proven innocent at times. This book provides a social critique in a time where we recently tortured people at Guantanamo Bay for answers.

Annotation:
Marcus was apprehended after a terrorist attack in San Francisco. He and his hacker friends are believed to be involved. He works to stay away from surveillance and realizes that even he cannot escape.

Author Information: Cory Doctorow is co-editor of Boing Boing and former editor of European director Electronic Frontier Foundation. He won the Locus three times, the Nebula, and Campbell awards.

Genre: YA suspense,

Curriculum ties: English Literature

Booktalking Ideas:
1.) Would you be able to hold out during torture like Marcus did?
2.) Do you understand why Van left? Do you agree

Reading Level/ Age of Interest: 10th grade and up

Challenge Issues: There are none.

Selection Reasons: As our government and culture operates more and more on fear, there will be more freedoms lost. This book explores how we justify torture to appease our fears. For that reason, and because the technology represented is relevant, I choose this book.