Branded

May 1, 2010
Gr 5-9-When his high school announces that all students will be getting uniforms, Ian can't be bothered to protest. He doesn't care all that much. Then, in his social-justice class, taught by the principal, he learns that many of his favorite things are made on foreign soil by exploiting the poor people of those countries. When he finds out that the uniform he's being forced to wear is manufactured by a company that is considered one of the worst offenders, he decides to take a stand and tries to get the board to change its mind, even thought there are consequences. While the overall theme is a bit heavy-handed, the plot does moves quickly, making for a quick read. A good choice for libraries looking to add to their hi/lo collections."Esther Keller, I.S. 278, Marine Park, NY"

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2010
Grades 6-8 After his high-school principal announces that all students will wear uniforms the following semester, Ian doesnt know how he feels. Julia, the student body president, is indignant, while his crazy friend, Oswald, kind of likes the idea. As Ian learns more about foreign sweat shops and child labor in his principal-led social-justice class, his opinion about the uniforms is solidified. Walters offers an often-didactic, easy read that touches on controversies about school uniforms and foreign labor as well as the prickly subject of when to stand up for ones convictions. This fast-moving offering skims over the complexity surrounding the topics, and readers may want to move from this fictional introduction to other titles, including nonfiction sources, that examine the issues in greater detail.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)