My husband works on DNS servers for a living, while I usually go glassy-eyed when the term “DNS” is thrown around in conversation.  Generally, he and I read very different books about very different topics.  So imagine my surprise when the YA fiction book I reserve at the library spent 3 pages chronicling the history of the Domain Name Service (DNS.)  And it was actually kind of interesting!

Doctorow’s novel tells the story of Marcus, a San Francisco hacker, who is accused of helping to mastermind a terrorist attack on his own city.  When the accusations cannot be proven, he is released, but the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) vows that they will be watching him.  And they do.  His computer, phone, purchases, home, school and travels are all being monitored.  With its power unchecked, the corrupt DHS intrudes more and more into the lives of ordinary Americans, all in the name of “National Security.”  Marcus vows to fight back and reclaim the freedoms that our Constitution guarantees.  While I didn’t always appreciate the plugs for the ACLU, the story itself was interesting, if a bit technical for me at times.

As I was discussing the book with my husband, I mentioned how unrealistic I thought it was that the government could seize so much power so quickly.  He pointed out how much power our current administration has seized in recent months, all in the name of “Financial Crisis.”  Good point.  Maybe we should start reading more books in common.

If you’re looking for something unique from Grisham, this is not your book.  If you love his classic formula of slightly corrupt main character, little guy against big evil corporation, a few twists and turns, and lots of lawyers, you won’t be disappointed.

Billy can hear spirits, longs for his absent father, and wants a place to call home.  He must survive a cruel orphanage director, strike breakers at the coal mines and life on the road with the circus before he finds a place to belong.   A great read for late elementary/early middle school.

Jackson’s family has been torn apart by his father’s alcoholism.  The only thing that keeps him going is his love of basketball.  As a senior, he’s hoping for a starting position and a college scholarship.  What will Jackson do when his senior year doesn’t turn out like he thought it would?

In Hoops of Steel and its sequel, Running with the Wind, Foley dives right into what it means to be an isolated, misunderstood high school boy.  At times he goes into a little too much detail for me about the intricacies of being a high school male.  But the books are honest and Jackson is a very real character with whom boys will be able to identify.  These books would be excellent for an older reluctant reader.

This was a fantastic book.  Yolanda, her brother Andrew and her mother move from inner-city Chicago to Michigan.  There, Yolanda must re-establish her reputation as a tough, not to be messed with girl.  She also has to look out for her little brother Andrew, who communicates to the world with his harmonica.  But when Yolanda is busy with a new friend and Andrew is harmed, she know that it is up to her to make things right again.

There are some fantastic themes developed in this book: Friendship, family, loyalty, honesty, communication, love.  Through it all, Yolanda is convinced that her brother is a genius, and she will stop at nothing to prove it to the world.  This would be a great read-aloud in a fourth or fifth grade classroom.

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