Cyberia: Book 1 (1) - Hardcover

Lynch, Chris

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0545027934 ISBN 13: 9780545027939

Publisher: Scholastic Press, 2008

Synopsis

From National Book Award nominee Chris Lynch, an action-and-humor-filled futuristic series about talking pets who are tired of being pets ... and the boy who must help them.

The premise: It’s the future. Zane lives in a completely wired world, with completely wired parents. Technology has progressed so that every pet has a microchip in it that allows the pet to talk. Zane's happy about that. Until one day a strictly contraband wild animal -- a mole -- comes into his life. He smuggles it into his apartment -- and learns that the pets aren’t actually saying what the chip is translating. In fact, they aren’t happy that all animals have been domesticated. So they enlist Zane to help them fight back and ensure their freedom.

About this title

About the Author:

Chris Lynch is the author of numerous acclaimed books for middle-grade and teen readers, including the Cyberia series and the National Book Award finalist INEXCUSABLE. He teaches in the Lesley University creative writing MFA program, and divides his time between Massachusetts and Scotland.

From Booklist:

Zane lives in a future flooded with wireless data. A biochip in his ankle keeps his computers (and, by extension, his parents) in constant awareness of his activities, mood, and blood pressure. He can’t even pass gas without the Scent-o-Com adjusting the ingredients of his breakfast. After receiving the Gizzard, a gadget that synchronizes these feeds, Zane’s earpiece picks up a little something extra: the voice of his dog, Hugo. And it’s not just Hugo—soon Zane’s ears are bombarded by a veritable zoo, and their chief complaint is Dr. Gristle, an experimental veterinarian hoping to harness their abilities for government use. This very funny book occasionally strikes notes of unexpected poignancy, as when Zane dubs a dog-racing track “the saddest place on Earth.” The plot, however, moves in confusing fits, with characters materializing from nowhere and major events rushed to conclusion. Lynch, perhaps better known for daring YA works like Inexcusable (2005), may not be entirely successful combining cautionary tales of both virtual reality and animal abuse, but the planned sequel could help fill some of the gaps. Grades 5-8. --Daniel Kraus

About this edition

• Publisher: Scholastic Press
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 0545027934
• ISBN 13: 9780545027939
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 160