Totalitarian YA Lit...Huxley and Orwell Would Be Proud

I accidentally came upon an incredible book by a brand new YA author. I do truly mean accidentally. I was looking for something else, and the cover of this book drew me in like a moth to a flame. Just look at it!!! That is quite hard to pass up. I digress.

Teri Hall makes her literary debut with The Line, and oh what a debut it is.


The book is about a 14 year old girl named Rachel, who lives on The Property with her mother, Vivian. At the edge of The Property is the Line, essentially an invisible, impenetrable bubble that is part of the National Border Defense System, which surrounds the entire Unified States. Rachel can see the Line from the greenhouse, but she can also see...Away.

Strange things begin happening on the Away side of the Line, and Rachel begins to ask questions, too many questions. Who are the Others? How did Away come to be? What secrets is her mother hiding? What does Ms. Moore, the owner of The Property, have to do with all of this?

This book is a page turner from start to finish, but it also provides teachers with a great source of discussion in the classroom. As both an English and Social Studies teacher, I can see so many possibilities for the use of this book. English teachers, in my opinion, can use this book in place of Orwell's 1984. Although it is written more at the upper elementary level, the subject matter works great for discussions regarding:

• The loss of individual rights for the benefit of one's country.
• Government control and suppression of what is discussed in the media.
• Nuclear warfare and its impact on society.
• Xenophobia.
• Individual action to institute change.

Teri Hall even has a FREE comprehensive teacher's guide on her web site. The teacher's guide is designed mostly for middle school students, but I believe it can be adapted for any classroom. The entire first chapter is on her web site, as well. However, if you read the first chapter online, be prepared to drive to your local bookstore to buy the book.

There is only one problem with the book: The sequel does not come out until 2011!!! Trust me, this book has one heck of a cliffhanger. For me, the wait for this sequel is becoming more stressful than the wait for some of the Harry Potter books.

The good news is that we will definitely be hearing about this author a lot in the future. Although it was only published on March 4, 2010, it has already been nominated for the Best Fiction for Young Adults List by YALSA and Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers List by YALSA.

So...in 2011, you and your students will finally have the answer to the ultimate question: What lies beyond the Line?