The Firefly Code

Gr 4–6—An earnest dystopian mystery that celebrates the power of friendship, individuality, and imperfection. In the corporate utopia of Old Harmonie, life is incredibly controlled. Citizens enjoy ready-made meals delivered to their identical houses in a futuristic suburb of Boston. Parents can modify their children's genetics, amplifying and dampening characteristics as their talents unfold. Twelve-year-old Mori has always felt safe in this world, but she relishes moments when she glimpses something truly unique. When new girl Ilana moves in across the street, Mori is instantly drawn to her refreshing sincerity. Ilana and Mori become fast friends over their love of botany, and together they plant a secret garden in the woods. Mori invites her into her circle of friends, and as a group they begin to explore forbidden areas of the town. They quickly discover Old Harmonie (and its mega conglomerate sponsor Krita) was built on a web of troubling secrets. Perhaps they aren't as safe as they thought. Frazer Blakemore offers an intricate mystery that deals with immensely complicated themes, from the painful changes in tween friendships to the ethics of genetic modification. The characters are charmingly naturalistic in this futuristic dystopia, simultaneously spouting corporate lingo and goofy jokes that modern readers will delight in. The specifics of Old Harmonie's infrastructure is labyrinthine, and occasionally pages of unrestrained exposition break the narrative flow of the mystery. Yet the themes are strong, and the depiction of a tightly controlled world at the expense of individuality will surely fascinate fans of Lois Lowry's The Giver. The ending hints at a sequel.