Little Brother

Little Brother
by Cory Doctorow

A near-future terrorist attack on San Francisco's Bay Bridge leads to the arrest and detention of Marcus by the Federal government. The fear and humiliation he experiences when he is questioned are detailed and convincing. These experiences lead him to take a stand and become a leader of the resistance and a civil rights activist.

This thriller shows how one can defend themselves digitally from the government's efforts to spy on you. Although the flow of the story is often broken up by Marcus's explanations of RFD cloners, cryptography, and Bayesian math it is a fascinating tale deserving of its choice as one of the ten best books for youth in 2008. A great read.

-Mr. Dale


Marcus Yallow is not the average San Fran teenager. He is a hacker, and a highly skilled one at that. After ditching school, San Francisco is blown up by terrorists. Marcus is unfortunately at the wrong place at the wrong time. They find all his gear and believe he and his friends Darrel, Van, and Juloup are the ones responsible. Of course, they are not, but the Department of Homeland Security thinks they are. Get ready for a techy adventure that will blow your mind by the time you read the first page.

-A. Ellis