Freakling (The Psi Chronicles)
Gr 5-7-This dystopian novel packs a punch with an original premise and a fully developed future society. Taemon, 12, lives in a city where everyone can move objects with their minds, a power called psi. One day, while arguing with his brother, he hears a strange voice and is asked to make a difficult choice. His decision costs him his supernatural abilities. Taemon attempts to fake it for a while, but it's next to impossible. Without psi, he can't even feed himself, since using his hands would reveal his secret. It doesn't take long before he ends up exiled to a colony of "powerless" people. The colony isn't as backward as Taemon was raised to believe, though, and there he learns valuable lessons about the power he lost and the power still inside him. Meanwhile, his cruel older brother is being groomed as the True Son, a much-revered individual who, according to prophecy, will bring on the next Sacred Cycle. All of this leads to a gutsy conclusion. While the concept of psi and all of its intricacies is described well, at times the narrative feels repetitive, reminding readers that every action is accomplished using it. However, memorable characters; a smooth, suspenseful plotline; and a fascinating premise make this debut a worthy addition to the genre. Give it to kids who are a little too young for Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games (Scholastic, 2008).-Mandy Laferriere, Staley Middle School, Frisco, TXα(c) Copyright 2011.  Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc.  No redistribution permitted.--This text refers to theHardcoveredition.