Torched

April 1, 2009
Gr 8 Up-Facing time in foster care after her ex-hippie parents are arrested for growing and selling marijuana, 16-year-old Ellie assists the FBI by infiltrating Mother Earth Defenders, a radical environmental group, to gather evidence for eventual prosecution. She's accepted into the ranks after gluing the doors of a federal building shut, and quickly becomes involved with other missions, including firebombing a Hummer dealership. Her task is complicated by her growing crush on Coyote, one of the leaders of the radicals. After an unsuccessful mission at a logging site, the deadly side of MED comes out, and Ellie must balance her feigned fanaticism with her desire not to harm anyone. Most readers will have a hard time suspending disbelief long enough to go along with Henry's premise that the FBI could legally recruit a minor as an agent. Still, Ellie is a well-developed character with a crafty habit that reinforces the "reduce, recycle, reuse" message without becoming preachy. Her infatuation with Coyote makes her seem younger than 16, and Coyote's casual dismissal of her betrayal seems at odds with his passionate personality. Educators and environmentalists will appreciate the similarities between Ellie's adventures and the exploits of Julia Butterfly Hill, as it will allow them to engage in a discussion about endangered species, corporate responsibility, and logging. Teens interested in environmental concerns may find this appealing."Chris Shoemaker, New York Public Library"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2009
Grades 8-11 After16-year-old Ellies aging hippie parents are arrested for growing pot in their Portland, Oregon, neighborhood, the FBI makes a deal: her parents will go free if she agrees to infiltrate the local activist group, Mother Earth Defenders (MEDs), who may be planning not only ecoterrorism to protest corporate greed and pollution but also harm to individual people. To prove herself to the MEDs and to the FBI, she helps set fire to the local Hummer dealership. But how far will the MEDs go? And the police? The contemporary mix of politics and thrilling action will grab teens, not just environmentalists, as Ellie must decide how to save her parents and save the earth. Romance adds to the conflict as she falls in love with gorgeous MED member Coyote, who is both an activist and an ardent pacifist. Both the MEDs and the FBI have good guys and bad guys, and this suspenseful story will spark discussion about what it means to fight for right by any means necessary.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)