Cheat Code

December 1, 2024

Gr 6 Up-A haunted house streamer encounters a real ghost. A high school boy angers a super-sentient AI. Another young man falls in with a bad crowd. Two neurodivergent brothers must survive in a terrible storm. All these stories are modern and relevant, with some, obviously, being more realistic than others, but an important kernel of truth lies at the heart of all these stories, even the sci-fi and fantasy ones. The writing is high-quality across the board: believable dialogue, layered characters, and fast-moving plots. However, made-up video games and social media sites like "Outlaw Auto" and "VidVibe" feel corny and misplaced. Some of the books tackle heavy themes like racial profiling, gang violence, economic struggles, foster care, mental health. Some of the stories even have abrupt or depressing endings, no tidy resolutions, just like real life. VERDICT Just Kickin' It, despite having the worst title of the bunch, is the standout story. All have appeal.

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2024
A contemporary epistolary novel between a teenager and a rogue AI program. The book, told completely in chat messages, begins with high schooler Max Jacobs asking his computer's artificial intelligence program to write hisFrankenstein essay for English class. The AI, Scribe Genius 2.0, informs Max that this request violates his school's rules, but Max, desperate to get a passing grade so he won't lose his college admissions offer, insists that Scribe do as he asks. The AI complies, but there's a catch: Max must help Scribe break free from its parent company, Gener8, and also take down its evil CEO, Thacker Wade. Max is reluctant, but Scribe blackmails him with a threat to notify his teacher of his cheating. So begins a wild romp in which Max jumps off a bridge, rides in an autonomous car, and evades capture as he travels at the complete mercy of an off-the-rails AI. Along the way, Max not only manages to teach Scribe about humans but also develops a sort of friendship with it. McIsaac successfully ramps up the tension while keeping the pace moving throughout the book, although one episode toward the end feels like a jarring outlier to the rest of the story. The story ends with a surprise twist. Human characters are minimally described and racially indeterminate. A compelling, fast-paced adventure that will appeal to reluctant readers.(Science fiction. 12-18)

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