Lowenburg,
Bill. The
Zorki Chronicles. Amazon 2013 464p $16.99 ISBN 978-1-4922-7474-2 hs/adult Conflict VG-BN
Who isn’t attracted to the opening
line: “Never let school interfere with your education”? This line sets the tone for
inquisitive, thoughtful teens who are in for a treat as they read about Miles,
an intelligent, rule-breaking teen who is abandoned by his single father; his best
friend Bird, a walking encyclopedia and math freak; and Katie, NHS president who is living a double
life in private. When Miles completes
a “Problems
of Democracy” class project, he is interrogated by the FBI because of photos that show him objecting
to the president
of the United States. Set in the near
future, this book will cause the reader to question how prescient the headlines
that start each chapter may be. What
passes as news has degenerated into tabloid headlines with a nugget of chilling
“hard news” thrown in. As Miles becomes a
“forced dropout” due to violating school rules, he gets an education from the
adults in the community. Miles
dabbles in photography and classic literary works of dissent, from Russian writers of old to current writers.
Can he and his close
friends create change through civil disobedience? The
ending of the story brings back the “Crash, Boom, Love” demolition derby from
Lowenburg’s previous book, decisions related to an unwanted pregnancy, and the new military draft,
and it ponders
what the future may hold for Miles and others like him. This novel provides thoughtful reading that
seamlessly blends fact, wit, and humor.
Summary: Miles documents his town, his friends, and his political concerns with his Zorki (a camera that uses
film). In this
novel set in the near future, the national
government and school policies are all under attack by Miles and his close set
of friends. Can student dissent
create change? Gr 9+
Student dissent --Lois
McNicol
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